255 King St W, Cambridge | 18 + 17 + 15 fl | Proposed

[ac3r]

North Development Corporation, GSP Group and Edge Architects have a proposal for 255 King Street West (corner of King and Fountain - currently an empty lot apart from a driveway to a neighbouring tower) in Cambridge. They are seeking to build 3 residential towers at 18, 17 and 15 floors each, for a total of 579 residential units. A podium will connect the buildings with 690 underground (with some surface) parking spaces. The first floor is proposed to have very small scale commercial space, suitable for a convenience store, pharmacy, hair salon etc. Greenspace and seating is proposed between the units.

Documents for this proposal can be found here under OR07/21 - 255 King Street West: https://www.cambridge.ca/en/build-invest...tions.aspx

[Bjays93]

Love this bring it on. Hard for NIMBYs to complain about this one

[dtkvictim]

"Greenspace"?

[ijmorlan]

"Greenspace"?

Inevitably, there will be cracks in the concrete, and stuff will start growing in the cracks, and that stuff will be green. Greenspace.

[jeffster]

"Greenspace"?

What? There's enough space to toss a ball to your toddler.

Damn, people these days....

[taylortbb]

Looking at the map, this project appears to be right between Riverside Park and Linear Park. I think there's pretty abundant greenspace in the area, sort of like DTK towers near Victoria Park.

My usual complaint of condo/apartment buildings having too much street-level dead space, often masked by landscaping, still applies. But I don't think the residents are going to have a hard time accessing greenspace.

[mastermind]

My usual complaint of condo/apartment buildings having too much street-level dead space, often masked by landscaping...

I agree with this.  Everything on the ground on this project seems pretty useless/lifeless/functionless (except of course car parking, clearly the #1 priority by far).  Even the big steps look cool but will anyone actually walk them?  Maybe it doesn't matter though, because this is not located where anyone outside of the development would even consider walking or spending time.

[Bjays93]

My usual complaint of condo/apartment buildings having too much street-level dead space, often masked by landscaping...

I agree with this.  Everything on the ground on this project seems pretty useless/lifeless/functionless (except of course car parking, clearly the #1 priority by far).  Even the big steps look cool but will anyone actually walk them?  Maybe it doesn't matter though, because this is not located where anyone outside of the development would even consider walking or spending time.

Precisely. Could it be nicer at ground level? Sure.  But street level activation does not matter on this project in a public sense

[jamincan]

I think it's a bit of a chicken and egg issue. The location could have a lot more pedestrian traffic and street activation with a better streetscape. It's easy to imagine how much better that area could be and the potential of the location.

[mastermind]

Fair point. If multiple projects right around there are developed over the next 10-15 years and all of them disregard the pedestrian space because "there's nothing around anyway" then there's potentially a missed opportunity for good public space.

[bravado]

https://www.cambridgetoday.ca/local-news...te-5870937

The plan to redevelop the site of the former Kress Hotel in Preston is returning to council Tuesday with a recommendation from staff and a promise from the developer to provide nearly $500,000 for the city's affordable housing reserve fund, if approved.

City planning staff is recommending council adopt the official plan and zoning amendments proposed by the developer, along with a revised heritage impact assessment.

A Tuesday decision from council in support of the recommendation would send the application to the region for final approval.

[nms]

I wonder if the mineral baths are even still accessible as a natural feature that could be brought back as a feature. It would be a shame if they were simply buried under a bunch of concrete.

[Acitta]

I wonder if the mineral baths are even still accessible as a natural feature that could be brought back as a feature.  It would be a shame if they were simply buried under a bunch of concrete.

I don't think that mineral baths would be considered a viable therapy with our more advanced understanding of medicine.

[ijmorlan]

I wonder if the mineral baths are even still accessible as a natural feature that could be brought back as a feature.  It would be a shame if they were simply buried under a bunch of concrete.

I don't think that mineral baths would be considered a viable therapy with our more advanced understanding of medicine.

They don’t have to be therapy necessarily, just an interesting feature of the location.

No idea if anything can be done with the idea but I like it conceptually.

[Rainrider22]

Imagine if they incorporated a spa utilizing the Sulphur springs....that would be an awesome acknowledgement to the history..