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General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours
That's a pretty short run for Mercato, under 4 months I think. I wonder if it was a decision to cut their losses, or if they went into the business without nearly enough capital.
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(10-06-2016, 04:39 PM)taylortbb Wrote: That's a pretty short run for Mercato, under 4 months I think. I wonder if it was a decision to cut their losses, or if they went into the business without nearly enough capital.

I only went in once, shortly after they opened, and left with the idea that they didn't really know what they were doing.
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(10-06-2016, 03:28 PM)Lens Wrote: Mercato restaurant at King and Scott has closed and the former Artisan Zone storefront beside the Berlin has been completely redone, including the removal of the old Kabel's tile.



Is that because they've built out from the original storefront, or is it just heritage vandalism?  I can't think of a good reason to remove it.
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Yes, they are moving the entrace right up to the front wall. The terrazzo and display cases are going away and a new flush front wall is going in.
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Very sad - that was, without any doubt, the best old storefront in the Downtown. Is the main floor to be converted to office space or is the current arrangement temporary?
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Not sure what is going on at Highland and Spadina.
Storage of construction vehicles from the big road reconstruction in the St Mary's hospital neighbourhood?
Soil remediation?
New project?
   


A metal construction fence has been added to the perimeter of the site now. Nothing showing in the permit database though.
Everyone move to the back of the bus and we all get home faster.
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Crews working weekends to renovate the Schreiter Sandrock funeral home into an Urgent Care clinic.  Using tiles for exterior cladding, which looks pretty good.  Front porch is being rebuilt, but some of the wood posts are in pretty rough shape.

   

   
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Checking out the old Schlichters property.  The render in the signs is basically just cladding, and presumably only on the Queen St side -- Ontario St might remain as is, given that it already has tenants?

The current state of the building.  Cleaned up, but neither beautiful nor heritage.
   

The render.  Very different.  Still it will look a bit odd downtown, with a large parking lot in front of the building.  
   

Interior shot 1: the interior columns actually look quite good, and after the clean-up it looks decent and bright enough, with the large windows on the N side.
   

Interior shot 2: further away from those side windows, it's much less bright, but the skylights for help somewhat
   
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Lots more natural light than I expected.

I can't help but wonder if this is just a temporary solution until it makes sense to build here.
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They'll certainly want to see out the leases on the Ontario-facing businesses; the convenience store may feel pressure to move come 2018 when the bus terminal will (mostly) vacate. I really would like to see something make good use of this space and of the elevation difference.
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(04-25-2016, 12:15 PM)Markster Wrote: Okay, it's thought exercise time!



That plot is zoned Commercial D-1
FSR 2.0
area: ~700m2
Max GFA: ~1400m2
...
And you have to acquire the land, which I'm sure the current owner is going to sit on until they are convinced by a sufficiently large pile of dollars.

Looks like we'll finally see some action on this site - at least with part (2/3) of the lot:
http://www.therecord.com/whatson-story/6...r-decades/
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(10-11-2016, 07:36 AM)Owen Wrote:
(04-25-2016, 12:15 PM)Markster Wrote: Okay, it's thought exercise time!



That plot is zoned Commercial D-1
FSR 2.0
area: ~700m2
Max GFA: ~1400m2
...
And you have to acquire the land, which I'm sure the current owner is going to sit on until they are convinced by a sufficiently large pile of dollars.

Looks like we'll finally see some action on this site - at least with part (2/3) of the lot:  
http://www.therecord.com/whatson-story/6...r-decades/

There's going to be a 19 foot undeveloped section.  What a waste.  Private interests trumping public good.
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How on earth those two weren't merged was beyond me. How foolish.
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(10-11-2016, 08:05 AM)danbrotherston Wrote:
(10-11-2016, 07:36 AM)Owen Wrote: Looks like we'll finally see some action on this site - at least with part (2/3) of the lot:  
http://www.therecord.com/whatson-story/6...r-decades/

There's going to be a 19 foot undeveloped section.  What a waste.  Private interests trumping public good.

(10-11-2016, 08:19 AM)Spokes Wrote: How on earth those two weren't merged was beyond me. How foolish.

From the article:

"We weren't able to conclude a deal with him," Riddoch said of that smaller lot.

And as I said
(04-25-2016, 12:15 PM)Markster Wrote: And you have to acquire the land, which I'm sure the current owner is going to sit on until they are convinced by a sufficiently large pile of dollars.

The owner of the small lot is probably trying to hold out for a far higher price per acre.
The developer has to move forward with what they have, in order to call the bluff.
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@Markster Exactly what I said, "private interests trumping public good".
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