387-397 King St E and 6 Madison Ave | 2 & 8 fl | U/C

[tomh009]

At least the hair stylist property still has a private owner. I don't know where to find commercial real estate transactions, though.

[tomh009]

Two more floors added in July, so this should top out in August, with occupancy early next year. The commercial building still only has the frame, but I expect it will be built much faster (pour concrete floors, add steel roof and exterior glass/cladding) so it, too, should be ready for occupancy sometime in 2023.

Interestingly, only the first two floors are cast concrete, the upper floors are being built using concrete blocks.

   

[tomh009]

My speed estimate was overly optimistic but there is only one floor left to go so should still top out this month. The retail building has not progressed recently beyond the steel frame, potentially they're waiting for the residential tower to be structurally completed first.

   

[ac3r]

I'm sure everyone has noticed, but this topped out.

[tomh009]

I'm sure everyone has noticed, but this topped out.

The commercial building is now progressing as well.

[DK519]

I noticed the other day the current B and T property is up for sale now. 

$6.5M "Development opportunity, yada yada...".

[tomh009]

Is that for their 0.5 acre property (in blue below)only? $13M/acre seems fairly expensive at this location.

Interestingly, someone has assembled the surrounding properties (in red), about 1.15 acres, as well.

   

[ZEBuilder]

Is that for their 0.5 acre property (in blue below)only? $13M/acre seems fairly expensive at this location.

Interestingly, someone has assembled the surrounding properties (in red), about 1.15 acres, as well.

1.1 acres sold at Church and Benton for 12.1 million dollars to JD Development in 2021, the Ziggys property sold for 17.5 million to Vanmar in 2022 and it is significantly less than an acre, everything between 1 Vic and Francis Green is only around 0.7 acres which means about 25 million an acre, so it surely seems that 13 million an acre is not out of question.

[tomh009]

Brick cladding in progress for the residential tower, and the retail space is also taking shape.

   

   

[ac3r]

Is it real brick or just pre-assembled panels? Either way I'm glad they went with that colour. It's a nice break from the current trend of white/grey we are seeing everywhere.

I would have kept it all red brick, though, rather than the dark grey they're also using. Then for the section that is currently cinderblock (it'll have signage) I would have used some nice steel or another metal rather than what appears like will be more "ornamental" stucco-like junk. It could have made this look really contemporary yet paying homage to early 20th century industrial heritage the city was once known for.

It's not hard to design a good building...or maybe it is? I'd love to know where half these architects studied. If in my university days I presented buildings like many things we see in our region I'd be failing classes.

[tomh009]

It's real brick! I have another photo showing them laying the bricks ...

[ac3r]

Good to hear. Maybe I'll walk around downtown this week and loiter around the projects in progress. I don't often check them up close.

I hope the city starts reconstructing the sidewalks/roads on this side of downtown. The east end is still rocking those old school salmon pink flowerbeds and stuff. For whatever reason they're re-doing the sidewalks closer to city hall yet again but this side of downtown hasn't been touched in decades.

[panamaniac]

I'm not sure what to think about the re-doing of the King St sidewalks. I'm not sure, when the original pavers aged so poorly, that it makes sense to replace them with the same thing.

[tomh009]

I'm not sure what to think about the re-doing of the King St sidewalks.  I'm not sure, when the original pavers aged so poorly, that it makes sense to replace them with the same thing.

The new pavers are different. One hopes that they will turn out to be more durable.

Cobblestones on European city streets might last the better part of a century, and that's with far more traffic on them.

[nms]

I'm not sure what to think about the re-doing of the King St sidewalks.  I'm not sure, when the original pavers aged so poorly, that it makes sense to replace them with the same thing.

The new pavers are different. One hopes that they will turn out to be more durable.

Cobblestones on European city streets might last the better part of a century, and that's with far more traffic on them.

Is it a salt and snow plow issue? Or is it the more rapid freeze-thaw cycles that we have here?  Do the Finns have cobblestones that last longer?

Of course, every now and then the French pull theirs up and throw them at each other.