(04-17-2019, 01:51 PM)urbd Wrote: You should check out the Northdale Urban Design and Built Form guidelines. It's one of the most detailed and comprehensive urban design documents in Southern Ontario, and way more thought out than Barrelyards for example. The execution of the buildings on the other hand, seems to be lacking because developers still choose to build for students first and foremost so they try to cut corners and maximize unit counts in every way possible. I agree with taylortbb that Northdale is becoming an interesting and diverse urban neighbourhood within Waterloo, I'm excited to see it in a few years.
Northdale urban design guidelines here: https://www.waterloo.ca/en/government/re...elines.pdf
It is really cool to see mixed zoning within developments on side streets in this neighbourhood. However, you are exactly right when you say "developers still choose to build for students first and foremost". As a result, businesses constantly come and go on the ground level commercial space, creating an image of failure. Really it's the (non) mix of residents in this neighbourhood. The City still needs to get non-students into Northdale to help make the urban design (zoning) work. Unfortunately the private sector isn't helping. It's a very transient community, which isn't healthy in the long run.