Northfield Technology Park

[RangersFan]

Northfield Technology Park
2300 University Avenue East, Waterloo

http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/ac273/leaffan431/Northfield%20Technology%20Park/render.jpg

[RangersFan]

RIM closes land deal with Dalsa for 15 hectares
September 05, 2007
Record staff and news services - WATERLOO
http://news.therecord.com/article/237627

Research In Motion Ltd. has paid Dalsa Corp. about $11.6 million for 15 hectares (37 acres) of vacant land in north Waterloo, Dalsa announced yesterday.

The companies had announced the land sale in May but did not release the price at the time.

RIM, which occupies all or part of at least 21 buildings in Waterloo, is acquiring property worldwide to accommodate its rapidly growing operations.

The BlackBerry maker bought a large parcel of land in Cambridge in February and is expanding its facilities in Mississauga and Ottawa.

Dalsa bought 22.6 hectares (56 acres) at the corner of University Avenue and Northfield Drive in 1998, intending to build a semiconductor plant there. Instead, it bought a plant in Quebec. Dalsa is keeping 7.6 hectares (19 acres) of the plot and plans to consolidate its local offices there


RIM looking at large new offices; information session tonight
May 13, 2008
By Matt Walcoff, Record staff
http://news.therecord.com/article/349666

WATERLOO – Crews have begun groundwork on the first phase of what may be a new office campus for Research In Motion Ltd. near RIM Park.

RIM recently received building permits for a four-storey, 185,035-square-foot office building and a two-storey parking garage. The company has tentative plans to build four more slightly smaller office buildings on the site, said Ryan Mounsey, a planner with the City of Waterloo.

Neighbours have been invited to an information session this evening at 7 o’clock at RIM Park to learn more about RIM’s plans.

RIM bought 37 acres of vacant land near the intersection of University Avenue and Northfield Drive from Dalsa Corp. last year.

As of March 1, the company occupied 1.2 million square feet in 22 owned or leased buildings near the University of Waterloo.

The rapidly expanding BlackBerry maker has been pressed for space. It is putting up an office building in Mississauga and a customer-service operations centre in Halifax. RIM also bought a large plot in Cambridge last year.

RIM plans to ask for minor variances to floor-height regulations for its forthcoming buildings, Mounsey said.

The building permit for the shell of the first office building lists an estimated value of $30 million. The parking garage’s estimated value is $4.5 million.


RIM unveils new office complex
Matt Walcoff, RECORD STAFF
May 14, 2008

http://media.therecord.topscms.com/images/db/bf/824b6e334acd96225030520a9c4b.jpeg

WATERLOO - Research In Motion Ltd. revealed plans yesterday for a new office campus that could allow it to hire thousands more employees in Waterloo.

RIM representatives showed residents of the Eastbridge neighbourhood images of a development that will include at least two, and likely around four, office buildings, plus a training centre and a parking garage.

The first office building, on which construction should begin in the next few weeks, will be four storeys tall and cover 185,035 square feet. Up to 1,200 RIM employees could work in the new building, scheduled to open in the middle of next year.

The parking garage and training centre should also open next year, according to information RIM provided to residents.

In the second phase, RIM is likely to build another four-storey office building, which, like the first one, will front University Avenue near RIM Park. RIM has yet to receive the necessary approvals from the City of Waterloo, including a building-height variance. The company needs permission to build higher than 18 metres .

RIM has no time frame for the second phase or for subsequent phases, in which RIM would develop the rear of the 15-hectare property it bought from Dalsa Corp. last year. A speculative drawing displayed at an information session yesterday showed two four-storey office buildings, somewhat smaller than the one to be built this year, on the south side of an east-west road bisecting the property.

While RIM has not decided exactly what to do with the rear of the property, company representatives assured nearby homeowners that any buildings there will be at least 90 metres from the nearest home and no more than 28 metres tall.

RIM also says it will use landscape features to shield Breakwater Crescent backyards from the parking lot and new buildings on RIM's side of the property line.

Renderings of the first building show a sharp-edged, partially glass-panelled structure that looks far more sophisticated than the typical occupant of suburban office parks or, for that matter, RIM's own rather utilitarian buildings near the University of Waterloo.

