General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[Joedelay Highhoe]

83-93 ONTARIO STREET SOUTH was originally developed in 1925 per https://www.lrcsde.lrc.gov.on.ca/BFISWeb...me=CSM.pdf

[ac3r]

Ahh, thanks. I figured it would be from around then.

[tomh009]

83-93 ONTARIO STREET SOUTH was originally developed in 1925 per https://www.lrcsde.lrc.gov.on.ca/BFISWeb...ntId=59619&fileName=CSM.pdf

OK, clearly I was wrong. Mea culpa!

[Acitta]

Council clears way for more diverse housing

By approving several official plan and zoning bylaw amendment applications, Kitchener Council has cleared the way for more diverse housing in different parts of the city including central neighbourhoods and Ottawa Street South areas; more affordable housing near Fairview Mall; and new high-rise construction at the edge of the core near King Street East and Highway 8. 
[b]The approvals will allow developers to build: [/b]

• Up to four infill units at 27 Roy St. Council’s amendments allow the interior of an existing building (one dwelling) to be renovated into four dwelling units, or three dwelling units plus a unit containing an artisan’s studio and small-scale cafe. 
  
• 48 affordable housing units operated by the Region of Waterloo on Wilson Avenue at Fourth Street — a net increase of 32 geared-to-income homes for seniors.  The zoning bylaw amendment allows a previously demolished two-storey building containing 16 units to be replaced with a six-storey building containing 48 units. The amendment allows for a taller building and more parking (.5 spots) per unit. 
  
• 166 mid-rise units by the Mill ION light rail station near Mill Street and Ottawa Street South. Council's changes respond to the “missing middle” by changing the Official Plan designation from low-rise residential to medium-rise residential. The proposed development consists of 166 residential units, including 110 one-bedroom units, 49 two-bedroom units, and seven three-bedroom units along with 157 parking spaces located underground and in the rear yard. 
  
• 658 residential units in two towers on a lot between King Street East and Weber Street East – the site of the former Schwaben Club across from Eastwood Collegiate Institute. Council’s amendments allow for the construction of two towers,  24 and 25 storeys in height, each with an eight-storey podium. The 403 parking spaces, located underground and on a parking deck, would include 123 EV-ready parking stalls. 
  

[ac3r]

It's honestly like night and day when comparing the choices Kitchener makes compared to Waterloo and Cambridge. Glad to hear this news.

[ac3r]

There's a 3 floor, 22 unit affordable housing project coming to 75 Charles Street East. Not sure if that means it'll share the property with the existing building or not.

[tomh009]

Is that 166 units at Mill and Ottawa a partial approval for the big new project we have already discussed here? Or something else?

[tomh009]

There's a 3 floor, 22 unit affordable housing project coming to 75 Charles Street East. Not sure if that means it'll share the property with the existing building or not.

I think that's part of the House of Friendship project:
https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/...p?tid=1637

Happy to see that proceeding.

[tomh009]

The stacked townhouse project on Sydney St N is looking pretty good (third photo is from the church parking lot behind the project). I think stacked townhouses are effectively today's equivalent to the three-storey walk-up apartments. 36 units is good density here.

   

   

   

[tomh009]

Construction is under way at 293 King St E. Three (narrow!) stories, retail on the bottom and residential on the top two. Concrete block construction should see this one finished relatively quickly.

   

[KevinL]

Construction is under way at 293 King St E. Three (narrow!) stories, retail on the bottom and residential on the top two. Concrete block construction should see this one finished relatively quickly.

Great, it's always good to see a gap in the streetwall get filled.

[Spokes]

Thanks for all of the photo updates from this weekend Tom!

[ac3r]

Some small updates. I won't start any threads since there isn't much to say about these yet. But...

1. There's a 15 and 18 floor mixed use development proposed for 20 Sportsworld Crossing
   
2. There's 196 stacked townhouses proposed for 2155 Strasburg Road
   

[neonjoe]

Some small updates. I won't start any threads since there isn't much to say about these yet. But...

1. There's a 15 and 18 floor mixed use development proposed for 20 Sportsworld Crossing
   
2. There's 196 stacked townhouses proposed for 2155 Strasburg Road
   

The entire Sportsworld Crossing should be redeveloped sooner rather than later. WHAT A FAIL. Currently for retail in the inner building there's Hockey Life and a Halloween Store. The Water Park was a much much bigger draw to the area!

[ac3r]

Yeah the area sucks and is a wasteland of failed businesses (with a few good ones that have been there for a while such as Costco, Home Depot, Value Village and some smaller ones). Thankfully it's slowly being redeveloped ahead of the Cambridge LRT line. There's the one mentioned above, 4220 King Street East and 4396 King Street East being proposed for the area.