General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[danbrotherston]

Interesting @ micro unit approach.  From dollar per square foot perspective, sounds the 1 bedrooms are asking for more than the going per sqft rate right now!

I know we need to intensify but I can also appreciate the neighbors' concerns. I don't know that area all that well - are there already lots of mid rises/6-plex/12-plex there etc?

There's a townhouse complex right across the street, and a four-storey apartment building next door to that. This parcel is on the corner, so it's probably the neighbours behind on the residential street who are commenting.

I think these are expensive for the size. A newish two bedroom on the larger side (let's say 850 square feet), those can be had for $2,300 a month now. $860 for 240 square feet doesn't seem like a bargain, and most importantly to me, I'm not sure that's the kind of thing that Waterloo Region should be subsidizing.

I think 850 is actually on the smaller side of 2 bedroom apartments. Maybe I'm out of touch, but even here two bedrooms are typically 800 square feet or so.

That said, I don't think price scales linearly with square footage. You still have all the kitchen+bathroom which is most expensive parts. That said, I probably agree it feels too expensive. 

I am unclear how this is subsidized though?

Edit: actually I didn't catch that the 370 sq ft units were 1-bedroom, and there were 240 sq ft bachelors. That is indeed even smaller than I though.

That said, I really cannot agree with anything the neighbours have said:

"“[I’m] looking forward to the idea and the prospect of helping low-income housing and providing them the space that they require, but it’s just not suitable. It’s not fair.” Dahms [also] voiced concerns with parking requirements, waste collection and snow removal."

They're just throwing the usual NIMBY whini---ahem...talking points at the wall to see what sticks.

Like, no jokes, this is literally NIMBY bingo:

"Dahms also felt the project represented a big change for people who are already living in the area.

“We’re not Toronto and we have to stop thinking like Toronto,” Dahms said. “We have to remember where our roots came from. This is Kitchener-Waterloo. Let’s treat it properly.”"