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1157, 1175 Weber Street East | 17 + 19 fl | Proposed
#1
Updated thread as this has undergone a redesign.

MKG Holding Corporation and GSP Group are proposing a new residential project at 1157 Weber Street East, on the corner of Weber and Franklin (where the Volkswagen storage building is and old KFC was). Architectural design is by ABA Architects. They are currently waiting for zone change amendments before proceeding along. Originally they proposed two towers - 15 floors and 18 floors - with a 5 floor podium. The project was redesigned in January 2023 to now have a 17 and 19 floor building.

From the Urban Design Brief:

Quote:The proposed scale of the development, albeit taller than other buildings existing in the local area, is appropriate to help realize the planned function of the Weber Street for concentrating a mix of uses and higher densities. The scale of the buildings, with appropriate built form that is sensitive to the scale of the surrounding neighbourhood provides human scale proportions relative to the two public streets and mitigates potential shadow impacts to adjacent properties and the public realm through building siting and a thoughtful transition of building height, scale and stepbacks.

The preliminary building elevations include horizontal and vertical articulation (including balconies, architectural projections, staggered tower heights, roofline projections and variation of building materials, colours) that add visual interest and break down the apparent mass of the building. All parking, loading and servicing facilities, are proposed behind the building, away from the public streets. The siting, landscape design and built form complement the established neighbourhood character and result in a compatible infill development.

Current design:

[Image: U7E6w2Y.jpg]
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#2
Good location for densification. I know at one time there was a sign up on Victoria near Weston's for a future home for Crosby VW. I didn't see it last time I was down that way, but if the entire dealership could be incorporated into this development it would be great. Theres decent services for residents in the area such a Shoppers, Fresh-co and the Beer Store... everything you need lol.
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#3
(08-25-2021, 11:27 AM)neonjoe Wrote: Good location for densification. I know at one time there was a sign up on Victoria near Weston's for a future home for Crosby VW. I didn't see it last time I was down that way, but if the entire dealership could be incorporated into this development it would be great. Theres decent services for residents in the area such a Shoppers, Fresh-co and the Beer Store... everything you need lol.


This stretch of Weber has a lot of options or development. Just up the street across from Sunnyside Public School, there is an old foundation hole beside an existing building that I can only assume was once dug for another building in the 1970s, but which has never been used. Near Zehrs, there is a plot of land on "Old" King Street and Kinzie Ave that is mostly an empty lot save for a little house that an autobody shop runs out of. It's a bit tucked away, but you could still fill a little development there too. Further up the street, there are a few empty plots on Weber, sandwiched between the cul-de-sacs of Wilfred and Ross Ave. I think there used to be more houses there (if I remember correctly, one started sinking), but only 1 remains. It's a good size of land to build a small residential building.

There is already some work done nearby which is slowly changing this neighbourhood. Hush Condos (I think that was the name?) built a couple nice mid rise condos and some row houses on some of the old bible school property and next to Zehrs. There is that massive Elevate Condo project going up with 4 towers. Just across the bridge is 55 Franklin Street, which are four 6 floor affordable housing buildings that have been proposed. It's a weird part of the city because the highway runs right through there, but it could be fixed up a bit with some new buildings. The 7 and 8 bus routes still offer a stable transit route into the core of the city and to the Fairway terminus so it doesn't feel totally isolated.
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#4
(08-25-2021, 11:27 AM)neonjoe Wrote: Good location for densification. I know at one time there was a sign up on Victoria near Weston's for a future home for Crosby VW. I didn't see it last time I was down that way, but if the entire dealership could be incorporated into this development it would be great. Theres decent services for residents in the area such a Shoppers, Fresh-co and the Beer Store... everything you need lol.

The sign is still there but there is some car scrapper or something on the lot now. I figure it was just temporary until Crosby gets their shtuff together.
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#5
Would be nice with that density added along here to get a ped/cycling bridge around the Fergus / Kinzie area that crossing the highway. It is a long way north to Franklin and Fairway is not so nice for anyone not on 4 wheels.
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#6
Just seen that theres a Notice of Development Application in todays paper for this along with a small drawing of what is proposed. Cant wait for that KFC/VW block to finally be developed.

Looks a little brutalist and I still cant stand grass boulevards in front of highrises... but in this town beggars cant be choosers.

Found this on the city site:

https://app2.kitchener.ca/AppDocs/OpenDa...20Plan.pdf
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#7
(10-01-2021, 03:08 PM)Archetype Wrote: Just seen that theres a Notice of Development Application in todays paper for this along with a small drawing of what is proposed. Cant wait for that KFC/VW block to finally be developed.

Looks a little brutalist and I still cant stand grass boulevards in front of highrises... but in this town beggars cant be choosers.

Found this on the city site:

https://app2.kitchener.ca/AppDocs/OpenDa...20Plan.pdf

I think we should expect and require better design that this. It looks like the developer designed it purely to be in and out and make quick $ with the state of the current housing market. No effort put into the lasting effects of this building or how it affects the community. Boring, will be blasted out to investors, and have no positive impact.
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#8
Expect or hope, sure. But there is no architectural approval process for new construction (of any kind), the only time the city gets a say is if the developer is asking for variances.
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#9
Some sizing, for the curious. As compared to the Elevate condos in the 1st and 2nd image

[Image: Bbs67A2.jpg]

[Image: fRHh2Nx.png]

[Image: c6bxSY1.jpg]

[Image: Ip4Ixor.png]
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#10
Thanks! Those are not slender towers, to be sure!

But, those two projects will certainly bring a lot of new residents into the neighbourhood. It will not change the character of the area overnight but it's a big step in that direction.
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#11
I know this is a prime site but it would be awfully loud living there. Same goes for Elevate. I wish we would see the same types of density not only added in places like this but non arterial, neighbourhood roads.
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#12
(10-06-2021, 05:19 PM)Lens Wrote: I know this is a prime site but it would be awfully loud living there. Same goes for Elevate. I wish we would see the same types of density not only added in places like this but non arterial, neighbourhood roads.

Yeah I lived on an arterial once, it wasn't great.
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#13
(10-06-2021, 05:19 PM)Lens Wrote: I know this is a prime site but it would be awfully loud living there. Same goes for Elevate. I wish we would see the same types of density not only added in places like this but non arterial, neighbourhood roads.

Yeah, but I think it's Not dIfficult to presuMe that someBodY would want nothing to do with high-density housing in residential neighbourhoods.

I'll also add that there are a LOT of highrise towers next to the 401 and the Gardiner in Toronto, and those are MUCH louder than this stretch of Hwy 8 (which is slower and mostly below ground next to this site).
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#14
(10-06-2021, 10:10 PM)tomh009 Wrote:
(10-06-2021, 05:19 PM)Lens Wrote: I know this is a prime site but it would be awfully loud living there. Same goes for Elevate. I wish we would see the same types of density not only added in places like this but non arterial, neighbourhood roads.

Yeah, but I think it's Not dIfficult to presuMe that someBodY would want nothing to do with high-density housing in residential neighbourhoods.

I'll also add that there are a LOT of highrise towers next to the 401 and the Gardiner in Toronto, and those are MUCH louder than this stretch of Hwy 8 (which is slower and mostly below ground next to this site).

I've already noticed complaints about this development in the Stanley Park Facebook group.  Obviously this is not the right location for such a large development.  (Where is then?)  Will somebody think about the traffic?

Coke
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#15
Wait ... this isn't even close to the Stanley Park neighbourhood, is it?
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