The building will also be environmentally and pedestrian-friendly, built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards and surrounded by native species in the landscaping.

The building permit for the structure's shell, issued last month, quotes an estimated value of $30 million.

RIM's development will require additional capacity at the pumping station across the street. Glenn Scheels of planning firm GSP Group Inc. said he did not know whether RIM or the city will have to pay for that work.

Since introducing the BlackBerry in 1999, RIM has steadily bought or leased properties around its original home base on Phillip Street. As of March 1, it occupied 1.2 million square feet in 22 buildings near UW and in north Waterloo.

But the fast-growing company is pressed for space. It is building new offices in Mississauga and a new customer-support centre in Halifax.

RIM also bought a large plot on Can-Amera Parkway in Cambridge last year.

Nearly 5,800 of RIM's about 8,400 employees work in Waterloo.

mwalcoff@therecord.com

http://news.therecord.com/article/350036 (http://news.therecord.com/article/350036)

[RangersFan]

Building D | U/C
http://www.rsarchitects.ca/projects/currentwork.asp#
http://www.rsarchitects.ca/images/projects/currentwork/Office-Bldg-D-Rendering.jpg


Building B | Complete
http://www.rsarchitects.ca/projects/currentwork.asp#
http://www.rsarchitects.ca/images/projects/currentwork/Northfield-B.jpg

[RangersFan]

pictures taken by me in late November
http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/ac273/leaffan431/NTP1.jpg
http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/ac273/leaffan431/NTP2.jpg
http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/ac273/leaffan431/NTP3.jpg
http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/ac273/leaffan431/NTP4.jpg
http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/ac273/leaffan431/NTP5.jpg
http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/ac273/leaffan431/NTP6.jpg
http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/ac273/leaffan431/NTP7.jpg

[Spokes]

The development layout looks something like this, tried to recreate it so I wasn't stealing someone else's work so its pretty rough.

This project seems to be quite large, I wish now that the LRT proposal stopped here then looped to conestoga mall, as it has potential to host many jobs and future nearby residential areas.

Good job on the image! Don't worry about "stealing someone else's work." If you found the perfect image, use it. Just put a link to where you got it from somewhere.

You're right though. This is going to be big. Not entirely sure why RIM doesn't put their new headquarters here and have everything within a close proximity to one another.

[RangersFan]

had to remove pictures

[RangersFan]

I drove by this development today and unfortunatly I did not have my camera. A third building (C) is going up with alot of foundation work underway from the looks of the building footprint about half of the structural steel is in place. Also foundation work is underway on building (D). I like this project and I love the employment it brings to the region, I just wish it was deeper into the city somehow, or planned with a greater emphasis on transit use.
http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/ac273/leaffan431/Northfield%20Technology%20Park/siteplanb.jpg

[Urban_Enthusiast86]

Just imagine if we were seeing anything close to this amount of office space being constructed in downtown or uptown. Yes, I agree about how great it is that these high-quality jobs are being brought to the region. However, when I look at the locations being chosen, I can't help but feel that these are opportunities lost.

At least if they're going to go suburban, I would like to see them expand more into the half of the region that is being relatively unimpacted by the growth of the high tech sector...Cambridge and south Kitchener. The office vacancy rate in Cambridge is somewhere in the vicinity of 27% right now, which baffles me when you consider that there are plenty of white collar workers in Cambridge...the labour force is there, but they mostly commute to places like KW, Guelph, Mississauga, etc. And the Cambridge job market (which is hurting) seems overwhelmingly blue collar. It's understandable that industry wants to be near the 401...I just wish we had a better mix of sectors at this end.

[RangersFan]

Had this project/or a similar one been planned for Uptown or Downtown I think it would be one of the most talked about projects in the region, I would love to see the high tech industry move into the core. I am assuming it must be significantly cheaper/easier to build on the out side of the city rather than in the core areas, but I would really like to see local governments try to attract these industries to downtown and uptown. Once you have a couple big companies setup shop in those areas I think it would be only a matter of time before others followed suit. There is a great need to increase employment and residential numbers in the core areas in order to have that thriving urban environment that we would love to see.

