City Centre/Young Condominiums | 17, 25 & 6 fl | U/C

[tomh009]

It's a good addition but I feel underwhelmed given the importance of this block

It's maybe underwhelming now, but when they started City Centre, it was still going to be TALL! Our expectations have changed since then ...

[Spokes]

It's a good addition but I feel underwhelmed given the importance of this block

It's maybe underwhelming now, but when they started City Centre, it was still going to be TALL! Our expectations have changed since then ...

That's a really good point.

[jshamont]

Looks like while the exterior is complete, move-ins have not yet begun here. 

[mastermind]

No commercial tenants along King St yet either, or even "coming soon" signs. I'm curious who will move in.

[ac3r]

Considering the commercial property vacancy rate in downtown Kitchener is a whopping 36% (!!!) I can't see those spaces filling up for quite a while. Or if they do, it'll be something very uninteresting (as in some boring, major company that can afford the risk). That's even higher than it was during the nonsensical lockdowns. In 2021, it was only 19.7% although that was still a staggeringly high number and the highest in the region.

One of the units does have a model train set in it. Does anyone know what that's about? I thought it was pretty neat when I saw it, though it wasn't very well done haha.

[taylortbb]

Considering the commercial property vacancy rate in downtown Kitchener is a whopping 36% (!!!) I can't see those spaces filling up for quite a while. Or if they do, it'll be something very uninteresting (as in some boring, major company that can afford the risk).

I think that rate includes office space, or it's including a lot of lower tier spaces on side streets. The storefront vacancy rate on King St is a lot less than 36%. The fact that we're seeing owners renovate their commercial spaces (and promptly lease them out) suggests it should be do-able to get this leased. It should be in a similar tier to the recently leased commercial spaces at 345 King St W, or 276 King St W.

One of the units does have a model train set in it. Does anyone know what that's about? I thought it was pretty neat when I saw it, though it wasn't very well done haha.

I believe it was a BIA initiative to get downtown windows decorated for Christmas.

[tomh009]

One of the units does have a model train set in it. Does anyone know what that's about? I thought it was pretty neat when I saw it, though it wasn't very well done haha.

That was part of the holiday decorations project in DTK retail units.

[ac3r]

Interesting, thanks! Seeing that reminded me of the old mobile train set they used to display during Oktoberfest. If memory serves me right (and it may not, this was in the 90s when I was a kid) they would have this train display in a towable trailer. It was usually set up in front of Market Square, back when Oktoberfest actually used to have a bit more to see and do than it does now.

[nms]

The Oktoberfest trainset was on display when Frederick was blocked off between Duke and Charles for the duration of Oktoberfest. The space included a temporary "King Ludwig's Castle" display, the Hans Haus shop, and a beer tent up near Duke St. I can't recall when it last happened, but it was well before the LRT was routed down Frederick.

[CP42]

Another rough render vs reality:
(Although maybe it’s still being worked on)

[tomh009]

That looks like ... a warehouse? 😢

[bravado]

I guess the last step is to raise the ceilings to match the photo, but I’m no construction expert…

[ijmorlan]

Was there ever an actual plan to have a concierge? Seems to me you would need a pretty big building to pay for that.

[ac3r]

Yeah...what kind of building even has a concierge these days? You'd have to be a global city for that, like New York City or Shanghai. Now assuming the actual proposal and architectural plans implied a concierge, it's no surprise there isn't one.

I think you guys put a bit too much faith in 3D renderings. Half the time they're rendered right in the CAD program or plugin like Rhonocerous 3D thus they look like trash (which usually results in people saying the building is going to look like shit, unless you know how to look past that), the other time they just hire a 3D renderer to make some renderings based on the info they give them. Rarely is a developer overlooking them and pointing out little things, especially in 2023 and during a recession. We'll getting into the point of human evolution you're going to start seeing AR, holographic or and robotic concierge's more than you are someone actually sitting there. It'd be a waste of money and a person. You basically just need a proximity card to get into the building and some sort of security to permit visitors these days and that's really all you should spend the money on. No human life is worth forcing into being a concierge now...that'd be like expecting people still employed to stand around opening doors and operating elevators like it's 1885 again.

Yes 9th floor sire...going to visit me mistress again heh. I mean think about it, what would a concierge in a forgettable condo project in a midsized city of Ontario actually be doing? Leeching free wifi and looking at the clock lol.

[jordan2423]

Yeah...what kind of building even has a concierge these days? You'd have to be a global city for that, like New York City or Shanghai. Now assuming the actual proposal and architectural plans implied a concierge, it's no surprise there isn't one.

I think you guys put a bit too much faith in 3D renderings. Half the time they're rendered right in the CAD program or plugin like Rhonocerous 3D thus they look like trash (which usually results in people saying the building is going to look like shit, unless you know how to look past that), the other time they just hire a 3D renderer to make some renderings based on the info they give them. Rarely is a developer overlooking them and pointing out little things, especially in 2023 and during a recession. We'll getting into the point of human evolution you're going to start seeing AR, holographic or and robotic concierge's more than you are someone actually sitting there. It'd be a waste of money and a person. You basically just need a proximity card to get into the building and some sort of security to permit visitors these days and that's really all you should spend the money on. No human life is worth forcing into being a concierge now...that'd be like expecting people still employed to stand around opening doors and operating elevators like it's 1885 again.

Yes 9th floor sire...going to visit me mistress again heh. I mean think about it, what would a concierge in a forgettable condo project in a midsized city of Ontario actually be doing? Leeching free wifi and looking at the clock lol.

I think you’re minimizing the human connection you tend to create with a concierge person. Sometimes people actually talk to them and ask them about their day and have a conversation with them. The concierge gets to know those living in the building. It’s nice to have another human say hello and smile at you. I don’t think human evolution has anything to do with AR. Evolution takes millions of years. Technology is God like to our primate brains, hence the vast amounts of smart phone addictions because are brains are still wired the same as our past ancestrial selves. 

What you’ve described regarding AR, robots, holographics, etc., sounds so depressing… it’s honestly sad.