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05-28-2019, 11:07 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-28-2019, 11:08 AM by KingandWeber.)
A story about this development was on the front page of the Record's website today. The article contains perhaps the most NIMBY comment I have ever seen, and that's saying a lot.
Quote:"It is going to be too high," said Al Way, who lives in a 12-storey condominium tower on the other side of Erb Street. "It will permanently scar that streetscape."
I try to use the principle of charity in viewing other people's arguments, but I find it extremely hard to think of any other reason Mr. Way would make that comment except that these new towers will block his own view from his own condo tower, which itself is built on the corner of a block containing almost exclusively single family homes.
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One suspects Al Way lives in a condo that faces north and that the proposed towers will muck up hia views. Fortunately, nobody cares.
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I like how even the author of the article emphasized the fact he lives in a high rise and therefore has a moot point.
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(05-28-2019, 04:22 PM)ac3r Wrote: I like how even the author of the article emphasized the fact he lives in a high rise and therefore has a moot point.
There is absolutely no way that he has a valid point.
Sorry.
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"Proposed highrises will meet height limits if they are relocated inside the mall property, rather than along Erb Street West."
This is the other highly telling quote here. The heights are actually allowed on the block, just on the Mall property instead of along Erb (where the development would have value in activating the streetscape).
This development isn't outside of zoning so much as the zoning dates to the "tower in the park" era.
Opposing a development like this lays bare one's biases, it isn't about character or neighbourhood, it's about opposing change, development, and new people.
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05-29-2019, 06:11 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-29-2019, 06:28 PM by panamaniac.)
(05-29-2019, 06:03 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: "Proposed highrises will meet height limits if they are relocated inside the mall property, rather than along Erb Street West."
This is the other highly telling quote here. The heights are actually allowed on the block, just on the Mall property instead of along Erb (where the development would have value in activating the streetscape).
This development isn't outside of zoning so much as the zoning dates to the "tower in the park" era.
Opposing a development like this lays bare one's biases, it isn't about character or neighbourhood, it's about opposing change, development, and new people.
I wonder whether this will be the case, or whether the developer will favour the frontages on the other side, facing the proposed new street off Dietz? The Erb St side could end up a long expanse of nothing much.
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05-29-2019, 09:14 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-29-2019, 09:14 PM by danbrotherston.)
(05-29-2019, 06:11 PM)panamaniac Wrote: (05-29-2019, 06:03 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: "Proposed highrises will meet height limits if they are relocated inside the mall property, rather than along Erb Street West."
This is the other highly telling quote here. The heights are actually allowed on the block, just on the Mall property instead of along Erb (where the development would have value in activating the streetscape).
This development isn't outside of zoning so much as the zoning dates to the "tower in the park" era.
Opposing a development like this lays bare one's biases, it isn't about character or neighbourhood, it's about opposing change, development, and new people.
I wonder whether this will be the case, or whether the developer will favour the frontages on the other side, facing the proposed new street off Dietz? The Erb St side could end up a long expanse of nothing much.
Could be, but it's still better than the tower in the park(inglot), it still gets people to the street leaving them less likely to leave by car.
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(05-29-2019, 06:03 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: "Proposed highrises will meet height limits if they are relocated inside the mall property, rather than along Erb Street West."
This is the other highly telling quote here. The heights are actually allowed on the block, just on the Mall property instead of along Erb (where the development would have value in activating the streetscape).
This development isn't outside of zoning so much as the zoning dates to the "tower in the park" era.
Opposing a development like this lays bare one's biases, it isn't about character or neighbourhood, it's about opposing change, development, and new people.
Crazy that the zoning hasn't been updated
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Waterloo Demolition has a sign up on the second building in from Westmount. Do they have demolition permits already?
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08-28-2019, 12:35 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-28-2019, 12:35 PM by jwilliamson.)
There was a crew on site today with what looked like an augur.
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If I'm not mistaken this is how they see what they will come across during excavation, this way if any special precautions are needed there are less suprises
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Yep, standard check of any existing fill and the underlying geology.
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The two houses closest to Westmount have both been demolished. There's still some concrete rubble from one of their foundations, but the other is completely gone.
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The area where the two houses closest to Westmount was is now graded sand. The third house has been demolished and only the foundation remains.
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