(06-14-2020, 01:14 PM)Acitta Wrote:

(06-14-2020, 01:02 PM)tomh009 Wrote: 45, 49 and 53 Courtland Ave are being sold. Zoned for medium-density residential. Asking price is $2M, or about $3.1M/acre.
https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/21738365/49-courtland-avenue-e-kitchener

The plan shows more space being used for surface parking than the building. That is disappointing. There are a lot of trees on that block that will be lost to support car storage.

(06-14-2020, 01:20 PM)tomh009 Wrote:

(06-14-2020, 01:14 PM)Acitta Wrote: The plan shows more space being used for surface parking than the building. That is disappointing. There are a lot of trees on that block that will be lost to support car storage.

Quite. Although it's just a seller's mock-up, not a render of an actual proposed building.

But I expect that's driven by (1) the maximum floor area ratio and (2) the parking minima. Both are negotiable with the city, mind you.

(06-14-2020, 02:22 PM)danbrotherston Wrote:

(06-14-2020, 01:20 PM)tomh009 Wrote: Quite. Although it's just a seller's mock-up, not a render of an actual proposed building.

But I expect that's driven by (1) the maximum floor area ratio and (2) the parking minima. Both are negotiable with the city, mind you.

We shouldn't have to negotiate for good developments, those should be required, if you want more surface parking, that you should have to negotiate for.  *sigh*...

(06-14-2020, 09:35 PM)dtkvictim Wrote: First phase of Queen St seems to be about done. Paint is on now.


I can't find the page now where I saw the plans, but I saw the NE corner of Queen/Charles marked as some sort of green space, but it appears to be 90% concrete now. Just a small spot open on it where I assume some bush or flowers are going in.

Also sad to see the distinctive Queen sidewalks gone now. I would have preferred more sidewalks like that, not less.

Hopefully the place-making efforts on the second phase are more interesting, but most of the renders I've seen for Vogelsang Green look like a net loss to me. Not as much "green" anymore.

(06-14-2020, 10:28 PM)tomh009 Wrote: And yet ... unquestionably this sucks less. Reasonable-width sidewalks. Reduced lane widths (which will also slow down traffic). No parking or stopping. Somewhat beneficial sharrows instead of nothing at all.

Evolution, not revolution. But it's still a step forward.

(06-14-2020, 09:46 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: Not going to disagree that the "quaint charm" has been lost, but the old sidewalks were really quite terrible for anyone not able bodied.

The green space is decidedly not green, but that doesn't mean it can't be successful, it just needs shade and features.

What really ticks me off is how much space we are STILL dedicating to cars in this area. The sidewalks still get unacceptably squeezed to make room for the left turn lane...and we all know how effective sharrows are.  I am optimistically thinking that within 10 years King and Queen will be closed to cars, and we will question how we could have been so stupid to prioritize cars in that way in that area.  Of course, I'm being...very .... optimistic.

(06-15-2020, 09:41 AM)clasher Wrote: I wish they'd just stop with those faux olde-timey lights, they're not that great at actually lighting up the road and sidewalks. Now they need to enforce the no stopping/parking when people leave their cars in front of the Walper's doors to check in and get the valet service. It seemed ridiculous to me that was allowed at all.