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Northfield Station | 3 fl | Complete
#1
Northfield Station
607 King Street West, Kitchener

http://www.northfieldstation.com/
Developer:  The Zehr Group


[Image: 139-Northfield2_web.jpg]


Quote:
Northfield Station is a two part development project located directly adjacent to a future Light Rail Transit station. The project includes the adaptive reuse of a 14,600 square foot industrial building, and the new construction of a three-storey 66,000 square foot Class A office building. This project has achieved strong pre-leasing benchmarks including Cineplex Digital Solutions and MNP LLP taking 14,600 square feet and 22,000 square feet respectively.
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#2
Waterloo office project spurred by light rail line

Mar 30, 2012 | Waterloo Region Record | Link

Quote:WATERLOO — The Zehr Group has started construction of a $9-million office building in north Waterloo, spurred partly by its proximity to the future light rail transit line.

To be called Northfield Station, the 5,940-square-metre (66,000-square-foot), three-storey building will be located at 139 Northfield Dr., near the Conestoga Parkway and adjacent to the proposed Northfield station of the light rail line.

Don Zehr, owner of the Kitchener-based Zehr Group, said he chose the location because it’s near both the transit line and the Conestoga Parkway.

“There won’t be a more accessible site in the region,” he said, adding that he expects the area will attract more developments and become “an office node.”

The site most recently was home to the Laurel Springs water bottling plant and an indoor go-kart track. Years ago, it was home to auto parts company Van Dresser. It is next door to a new Nissan dealership built by Zehr Group.

Zehr said he purchased the two-hectare site for $2.8 million in January 2011 from the Bauman family.

He is erecting Northfield Station “on spec,” but is confident he will attract tenants because of its prime location.

In just one week, recently, Zehr Group demolished the 40-year-old main building on the site.

Designed by ABA Architects Inc., Northfield Station will be constructed of brick and glass and feature exposed ceilings, large windows and brick walls. The aim is to capture some of the appeal and character of the popular Tannery and Breithaupt Block projects in downtown Kitchener, Zehr said.

“Once built, it will look like it’s always been there,” he said.

Other features will include a rooftop patio and state-of-the-art mechanical systems. The building should be ready for occupancy early next year.

A smaller building on the site, which once housed the go-kart track, will be refaced and used as a secondary building, Zehr said.

With units as small as 225 square metres (2,500 square feet), Northfield Station should be attractive to high-tech startups coming out of the nearby Accelerator Centre business incubator, Zehr said.

“If you can’t accommodate tenants of that size, you won’t do well,” added John Frezell, of Colliers International, the commercial leasing agent for the building.

Zehr Group is a family of companies that includes a project management and construction company, Zehr Levesque; a property management division called Zehr Management; and an investment branch called Zevest Development Corp.

Don Zehr is the son of Lester Zehr, who founded the Zehrs grocery store chain along with Lester’s brother, Clifford.

Other projects Zehr Group has been involved in, either as developer or project manager, include the Tannery building, the Breithaupt Block, a condo project across from the Bauer Buildings and a new student residence on Seagram Drive.
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#3
Next stop: Northfield Station

October 23, 2013 | James Jackson | Waterloo Chronicle | Link
Quote:The first two tenants of a major new development in the city’s north end have been revealed.

Cineplex Digital Solutions and MNP LLP will occupy nearly half of the space available at the new Northfield Station development located at 137 and 139 Northfield Dr. W. The project is located next to a proposed light rail transit station and just minutes from the expressway.

The total project will cost an estimated $9 million.

“They always say ‘location, location, location,’ and I believe we have arguably one of the most interesting and best locations (in the city),” said Don Zehr, chief executive officer of The Zehr Group, the local developer responsible for the site. “If you don’t want to be right downtown, this is a really cool space to be in.”

Cineplex will be moving from their current Waterloo location on McMurray Road and expanding to occupy the entire 14,600 square-foot office building at 137 Northfield Dr. W. later this year.

MNP plans to amalgamate its two Waterloo offices and move into 22,000 square feet of office space on the third floor at 139 Northfield Dr. W. by next summer. The building will be about 66,000 square feet once complete.

