General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[panamaniac]

If the City takes ownership of the Electrohome building, it will be on the hook for big clean-up costs. But hopefully it has greater wherewithal than a private company would to access funding from other levels of government for the clean-up (I am assuming there are funding programs for this).

Get ready for big arguments about what "should" be done with this if it's suddenly a City property. A lot of neighbours will argue that it should be a park or even a community since we're "under-served" (we're probably not). Of course there will be those talking about the heritage aspect, and how deep they feel the City's pockets are. I think it will be a long process.

I think you'll find the City leery to take ownership, there are some not insignificant liabilities for the off-site impacts, once you own the source...

Although, seemingly, none for those who have owned the place for decades past.  Seriously, istm that the City will need to acquire the site and take on the clean-up costs, either directly or via subsidies to any private sector purchaser.

[nms]

It looks like the Victoria/Westmount medical campus will be getting a big upgrade. As I passed by there was a "Coming Soon" sign that showed a mixed-use project with (I believe) medical offices on the main floor and residential above for at least two or three stories.

[panamaniac]

Still surrounded by parking lots, I wonder? It's pretty unsightly at the moment.

[tomh009]

Although, seemingly, none for those who have owned the place for decades past.  Seriously, istm that the City will need to acquire the site and take on the clean-up costs, either directly or via subsidies to any private sector purchaser.

At the minimum they will have flexibility on the price at which they sell to the right developer, enabling them to choose based on the merits of the proposal rather than just meeting the price tag on the back taxes (which are really water under the bridge now, we'll never recoup all of those).

[panamaniac]

Not sure if this is the appropriate thread, but I see that the Globe and Mail is reporting that, as part of its reforms to the OMB, the Province is planning to allow municipalities to bar challenges to approved developments near GO Transit, subway or light-rail stations (my bold)  in order to support the goal of boosting density near transit lines.

In theory, this seems like great news, but I suspect that a few community associations in Kitchener and Waterloo will be on the phones to city councillors tomorrow morning....

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toro...e34979676/

[ijmorlan]

Not sure if this is the appropriate thread, but I see that the Globe and Mail is reporting that, as part of its reforms to the OMB, the Province is planning to allow municipalities to bar challenges to approved developments near GO Transit, subway or light-rail stations (my bold)  in order to support the goal of boosting density near transit lines.

In theory, this seems like great news, but I suspect that a few community associations in Kitchener and Waterloo will be on the phones to city councillors tomorrow morning....

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toro...e34979676/

This seems crazy. If the challenge process is so messed up that it is even remotely reasonable to bar challenges entirely, then the process is need of severe correction. Presumably the whole point of the process is that somebody could have a reasonable objection, and the process provides a way for them to present the objection and for it to be considered. Just because a location is a good location for intensification doesn’t mean challenges are inherently wrong.

The right solution would be to reform the process everywhere to discourage unreasonable complaints and do a better job of dealing with reasonable concerns.

[Viewfromthe42]

I think the proposal isn't fully known, but there are different ways to interpret it. Does a municipality activating this ability make it apply in all cases within 500m of a station, or does it allow them to choose where decisions made within 500m of a station will be un-OMB-able? I'm thinking a bit of moments like with the restaurant proposal on Ottawa (admittedly not within a transit station), the idea being that council had a proposal, the proposal was supported by staff, the proposal made sense within its context, but council seemed to vote against it because of resident opposition and threat of residents appealing it to the OMB. It might be that this allows council to make their well-thought-out plans unappealable. I know residents who thought that 1Vic was incredibly inappropriate for its site, even the Kaufman conversion, and I would hate to think of council having to work through the change LRT is going to bring under permanent auspices of OMB appeals. In many cases within 500m of ION stations, developments will still require rezoning and overall approval BEFORE they would become unappealable. The ODC site at Roger and Moore is a decent example of a spot within 500m of an ION station (just), where a development has very minimal neighbour impacts, but there are already residents claiming that virtually anything to happen on that site would be inappropriate.

[panamaniac]

I think the proposal isn't fully known, but there are different ways to interpret it. Does a municipality activating this ability make it apply in all cases within 500m of a station, or does it allow them to choose where decisions made within 500m of a station will be un-OMB-able? I'm thinking a bit of moments like with the restaurant proposal on Ottawa (admittedly not within a transit station), the idea being that council had a proposal, the proposal was supported by staff, the proposal made sense within its context, but council seemed to vote against it because of resident opposition and threat of residents appealing it to the OMB. It might be that this allows council to make their well-thought-out plans unappealable. I know residents who thought that 1Vic was incredibly inappropriate for its site, even the Kaufman conversion, and I would hate to think of council having to work through the change LRT is going to bring under permanent auspices of OMB appeals. In many cases within 500m of ION stations, developments will still require rezoning and overall approval BEFORE they would become unappealable. The ODC site at Roger and Moore is a decent example of a spot within 500m of an ION station (just), where a development has very minimal neighbour impacts, but there are already residents claiming that virtually anything to happen on that site would be inappropriate.

That was the site that popped into my mind when I saw the news of the reported reform.  Assuming the municipality approves the up-zoning, I'd be very happy to see the option of an OMB appeal closed off.

[jeffster]

Not sure if this is the appropriate thread, but I see that the Globe and Mail is reporting that, as part of its reforms to the OMB, the Province is planning to allow municipalities to bar challenges to approved developments near GO Transit, subway or light-rail stations (my bold)  in order to support the goal of boosting density near transit lines.

In theory, this seems like great news, but I suspect that a few community associations in Kitchener and Waterloo will be on the phones to city councillors tomorrow morning....

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toro...e34979676/

Hey, even if this is a go (pun not intended), you'll still get those NIMBY's in full force, even if they're 25 metres from a line. And politicians do like to keep they're job enough to give developers a hard time. But it's a great idea and I hope it goes through. Really essential for the LRT's success to have lots of upbuild around the cities (also thinking Cambridge here) core and along the lines.

I think the region really has an excellent chance at becoming something pretty amazing over the next couple decades.

[Square]

More news about the old Schreiter's Building : https://www.therecord.com/news-story/731...r-decades/

[KevinL]

Any guesses on the unnamed 'tech company'?

[GtwoK]

Any guesses on the unnamed 'tech company'?

I'm about 90% sure I know which company it is based on hints that have been dropped by a friend that works there concerning their "rapid expansion", but I also don't want to get anyone in trouble... if I'm correct though, it's not a company new to the downtown core.

[panamaniac]

Any guesses on the unnamed 'tech company'?

I'm about 90% sure I know which company it is based on hints that have been dropped by a friend that works there concerning their "rapid expansion", but I also don't want to get anyone in trouble... if I'm correct though, it's not a company new to the downtown core.

Is it a company with an office next door?  

[GtwoK]

I'm about 90% sure I know which company it is based on hints that have been dropped by a friend that works there concerning their "rapid expansion", but I also don't want to get anyone in trouble... if I'm correct though, it's not a company new to the downtown core.

Is it a company with an office next door?  

I will neither confirm nor deny  

[creative]

I heard it was from a very reliable source.