[diego]

Had this project/or a similar one been planned for Uptown or Downtown I think it would be one of the most talked about projects in the region, I would love to see the high tech industry move into the core. I am assuming it must be significantly cheaper/easier to build on the out side of the city rather than in the core areas, but I would really like to see local governments try to attract these industries to downtown and uptown. Once you have a couple big companies setup shop in those areas I think it would be only a matter of time before others followed suit. There is a great need to increase employment and residential numbers in the core areas in order to have that thriving urban environment that we would love to see.

I believe that cities, especially Waterloo, are just trying to keep the old main street/small town feel of core areas. It is a very conservative approach but that's how it is.

[mpd618]

There is a great need to increase employment and residential numbers in the core areas in order to have that thriving urban environment that we would love to see.

I've made similar comments elsewhere, but I disagree that this growth needs to be directed to what's usually thought of as the core. What it should be is built in an urban fashion -- which does mean it's not out in the middle of nowhere, but doesn't necessarily mean it's in existing downtowns.

Part of the reason RIM and others don't do infill on Phillip Street is because the transit isn't good enough, and part of the reason for the latter is that instead of more density there's parking and buildings facing it. This cycle needs to be broken. Of course, another reason for lack of infill is parking requirements (http://www.wonderfulwaterloo.com/showthread.php/195-Parking-in-Waterloo-Region).

[Urban_Enthusiast86]

I am assuming it must be significantly cheaper/easier to build on the out side of the city rather than in the core areas

If that was the issue, it would be an issue for every white collar sector. Look at the firms that moved into the WTS development on King, the vacated space at the Marsland Centre, and the 2 dead malls downtown. BMO (financial) moved into Marsland and WTS was occupied by KPMG (accounting?), RBC (financial), and PriceWaterhouseCoopers (financial). King Centre was occuipied by Manulife (insurance) and vacant space at Market Square was occupied by Stantec (engineering consulting firm) and the Record. None of this came from the high tech sector, which leads me to believe that it has something to do with the nature of this industry.

[diego]

If that was the issue, it would be an issue for every white collar sector. Look at the firms that moved into the WTS development on King, the vacated space at the Marsland Centre, and the 2 dead malls downtown. BMO (financial) moved into Marsland and WTS was occupied by KPMG (accounting?), RBC (financial), and PriceWaterhouseCoopers (financial). King Centre was occuipied by Manulife (insurance) and vacant space at Market Square was occupied by Stantec (engineering consulting firm) and the Record. None of this came from the high tech sector, which leads me to believe that it has something to do with the nature of this industry.

Then it might have to do with the actual space requirements of the high tech industry, but considering that RIM has offices all over, including Weber St. and the R+T Park, I don't see why they would not prefer a more central location. Obviously they would still need some facilities closer to the highways, but as far as office space it is the same. Nonetheless costs also plays a huge part, it is definitely cheaper to build your own custom office building on greenfields than trying to make it fit into more expensive office space in Uptown for example.

[Spokes]

If that was the issue, it would be an issue for every white collar sector. Look at the firms that moved into the WTS development on King, the vacated space at the Marsland Centre, and the 2 dead malls downtown. BMO (financial) moved into Marsland and WTS was occupied by KPMG (accounting?), RBC (financial), and PriceWaterhouseCoopers (financial). King Centre was occuipied by Manulife (insurance) and vacant space at Market Square was occupied by Stantec (engineering consulting firm) and the Record. None of this came from the high tech sector, which leads me to believe that it has something to do with the nature of this industry.

I think you're right. Google is the same way. I know Nortel's huge Ottawa campus is that way. I don't know exactly why though.

I agree with Leaffan though, the cities should really do something to draw the companies to the core. Give them one of those surface parking lots for like a dollar. They'll make the money back in tax revenue.

And like diego said, there's still that central group of people still pushing for the small town feel to continue. It'll be interesting if we see any fairly progressive, forward thinking candidates run in the coming election.

