10-09-2014, 04:26 PM
Parkside Urban Towns
Developer: Averton Homes
Documents:
Potential site plan
Location
Before
Parkside Urban Towns (née 83 Elmsdale Dr) | U/C
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10-09-2014, 04:26 PM
Parkside Urban Towns
Developer: Averton Homes
Documents:
Potential site plan
Location
Before
10-09-2014, 04:27 PM
Developer asks for $10M tax break
June 20, 2014 | Catherine Thompson | The Record | LINK Quote:KITCHENER— The City of Kitchener and Waterloo Region are proposing giving up more than $10 million in taxes and fees over seven years to ease the way for the redevelopment of a vacant industrial site.
10-09-2014, 04:50 PM
Previous concept for 83 Elmsdale Dr details available here. It is amazing how much more creative and interesting this proposal was than the one that has been approved by the city. When I have more time I will likely add this to the lost opportunities thread. In so many ways as a region we have seen huge steps taken forward in terms of planning and creative design and than at other times we accept mediocre projects.
My email to Kitchener's Planning Department in regards to this project: Quote:I have been following the redevelopment of 83 Elmsdale Dr in Kitchener ever since the consolidated public site works project began. Unfortunately I will be unable to attend the public meeting for this project. This is the response I received from the city planning department in regards to my email comparing this previous concept to the new approved concept in June. Quote:Thank you for your comments. As articulated in the report, staff are supportive of the proposed medium density development that is being contemplated for 83 Elmsdale. I acknowledge that the first proposal that you have referenced is much denser and more intensive than the proposal which is currently being considered. Staff are of the opinion that the current proposal includes an appropriate mix of residential and commercial uses, at a height and density that is compatible within the context of the surrounding community, while also helping to increase density to help to support transit.
10-09-2014, 04:56 PM
The old concept was fabulous. The current concept is ..... not fabulous.
10-09-2014, 05:04 PM
You can certainly say that again. This to me looks like the same old generic big box retail with an ordinary apartment complex.
10-09-2014, 10:44 PM
Would it really be that great an idea to create downtown-scale density far away from the downtown and the LRT? I mean, the concept does look much better, but I think the point is reasonable that the context of the surrounding area is relevant.
10-10-2014, 06:48 AM
(10-09-2014, 04:56 PM)panamaniac Wrote: The old concept was fabulous. The current concept is ..... not fabulous. The current concept is certainly not fabulous. The old concept was good, but I don't know about fabulous. I loved the buildings and the massing, but I didn't like how it turned it's back on Ottawa street to create a new main street. Why not front Ottawa?
10-10-2014, 06:49 AM
(10-09-2014, 10:44 PM)mpd618 Wrote: Would it really be that great an idea to create downtown-scale density far away from the downtown and the LRT? I mean, the concept does look much better, but I think the point is reasonable that the context of the surrounding area is relevant. I'm leaning this way on this project. I feel like if we're going to build this dense, if it's not downtown, it should at the very least be at a transit station. This density for this location would be perfect in maybe 30 years. There's other more important spots that need to be addressed.
It's only 2km down Ottawa St. to get to the LRT station. If Ottawa st. were to have an express bus passing by all the time it really wouldn't be an onerous journey to get anywhere by transit.
Ottawa St. toward downtown from this point has a lot of potential; there's the Ford dealership that could take a hike, the huge lawn that the Board of Education maintains for no real reason, the Concordia Club's huge property also has a lot of potential for something greater. I think it's really short-sighted for the city to allow such car-centric development is an area that is already pretty congested. I'd rather see the first proposal tweaked so it faced out to Ottawa street. Something like the first proposal would be awesome at the block across from Cameron Heights or even on some of the old Schneiders land.
10-10-2014, 12:25 PM
(10-10-2014, 09:07 AM)clasher Wrote: It's only 2km down Ottawa St. to get to the LRT station. If Ottawa st. were to have an express bus passing by all the time it really wouldn't be an onerous journey to get anywhere by transit. We're probably at least a decade away from having buses on Ottawa Street any more frequent than every 15 minutes. Given the amount of developable land within walking distance of the LRT line, 2km down a cross corridor route is pretty far away. I think there would be a better case for density at an intersection of two iXpress routes, e.g. at Fischer-Hallman and Ottawa.
10-10-2014, 01:39 PM
I thought the Ottawa St cross-town route was slated for 2017. Won't that be a frequent service?
10-10-2014, 02:14 PM
This reminds me. The Elmsdale project has been delayed by the Ministry of Environment rejecting NovaCore's site remediation plan. This came up in council Planning and Works when a rep asked to defer the issue of whether there should be a signalized intersection or crossing across from the site to McLennan Park.
They expected to have site remediation underway Aug/Sept of this year but it has been pushed to 2015. The link to the council recording is here: http://ec4.cc/jd7bdfc5c (If the time code doesn't work, it's the bookmark for the second delegation.)
10-10-2014, 02:39 PM
(10-10-2014, 12:25 PM)mpd618 Wrote:(10-10-2014, 09:07 AM)clasher Wrote: It's only 2km down Ottawa St. to get to the LRT station. If Ottawa st. were to have an express bus passing by all the time it really wouldn't be an onerous journey to get anywhere by transit. 2017 shows Ottawa Express and that seems like a lot of hours compared to the rest of the projects listed on that page so hopefully it's 15 minutes or better frequency. Seems kinda high density around the corner of Westmount and Ottawa already with medium density apartments and townhouses along Elmsdale, and along with a lot of commercial services within walking distance at the Sunrise and along Westmount too. There's lots of room to improve cycling and pedestrian infrastructure in that area as well. (bike bridge @ the end of Strasburg! lol)
10-10-2014, 05:33 PM
(10-10-2014, 01:39 PM)panamaniac Wrote: I thought the Ottawa St cross-town route was slated for 2017. Won't that be a frequent service? If we're lucky, it will start at a frequency of every 15 minutes. I don't think there is a plausible scenario in which it would be more frequent than that in the foreseeable future.
05-13-2015, 10:23 AM
Has there been any movement on this project.
I hope the city takes a second look at this project and rethink the original concept. Given the fact the city wants a project like this on the Schneider's lands! With so much retail close by, access to public transit and the expressway it's perfect for the original concept... My thoughts, rant over for now! |
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