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(05-22-2018, 09:16 AM)timc Wrote: (05-22-2018, 09:04 AM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: If only there were some way to get lots of people reliably to this location without the need for a car, but by some other form of motorized transportation...
But it's in Preston. I don't know any other options that exist there.
Surely that is why there is talk of reviving the Galt & Preston Street Railway and the Preston & Berlin Street Railway?
Preston is situated between the main lines of the Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railways. It connects with the C. P. R. at Galt and the C. N. R. at Kitchener by the Grand River Radial line which passes within a block of the hotel and connects with all trains.
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(05-22-2018, 09:16 AM)timc Wrote: (05-22-2018, 09:04 AM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: If only there were some way to get lots of people reliably to this location without the need for a car, but by some other form of motorized transportation...
But it's in Preston. I don't know any other options that exist there.
Or any other options that Preston residents would want to have, for that matter.
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(05-23-2018, 05:20 AM)rangersfan Wrote: Could this become affordable housing?
https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/mobile/affo...-1.3940501
I know they want it to be 'affordable' housing. Far enough away from "the money" so you don't have NIMBY's complaining.
On the other hand, though, 'affordable' usually means any developer that had an interesting may decline, as there is no money to be made in 'affordable'.
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A subsidy from the city can make it work.
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(05-23-2018, 09:00 AM)tomh009 Wrote: A subsidy from the city can make it work.
I thought that such subsidies were the norm.
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(11-26-2019, 01:14 PM)Acitta Wrote: Haastown Holdings ordered to get engineer to inspect Cambridge's Preston Springs
I suspect that this building may be heading for the wrecking ball if there is too much damage to the structure. I can't imagine that any repair job will be cheap.
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This thing has been in very bad shape for a heck of a long time. I am doubtful it'll be sticking around at this point, sadly.
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And seven years since Haastown bought it. Maybe they are hoping to have it condemned so that they can tear it down and build something new on the site -- or sell a cleared piece of land to another developer.
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According to the article, they had plans to develop it but needed a partner or buyer and couldn't find one. It must be a difficult building to renovate for modern uses, considering its size. It would be a shame if it ended up being demolished, but it has been empty for 30 years and nobody has managed to do anything with it.
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The thing about this building is that there is so freaking much heritage to it. It's really unique in the region, and indeed, in Ontario. I can't remember all the famous people that have been there, but one that caught my attention was George Herman Ruth Jr., aka, Babe Ruth. I can only imagine this place in it's heyday. I think some of its fame came from "snake oil", but still pretty impressive.
The problem is, its heritage won't make it a draw, unless the government somehow gets involved, that would be, the City of Cambridge, and Region of Waterloo and perhaps the two upper levels of government. A museum of some sort perhaps, maybe a school. Otherwise, I have little hope for that building.
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The City and Region should buy it and convert it to affordable housing, if they're concerned. Otherwise, tear it down already.
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(11-28-2019, 10:52 AM)panamaniac Wrote: The City and Region should buy it and convert it to affordable housing, if they're concerned. Otherwise, tear it down already.
This actually makes a lot of sense in a lot of ways.
The building gets saved.
Affordable housing gets built.
Parking concerns are no longer.
Assuming it doesn't take more to fix it up than it does to rip it down and rebuild.
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(11-28-2019, 11:40 AM)DK519 Wrote: (11-28-2019, 10:52 AM)panamaniac Wrote: The City and Region should buy it and convert it to affordable housing, if they're concerned. Otherwise, tear it down already.
This actually makes a lot of sense in a lot of ways.
The building gets saved.
Affordable housing gets built.
Parking concerns are no longer.
Assuming it doesn't take more to fix it up than it does to rip it down and rebuild.
That might or might not be an issue, depending on the heritage value one ascribes to it. Whether municipal governments would take that view, I have my doubts.
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