[Urban_Enthusiast86]

Thursday, April 1st

Some new buildings (#s 3 and 4) going up in the technology park.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb210/Cambridgite/Suburban%20Kitchener/Picture284.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb210/Cambridgite/Suburban%20Kitchener/Picture285.jpg

[UrbanWaterloo]

April 19, 2010

2220 University Avenue East (RIM Building D)
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss203/UrbanWaterloo/Waterloo/2220UniversityAvenueEastRIMBuild-1.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss203/UrbanWaterloo/Waterloo/2220UniversityAvenueEastRIMBuilding.jpg

2280 University Avenue East (RIM Building C)
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss203/UrbanWaterloo/Waterloo/2280UniversityAvenueEastRIMBuild-3.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss203/UrbanWaterloo/Waterloo/2280UniversityAvenueEastRIMBuild-2.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss203/UrbanWaterloo/Waterloo/2280UniversityAvenueEastRIMBuild-1.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss203/UrbanWaterloo/Waterloo/2280UniversityAvenueEastRIMBuilding.jpg

[Spokes]

I do like these buildings, but it really sucks that they pushed them so far away from, well anything. The Philip campus while not the best use of land was at least surrounded by things and people, this not so much. Just imagine what they'd look like somewhere else :)

[UrbanWaterloo]

June 27, 2010

2220 University Avenue East (RIM Building D)
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss203/UrbanWaterloo/Waterloo/2220UniversityAvenueEastRIMBuild-2.jpg

2280 University Avenue East (RIM Building C)
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss203/UrbanWaterloo/Waterloo/2280UniversityAvenueEastRIMBuild-4.jpg

RIM Building D & C
http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss203/UrbanWaterloo/Waterloo/2220UniversityAvenueEastRIMBuild-3.jpg

[Spokes]

I hope what ever they end up building up on the corner of University and Northfield is a really cool building with fantastic design, and some decent height (8+ floors)

The one thing Im thinking, by doing a combination of parking structures and surface parking lots, they're giving themselves the opportunity to expand down the road and build on the surface lots.

[UrbanWaterloo]

RIM Building D & C - August 25, 2010

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss203/UrbanWaterloo/Waterloo/RIM/2220UniversityAvenueEastRIMBuildingD2280University AvenueEastRIMBuildingC-August252010-2.jpg

[bzmwillemsen]

Just as an update. Rim C & D are now completed and filled with employees, although there is still some landscaping and final touch-ups going on.

Does anyone know when/what the future buildings are going to be?

And also, the road that goes through the campus does go through from University and connect to Labrador Drive.

[bcwessel]

Suburban corporate campuses are going out of fashion
Kaid Benfield | Grist | 31 May 2011 | LINK (http://www.grist.org/sprawl/2011-05-31-is-it-over-for-suburban-corporate-campuses)


Now, just as the tide has turned against large-lot suburban residential subdivisions, corporations are moving back into town (or, as in the case of Dublin, Ohio, doing everything they can to make their suburb more urban in character). The best and the brightest of the rising labor force, it turns out, don't care to live and work in sprawl. . .

"The whole corporate campus seems a little dated," says Joe Mansueto, chairman and CEO of Morningstar, who moved the company's 1,100 headquarters workers across the Loop to a new office tower at 22 W. Washington St. two years ago without even considering a move to the suburbs. "We've always liked being in Chicago. It helps keep employees on the pulse of what's happening in our society. It keeps them current with cultural trends and possibly technological ones."

The change has the same far-reaching implications for the region that the suburban stampede of the post-war era had on living and working patterns around Chicago. Well-paying jobs are up in the city, raising questions for the housing market in outer suburbia. New transit challenges will arise as more workers ditch suburb-to-suburb auto commuting and board trains and buses headed downtown. . .

[C]entral city locations help recruiting efforts not only with young, urban professionals but also with workers throughout the region: "For most people in greater Chicago, it's easier to commute downtown than to a suburb on the other side of the metropolitan area." That, of course, is a textbook illustration of what transportation researchers call "regional (or "destination") accessibility," the single most powerful indicator among land-use factors of how far people will drive, on average, over the course of a year. Central locations both facilitate transit access and reduce driving distances.