what's big and empty and waiting to be used?

[jammer139]

Former Brick store on Wharncliffe Rd S near Southdale is still empty. There's actually alot of empty lands around there that could be developed in the future.

[MolsonExport]

Complete failure of a big box barf development. Pond Mills Area: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.9633...7i16384!8i8192

build it, and they won't come.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by jammer139

Former Brick store on Wharncliffe Rd S near Southdale is still empty. There's actually alot of empty lands around there that could be developed in the future.

I think you might be thinking of something else. The former Brick is where Curry's and Canadian Blood Services are. Not sure if the VR place is still in business, but it was only a portion of the old Brick.

[jammer139]

Bell to soon leave their Dundas Street office building leaving more space for Farhi to find tenants for. The work from home trends that were growing before the pandemic have only accelerated since. The idea that office workers would be flocking back to downtown office space after the pandemic is likely not going to happen since so many organizations have learned how to manage remote workers.



https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/...-companys-name

[ssiguy]

What they have done in several cities with larger office developments is to have them converted into housing with a mix of both affordable and market rates. The Bell building would be an may not be an ideal candidate due to having a very large footprint but is great for slimmer buildings. Of course as the slimmer buildings are converted it decreases the overall vacancy rate hence filling up the current stock like Bell.

It's basically a new version of reworking old warehouses into condos/apts.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

What they have done in several cities with larger office developments is to have them converted into housing with a mix of both affordable and market rates. The Bell building would be an may not be an ideal candidate due to having a very large footprint but is great for slimmer buildings. Of course as the slimmer buildings are converted it decreases the overall vacancy rate hence filling up the current stock like Bell.

It's basically a new version of reworking old warehouses into condos/apts.

There is a building downtown, 520 Talbot I think it is, that changed purpose from office to residential after the foundation was poured but before the building went up. It was supposed to be the twin to 130 Dufferin, the RCMP HQ, and the underground was done at the same time for both buildings. After 130 was built, the market for office space was a little soft, so the builder (Old Oak I think but not sure) designed a residential building. Since the foundation was there, they were kind of married to the office building footprint. I've been in a few units and they are kind of cool, with the big round concrete columns right in some units and a different shape than common in purpose built residential buildings.

I think I've heard it said that the Two London Place foundation is already built, I wonder why it was never considered to build a residential tower on that site with all this other downtown work going on. I'm sure there is a good reason.

[jammer139]

Good news the former InfoTech office at Queens and Adelaide will soon reopen.



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/londo...gain-1.6529903

[Djeffery]

Had been noticing for the last few weeks or so that work was being done on the former Westinghouse/ABB building at Clarke and Huron. Saw signs up today that Drexel Industries is taking over.

Drexel has been around for 10 or so years, and are a mini-Amazon type place, basically a third party e-commerce for dozens of businesses like Canadian Tire, Best Buy and even Amazon itself. They used to be in the south end at the corner of Green Valley and Hubrey in the old Green Giant, then moved into 100 Kellogg Lane at the start of 2017. They have the warehouse side of the building, south of King to Florence. I believe that at some undetermined point in the future, as 100 Kellogg gets developed out, that Drexel will move out and the warehouse demolished to house other business more in line with what the owners of 100 Kellogg are going for. Commercial and entertainment doesn't seem to mix too well with a busy trucking terminal on the property I don't think. But at least, the rent they are paying for over 300,000 sq ft is helping pay the bills.

Last year they also took over the former Bendix/Gates Rubber/Big V Drug store warehouse on Wilton Grove Road that most recently was a second warehouse for Brose auto parts. They are also starting an expansion that will essentially double the size of this warehouse to over 335,000 sq ft.

[jammer139]

This is good news given the old Westinghouse plant has been sitting vacant for decades. Demand for warehousing space has been high and seeing this building finally get some use is good to see.

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Had been noticing for the last few weeks or so that work was being done on the former Westinghouse/ABB building at Clarke and Huron. Saw signs up today that Drexel Industries is taking over.

Drexel has been around for 10 or so years, and are a mini-Amazon type place, basically a third party e-commerce for dozens of businesses like Canadian Tire, Best Buy and even Amazon itself. They used to be in the south end at the corner of Green Valley and Hubrey in the old Green Giant, then moved into 100 Kellogg Lane at the start of 2017. They have the warehouse side of the building, south of King to Florence. I believe that at some undetermined point in the future, as 100 Kellogg gets developed out, that Drexel will move out and the warehouse demolished to house other business more in line with what the owners of 100 Kellogg are going for. Commercial and entertainment doesn't seem to mix too well with a busy trucking terminal on the property I don't think. But at least, the rent they are paying for over 300,000 sq ft is helping pay the bills.

Last year they also took over the former Bendix/Gates Rubber/Big V Drug store warehouse on Wilton Grove Road that most recently was a second warehouse for Brose auto parts. They are also starting an expansion that will essentially double the size of this warehouse to over 335,000 sq ft.

[jammer139]

The 10 largest surface parking lots in the city



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/londo...town-1.6855830

[jammer139]

Empty building tours as a means to draw interest in bringing them back.


Sadly the buildings highlighted in this article are all owned by the "landlord".



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/londo...ings-1.6902135

[ssiguy]

The ONLY way London is going to get rid of these parking lots and develop them is for the city to rezone so that they are not allowed to be parking starting with the biggest lots first.
This means they would generate no revenue from the parking but still have to pay the property taxes making them a money pit and hence far more willing to sell. What's more, the potential new buyers will only purchase if they have a development in mind or it will become a money pit for them as well.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

The ONLY way London is going to get rid of these parking lots and develop them is for the city to rezone so that they are not allowed to be parking starting with the biggest lots first.
This means they would generate no revenue from the parking but still have to pay the property taxes making them a money pit and hence far more willing to sell. What's more, the potential new buyers will only purchase if they have a development in mind or it will become a money pit for them as well.

Oh, it's so simple. You should run for council. How many parking lots downtown are just prime for development if only the person or company that owned it would sell? You make it sound like someone is just ready to pounce on every last parking lot and build on it except that dastardly land owner is holding on to it.

Not only would the city probably be spending lots on lawyers if they effectively legislate parking lots out of business. But what if you are wrong about how many lots are waiting for someone to build? You shut down the income stream, the owner has to sell, nobody wants to buy, the taxes build up and the city forecloses on it for tax default. Now the city is sitting on a worthless piece of land that they probably turn into a parking lot.