General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[jordan2423]

The kitchener real estate market is absolutely on fire. My neighbour put their place on the market and sold it for $100,000 over asking in 4 days. Note, they bought the house last year in the fall of 2019 and it has sold for almost $200,000 over what they originally bought it for. Absolutely ridiculous. Will probably look into selling within a year or two at this rate.

[DK519]

The kitchener real estate market is absolutely on fire. My neighbour put their place on the market and sold it for $100,000 over asking in 4 days.  Note, they bought the house last year in the fall of 2019 and it has sold for almost $200,000 over what they originally bought it for. Absolutely ridiculous. Will probably look into selling within a year or two at this rate.

Are you going to move into a tent or to Windsor or something?

[DK519]

Anyone else see this?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EyoxgkK...HcYz7u-zeU

[GarthDanlor]

Anyone else see this?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EyoxgkK...HcYz7u-zeU

This looks like a win for King St E.  Upon first look at the map I thought it was incorporating the old Braun's Locksmith building but looks like its just the empty plot at 276 King and 12 Eby so Yeti would remain.

[panamaniac]

Seven storeys seems a lot of height for such a small lot.  It will be interesting to see renders.  Nice to see more action in the east end, however.

[tomh009]

Seven storeys seems a lot of height for such a small lot.  It will be interesting to see renders.  Nice to see more action in the east end, however.

There is a render in the document. I think it works. and it's not substantially taller than other buildings within a few blocks of it on King St E.

   

[stevefromyellowstone2]

Seven storeys seems a lot of height for such a small lot.  It will be interesting to see renders.  Nice to see more action in the east end, however.

There is a render in the document. I think it works. and it's not substantially taller than other buildings within a few blocks of it on King St E.

I am definetely a fan of this. But am i wrong about this - it seems like there are dozens of proposals for this sorta thing (small lot, 5-8 storey, mixed use) that never seem to go anywhere

[tomh009]

There is a render in the document. I think it works. and it's not substantially taller than other buildings within a few blocks of it on King St E.

I am definetely a fan of this. But am i wrong about this - it seems like there are dozens of proposals for this sorta thing (small lot, 5-8 storey, mixed use) that never seem to go anywhere

Also, many proposals for larger ones that never seem to go anywhere. I don't think this issue is particular to mid-rise developments.

Off the top of my head proposals that seem to have gone zombie, 588-600 Queen St S, Ontario at Weber, Avenue M, Sun Life towers, Margaret at Victoria, Isabella Residences, 168 King St S, Strata, 115 Erb St E, ...

[danbrotherston]

I am definetely a fan of this. But am i wrong about this - it seems like there are dozens of proposals for this sorta thing (small lot, 5-8 storey, mixed use) that never seem to go anywhere

Also, many proposals for larger ones that never seem to go anywhere. I don't think this issue is particular to mid-rise developments.

Off the top of my head proposals that seem to have gone zombie, 588-600 Queen St S, Ontario at Weber, Avenue M, Sun Life towers, Margaret at Victoria, Isabella Residences, 168 King St S, Strata, 115 Erb St E, ...

I mean, you’d have to do a comprehensive study, and then decide if you are basing “more” on total number of projects or dollar value of projects.

I suspect you may find smaller projects more likely to go nowhere as they are easier to kill, less money invested, more marginal profit margin, the slightest thing going wrong can kill it.

[ac3r]

I like the look of the design. I'd have to see what kind of materials they'd be using to really judge, though. I've never heard of peg. but their portfolio looks okay: https://www.pegarchitects.ca/

[tomh009]

I like the look of the design. I'd have to see what kind of materials they'd be using to really judge, though. I've never heard of peg. but their portfolio looks okay: https://www.pegarchitects.ca/

Hopefully metal cladding rather than EIFS ...

[DK519]

If this really happens I'll be really pleased. 

It's such a neglected stretch of downtown it's almost funny. Walking from city hall to Ottawa the other night, even the street lights get dimmer once you pass Scott St.

[Bjays93]

I am definetely a fan of this. But am i wrong about this - it seems like there are dozens of proposals for this sorta thing (small lot, 5-8 storey, mixed use) that never seem to go anywhere

Also, many proposals for larger ones that never seem to go anywhere. I don't think this issue is particular to mid-rise developments.

Off the top of my head proposals that seem to have gone zombie, 588-600 Queen St S, Ontario at Weber, Avenue M, Sun Life towers, Margaret at Victoria, Isabella Residences, 168 King St S, Strata, 115 Erb St E, ...

Projects dont necessarily just disappear. (I know this isnt Toronto) but see Toronto for example. Sometimes there's really nice proposals that seem to go dark for a couple years and then all the sudden theres news. 

Other times unfortunately developers are just doing zoning excersizes to make money off flipping a property, but I would rule all those projects dead. The pandemic certainly complicates things but the region will continue to grow rapidly in the mid to long term.

[tomh009]

I completely forgot about this. Yes, it's intended to be affordable housing which is what Maxwell focuses on. It's not "middle housing" though, just a low-mid rise development.

Does "affordable" (in this context) mean income-geared, or just "less expensive"?

[tomh009]

Things look to be happening at Rockway, in the block bounded by Charles St E, Sydney St S and Delta St.

This is the block:
   

This is what was there until recently; the demolition of the industrial building (at 669 Charles St E, highligted) was completed last month. The two houses on Sydney were demolished a long time ago, and the houses on Charles St E in 2019.
   

   

The demolition is pretty much complete, with only some of the scrap concrete and metal remaining to be removed.
   

Interestingly, there is fencing being put up around the remaining industrial building. Not around the entire property, but only the building. To me, this indicates that the building will be used for secure storage, but the surrounding land will not.
   

The large industrial building was used by several Seegmiller Group companies. And the demolition permit for the first two houses was issued to Charles Place Holdings, based at 5 Hill St, where multiple Seegmiller companies are located. (The other demolition permits do not show any contact information.) And, as the remaining building is fenced off but the associated property is not, that is likely part of the project.

To me, this looks like the entire block -- over 2 hectares (5 acres) in total -- is up for development. Either one of the Seegmiller Group companies (Charles Place Holdings?) will be developing it, or they will be putting it up for sale. But, in the latter scenario, I don't think it would make sense to be fencing off that remaining building.

Will be watching this one more closely now.