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+--- Thread: 651 Colby Drive, Waterloo | Commercial Plaza | proposed (/showthread.php?tid=1754)
651 Colby Drive, Waterloo | Commercial Plaza | proposed - SF22 - 02-08-2023
651 Colby Drive, Waterloo
Commercial Plaza - 3 Buildings (1x2 storey, 2x1 storey)
RISE Commercial Developments
GSP Group
City of Waterloo Planning Justification Report
Urban Design Brief
RE: 651 Colby Drive, Waterloo | Commercial Plaza | proposed - SF22 - 02-08-2023
I can't seem to find an official webpage from the developer about this one, only the documents that have been submitted to the city (linked in first post).
This has been sitting vacant for years now, but just this week, they fenced off the property and are ripping everything out. Looks like they're working fast, so I expect to see some quick changes happening! There's been a fair bit of retail/commercial going into this area lately (Beer Store, DQ, Mary Brown's, etc all in the plaza across the street), and I wonder if their success is driving this project now.
RE: 651 Colby Drive, Waterloo | Commercial Plaza | proposed - Acitta - 02-08-2023
It should be illegal to build 1 or 2 story malls without building apartment towers on top of them. Such a waste of space.
RE: 651 Colby Drive, Waterloo | Commercial Plaza | proposed - SF22 - 02-08-2023
(02-08-2023, 02:42 PM)Acitta Wrote: It should be illegal to build 1 or 2 story malls without building apartment towers on top of them. Such a waste of space.
I'm quite curious to know if this is the actual final plan for the site. These reports are dated from 2018, so it's entirely possible that something has changed since then.
That said, it wouldn't surprise me at all if this remained as a 1-storey commercial plaza.
RE: 651 Colby Drive, Waterloo | Commercial Plaza | proposed - ac3r - 02-08-2023
It's Waterloo... :'P Can't build anything high. Like, actually. They have rules to "protect the skyline".
RE: 651 Colby Drive, Waterloo | Commercial Plaza | proposed - ijmorlan - 02-08-2023
(02-08-2023, 02:42 PM)Acitta Wrote: It should be illegal to build 1 or 2 story malls without building apartment towers on top of them. Such a waste of space.
How about starting by making it legal everywhere to put the residential and/or commercial on top. Our zoning codes are way too prescriptive.
RE: 651 Colby Drive, Waterloo | Commercial Plaza | proposed - SF22 - 02-08-2023
Drove past this one again today, and noticed that the left-most building marked as 'existing' on the site plans has actually been torn down already. So now we have a mystery on our hands!
RE: 651 Colby Drive, Waterloo | Commercial Plaza | proposed - SF22 - 04-21-2023
In an extremely disappointing turn of events, there is a new car wash being built here. The sign just went up yesterday: Halo Car Wash, which has a couple locations open in SWO, and seems to be expanding rapidly. Not sure if it's the only thing going in on the lot or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is.
RE: 651 Colby Drive, Waterloo | Commercial Plaza | proposed - Acitta - 04-22-2023
(04-21-2023, 08:40 AM)SF22 Wrote: In an extremely disappointing turn of events, there is a new car wash being built here. The sign just went up yesterday: Halo Car Wash, which has a couple locations open in SWO, and seems to be expanding rapidly. Not sure if it's the only thing going in on the lot or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is.
Halo Car Wash Launches Location Expansion in ‘Under-Served’ Canadian Markets
Edit: apparently it is subscription based. The Next Generation Car Wash
RE: 651 Colby Drive, Waterloo | Commercial Plaza | proposed - ac3r - 04-22-2023
You can get people to subscribe to anything these days huh? From car washes, meals to TV. Everything a sedentary suburbanite needs.
RE: 651 Colby Drive, Waterloo | Commercial Plaza | proposed - ijmorlan - 04-22-2023
(04-22-2023, 03:52 AM)Acitta Wrote: Edit: apparently it is subscription based. The Next Generation Car Wash
We seem to have dialed back the meaning of “revolutionary” quite a bit. I used to think of it as an 80% reduction in VMT accompanied and enabled by a massive expansion of public transit. Now it’s just a car wash with fancy design that also sells merch.