The site is located next to the Nissan dealership Zehr also developed, which got him acquainted with the location. The development was once home to the Laurel Springs water bottling plant and an indoor go-kart track. Zehr will also manage the site through the property management arm of the company.

Zehr bought the two-hectare site back in 2011 for $2.8 million. Constructed of brick and glass, along with high ceilings, Zehr said he was looking to achieve a loft feeling at the site.

He envisions the area, in conjunction with the redevelopment of the former NCR lands right across the street and the future LRT station, will become a communal meeting place for workers and commuters.

He said the site and the office space will likely appeal to the myriad of tech companies produced in the region.

“I foresee an interesting space where people stop and intermingle,” Zehr said. “You just figure what that area will be like in the next 10 years with hotels and more retail, and we anticipate lots of people will be using the light rail service.”

The new tenants couldn’t be happier with their new home.

“Northfield Station was the perfect choice,” said Dave Webb, regional managing partner with MNP for southwestern Ontario, in an email to the Chronicle.

“As a firm, our goal is to stand apart with the services and client experience we offer and this building certainly stands apart from other developments in the area.

“It’s really a win-win for everyone and we couldn’t be more excited.”

For Cineplex Digital Solutions, the design of the site is what helped set it apart.

“From large windows and high ceilings to a wealth of open space, the entire building will serve as a creative showroom of sorts,” said Steve Harris, vice president and general manager of Cineplex Digital Solutions, in a press release.

In light of the recent struggles experienced by BlackBerry, Zehr said this development serves as a reminder there are still good-news stories in the city and for the businesses that operate in this region.

“We know all the naysayers think it will be the end of the world with BlackBerry, and I don’t believe that to be the case,” Zehr said. “The fact is, there’s lots and lots of other companies that are expanding like crazy and we’re in a wonderful part of the world.”
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#4
And now it truly will be a station with Waterloo Central's terminal moving north.
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#5
DHLawrence Wrote:And now it truly will be a station with Waterloo Central's terminal moving north.

Where's it being re-located to?
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#6
The latest I've heard is the crossing at Northfield. ION construction and operation is exiling them from the station in Waterloo. It's a shame; Waterloo is probably the largest city in Canada to have a tourist railway in its downtown. Considering the speed and (lack of) frequency of Waterloo Central trains, they really ought to get an exemption from the CTC, but that's the way it is.
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#7
Really liking the near finished product of Northfield Station.

August 27, 2014

[Image: August272014.png]
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#8
I do too!

A lot of people will complain about the surface parking, and it's not ideal, but I think it would provide an opportunity to build something next to it down the road.
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#9
Getting out on Northfield will be a challenge.   The speed people drive down Northfield is nothing close to 60 more like 100.  Closer to the expressway ramp nobody slows down getting off the ramp onto Northfield.   I use to work in the area and there where a few accidents from people turning onto Northfield.    At least the fire station is across the road.  
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#10
The LRT vehicles turning on to Northfield every few minutes will likely slow things down and leave a break for traffic to get out onto the road in its wake.
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#11
From an e-mail that just arrived. Note comment about access: 

Quote:We are excited to announce the Waterloo office of MNP LLP will be relocating to the following address as of October 20, 2014:

139 Northfield Drive West
3rd Floor
Waterloo, ON
N2L 5A6
 
Free parking will still be available at our new location, as well as wheelchair access. Please note, the preferred entrance to the parking area is from Parkside Drive, between World Gym and the Nissan Dealer, as opposed to access from Northfield Drive.

Our contact numbers will remain the same at:
T: 519.725.7700
TF: 1.866.464.0740
F: 519.725.7708

Please note, the 554 Weber Street office will be closed all day on Friday, October 17 in preparation for our move.
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#12
Really liking the final product here!!

October 26, 2014

[Image: W4jKrGK.png]
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#13
Really like it too. The parking out front isnt even that awful
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#14
Improvement over the decaying Van Dresser building that was torn down.   Also the old Kid's Time building has been gutted and renovated.    What use to be a Blackberry Warehouse behind Northfield Station has been turned into a gym.     The car dealership on the corner of Parkside and Northfield was also a Van dresser building.    Part of it was torn down, the rest of the building was gutted.  

I believe that most of the buildings in this area use to be Van Dresser buildings.    It was wiped out in a severe recession that hit in the early 1980's. 
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