Waterloo Region Development Thread - Page 2

Lugnut · #21 Posted **Jun 27, 2014, 8:02 PM**

The other project I mentioned above is One Hundred Condominiums. It is in the sales phase now.

It's two towers, with a three storey podium containing retail and office space.

Image from: onehundred.ca

Lugnut · #22 Posted **Jun 28, 2014, 4:57 AM**

Looks like we're going to be seeing an addition near Waterloo Town Square.

From the Cushman Wakefield website:

Quote:

Newest phase of a 241,000 SF mixed used commercial development in the heart of Uptown Waterloo. 85,000 SF office building to be built with ground floor retail fronting onto Willis Way and Caroline Street.

http://www.cushwakewr.com/properties...&listingid=311

This looks to be looking up Willis way to Caroline:

rapid_business · #23 Posted **Jun 30, 2014, 4:08 PM**

This has been a long time coming. That was the space for the proposed Westin hotel that "needed" a city-built parkade to justify construction. Glad to see something going ahead finally.

Lugnut · #24 Posted **Jul 1, 2014, 2:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rapid_business

This has been a long time coming. That was the space for the proposed Westin hotel that "needed" a city-built parkade to justify construction. Glad to see something going ahead finally.

Long time indeed. Im particularly excited about the fact that this gives Caroline some semblance of mixed use. There's plenty of opportunity near by for more too.

I hope uptown business owners realize that losing a bit of parking won't hurt them. It's typically a complaint of theirs.

Kamuix · #25 Posted **Jul 1, 2014, 6:16 PM**

Biked to waterloo/kitchener from guelph the other day !

There was a lot of buildings underconstruction i didn't get a picture of that i'll be sure to get next time!

Lugnut · #26 Posted **Jul 1, 2014, 8:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamuix

Biked to waterloo/kitchener from guelph the other day !

There was a lot of buildings underconstruction i didn't get a picture of that i'll be sure to get next time!

Gives you a good idea of how far along the BarrelYards project has come.

I've heard rumors that the first building (which was always going to be condos) could actually end up being rentals.

Lugnut · #27 Posted **Jul 1, 2014, 8:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamuix

Biked to waterloo/kitchener from guelph the other day !

There was a lot of buildings underconstruction i didn't get a picture of that i'll be sure to get next time!

The wasted opportunity here is ridiculous. Imagine what could have been with a little mixed use and a little less 5 bedroom-ness

rapid_business · #28 Posted **Jul 2, 2014, 2:48 PM**

Everything on King, north of Columbia, I've given up on. It will be an architectural wasteland and student ghetto for the foreseeable future.

Lugnut · #29 Posted **Jul 2, 2014, 5:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rapid_business

Everything on King, north of Columbia, I've given up on. It will be an architectural wasteland and student ghetto for the foreseeable future.

I'd even extend that to north of University. Although there's still slight hope for the East side of King st.

Tony · #30 Posted **Jul 3, 2014, 10:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lugnut

One Victoria has already broken ground and is now rising above ground.

Image from: http://www.momentumdevelopments.ca/

Ha, very cool. Is this right at the corner with King St? The old coffee shop or whatever it was?

Tony · #31 Posted **Jul 3, 2014, 11:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kamuix

Wow.. Vertical student ghetto. That building in front is absolutely hideous, did they have some co-op student do the urban design review at the city or something?? Color variation does not take the place of proper architectural design to break up a slab of a facade!

eemy · #32 Posted **Jul 3, 2014, 11:07 PM**

The building in the foreground in that awful student housing photo has got to be a candidate for the worst building in Canada. What an awful awful structure.

The one right behind it doesn't seem too bad on its own though.

Innsertnamehere · #33 Posted **Jul 4, 2014, 1:28 AM**

you gotta admit though, its quite the canyon forming.

DHLawrence · #34 Posted **Jul 4, 2014, 2:52 AM**

Is there any likelihood that as the neighbourhood evolves the apartments will be used for larger families instead of students?

Lugnut · #35 Posted **Jul 4, 2014, 2:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

Ha, very cool. Is this right at the corner with King St? The old coffee shop or whatever it was?

It's opposite that corner. Where Carbon Computing used to be.

The intersection of King and Victoria has turned into quite the hot bed. The UW School of Pharmacy is on one corner, One Victoria the condo pictured above is on one corner, the Kaufman Lofts are on another, and the planned multi modal transit station is planned on the final corner.

This corner is the hub of everything happening in downtown Kitchener

Lugnut · #36 Posted **Jul 4, 2014, 3:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

Wow.. Vertical student ghetto. That building in front is absolutely hideous, did they have some co-op student do the urban design review at the city or something?? Color variation does not take the place of proper architectural design to break up a slab of a facade!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

The building in the foreground in that awful student housing photo has got to be a candidate for the worst building in Canada. What an awful awful structure.

The one right behind it doesn't seem too bad on its own though.

That first one is god awful. When I first moved back here from Ottawa in 2007 I saw it under construction and was like, oh some density, that's a good thing. Then they finished it. Ugh.

You're right, the one next to it is very nice. It's called Luxe II. I love the black brick with tinted windows. The ground floor is big enough that it could fit retail in it if the City of Waterloo were to ever allow it.

Lugnut · #37 Posted **Jul 4, 2014, 3:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DHLawrence

Is there any likelihood that as the neighbourhood evolves the apartments will be used for larger families instead of students?

All most all of them no. The majority of them were built with 5 bedroom units. Now sure there are a few families that might want a 5 bedroom unit, but these are almost exclusively marketed towards students.

Lugnut · #38 Posted **Jul 4, 2014, 3:59 AM**

In one of my other posts I mentioned the inter-modal transit station being built at the corner of King and Victoria downtown Kitchener.

This will house GRT buses, LRT, Greyhound buses, Via rail and GO trains and buses.

http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/ge...transithub.asp

http://www.1victoria.com/

http://metronews.ca/news/kitchener/5...ture-landmark/

DHLawrence · #39 Posted **Jul 4, 2014, 4:06 AM**

I hope they are smart enough to build the platform area with high speed rail in mind, even if it does take another 20 years to get the service.

Lugnut · #40 Posted **Jul 4, 2014, 4:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DHLawrence

I hope they are smart enough to build the platform area with high speed rail in mind, even if it does take another 20 years to get the service.

What would need to be done to prepare? Are the tracks different?