General Urban Waterloo Updates and Rumours

[BuildingScout]

even though it's more gentrification. 

Gentrification: grabbing a run down neighbourhood and improving it...  this is bad how?

[DHLawrence]

Prices out the people who were there first - and the alternatives in Waterloo Region aren't always the greatest.

[panamaniac]

I'm not sure I would describe the renovation of a former factory/RC Legion hall into an office building as "gentrification".

[MidTowner]

Usually that term refers to the transformation of areas that are poor or deteriorated. That's not exactly how I see Uptown.

[JoeKW]

This is gentrification: 

[jwilliamson]

Does anyone know what is going into the old post office at 35 King St N? There has been quite a bit of work going on for the last few weeks.

[Pheidippides]

Plaza at 55 Erb St is getting a refresh and rebranded "Spurline Crossing."
   
   

[tomh009]

I'm not so enamoured by the harlequin look of that rendering.

[insider]

Does anyone know what is going into the old post office at 35 King St N? There has been quite a bit of work going on for the last few weeks.

I really hope the City has good plans for this amazing building... If they don't they should just sell it already. A very cool community hub/innovator/maker space, with an extension of the public library would be pretty amazing. An urban, free living room.

[tomh009]

Does anyone know what is going into the old post office at 35 King St N? There has been quite a bit of work going on for the last few weeks.

I really hope the City has good plans for this amazing building... If they don't they should just sell it already. A very cool community hub/innovator/maker space, with an extension of the public library would be pretty amazing. An urban, free living room.

Does the city own this property?

[Viewfromthe42]

Is anyone else a bit insulted that the development is named after the spur line, but not only does the rendering show zero pedestrian way into the development (only the Erb-mandated sidewalk), but there is zero evidence of the namesake trail, or accommodation for those who would bike to this development on it?

[Markster]

Is anyone else a bit insulted that the development is named after the spur line, but not only does the rendering show zero pedestrian way into the development (only the Erb-mandated sidewalk), but there is zero evidence of the namesake trail, or accommodation for those who would bike to this development on it?

Well, the spur line initially refers to the railway line, and I don't see any train access either...

[jamincan]

In fairness, the Spur Line runs behind the building, so there's no big surprise you can't see it. For those unfamiliar with the location, it is at the junction of the Spur Line and Laurel Trail; it's next to impossible for it to not have good access to both of them. I would guess the rebranding is perhaps an attempt to make more people aware of the link. It isn't actually far from Uptown at all, particularly via the trail. The Erb-spressway kind of makes that avenue seem much farther than it actually is, while the Spur Line is somewhat pleasant (even if it is largely adjacent to parking lots).

The rebranding actually makes a fair bit of sense. It's currently the Erb Professional Centre, and while it still does have some doctor's offices and what not, it seems to have broadened out a bit. There are a number of active-lifestyle type stores there now as well, which kind of suits the location.

[clasher]

All they'd need to do is add a few curb cuts to the parking lot.

[nms]

I really hope the City has good plans for this amazing building... If they don't they should just sell it already. A very cool community hub/innovator/maker space, with an extension of the public library would be pretty amazing. An urban, free living room.

Does the city own this property?

I was pretty certain that the former post office building was at one time owned/leased by the Perimeter Institute.  I think the former Carnegie library is hoped to eventually become a community (insert buzzword here) space if the City can sort out zoning.