General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[ktmbtsmrt]

The Pho Dau Bo building is still perfectly good, so I wouldn't agree with razing it for something new. It's in a great location right across the street from the market. Give it some technical upgrades (insulation, solar, rainwater reclamation, better lighting on the stairs etc), a refreshing of the façade and it would still be perfectly useful. As for the rest of the block, the parking lot and empty lots could easily be redeveloped into some missing middle structures holding some retail/residential - precisely like in the image DK519 posted. Personally, I'd love to see the Market District (or whatever it's called) evolve into some sort of Kensington Market kind of area: a market, bakeries, restaurants, art galleries, music stores and venues etc. Something really vibrant with an interesting vibe you can feel as you walk around.

It's important to remember just how much of an environmental impact the demolition of an entire building and then construction of a new one costs in an era of drastic climate change. If a building already exists and it's perfectly useful, use it.

I think those are strong ideas, and I like the idea of retrofitting it. It could use some accessibility improvements. I wonder if adding a floor or two would also help?

I think the Kensington Market vibes should be firstly be directed towards Market lane and Duke, and spill out over to the other side of King and Cedar. I feel the environment and street structure is more suited to it, like how Kensington isn't directly on Spadina, but is rather 'bound' by it, Dundas and College. Agreed with the general vibe as a 'vision' for the area though