Proposed Mayfair Hotel Redevelopment

[FuturePhd]

http://swo.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/C...3/?hub=SWOHome
CTV Southwestern Ontario
Date: Friday Jun. 3, 2011 12:51 PM ET

Plans to develop and redevelop the Centre Block of downtown Kitchener have taken another step forward.
A Heritage Impact Assessment of the Mayfair Hotel is being made public Friday and by late next winter, development and redevelopment are expected to be underway.
That includes the conversion of the Mayfair Hotel at King and Young Streets, which will now be part of the first phase, not the third and final phase of the redevelopment.

Built around 1905 and converted to the Mayfair around 1929, it set to become a boutique hotel and restaurant.

Brampton-based developer Andrin Homes will reportedly maintain the historic exterior while renovating the interior.
Mark Pettigrew of the nearby Casablanca Bookshop says "I like the concept of preserving the retail buildings in the front and having lofts and offices above that, and then having residential high rises behind it, and that will help the downtown for sure."

Two condominium towers, 17 and 12 stories, are also planned beside and behind the Mayfair Hotel, along with other amenities.

[FuturePhd]

I thought this seemed like exciting news!!

[SP!RE]

Part of the first phase of the project now?!

Awesome... so glad to see that happen. We can't let this building or other pieces of history rot one day longer.

[RangersFan]

Great to see, I am with Sp!re I am tired of seeing buildings of historic significance ignored. I really hope this project is a huge success.

[KayDubya]

Great news! Could it be sales are going well enough at City Centre that it afforded them the opportunity to push this part of the project forward? This whole development is going to do wonders for downtown. It's exciting to think of the changes we'll see over the next 5 years or so.

[mikeyp]

Here's an article from 570 news with a rendering of what the renovated building will look like.

http://www.570news.com/news/local/ar...tail-component

[RangersFan]

From the article mentioned above I like the part about a three story addition to bring the Mayfair hotel to a total of 9 stories. I am really excited to see what Downtown will look like in 5 years.

[bcwessel]

Part of the first phase of the project now?!

Awesome... so glad to see that happen. We can't let this building or other pieces of history rot one day longer.

Not to mention that it fixes another piece of an increasingly attractive (and nearly continuous!) King St. frontage. Great news.

[panamaniac]

I hadn't expected that more height would be added and in fact kind of wondered whether the existing three storey addition might not come off. I do like that the three new stories will be stepped back but the rendering makes the overall building look like a bit of a mash up. I hope it all comes together well. K-W has long had a desperate need for an upscale hotel so it this is it, it will be a great addition to Downtown.

[mpd618]

I do like that the three new stories will be stepped back but the rendering makes the overall building look like a bit of a mash up.

You say that like it's a negative!

[markster]

I tend to like mash-up buildings. Particularly with old restorations, it gives it a neat look.

I just think that they could step back the addition on the 4th-6th floors by about 8 feet, and that would get some really interesting terraces going.

[fin2limb]

I can't see how anyone could complain about this. This is awesome news and great for downtown. It keeps on getting better.

Can't wait for the shovels to be in the ground.

[panamaniac]

Well, I did say that I hope it all comes together well. I might not be here today if it weren't for the Mayfair Hotel - my father was living there when he met my mother (I won't tell you the year)!

[smably]

I like this a lot. The Heritage Impact Assessment document contains a larger rendering of the project and some elevations, which I am linking to below because they are too large to post inline.

Street level rendering
Elevation diagram

[panamaniac]

I can't see how anyone could complain about this. This is awesome news and great for downtown. It keeps on getting better.

Can't wait for the shovels to be in the ground.

The only complaints I could see might be from people who have purchased apartments that will now have their view blocked by the now-taller Mayfair.

[ruud]

The only complaints I could see might be from people who have purchased apartments that will now have their view blocked by the now-taller Mayfair.

i think a considerable increase in property value might help them get over it.

the skybar restaurant is a great idea. Can't wait for this to built.

[UWaterloo]

LINK: http://www.therecord.com/news/local/...ique-hotel-spa

Mayfair Hotel to be transformed into boutique hotel, spa

Future for the Mayfair Hotel. Artist rendering of the transformed Mayfair Hotel. By Terry Pender, Record staff
June 3, 2011



KITCHENER — A Brampton-based developer is unveiling plans to transform two historic properties along King Street West — the Mayfair Hotel and the Hyman Hardware Building next door — into an upscale boutique hotel and spa.

Because of the historic significance of the properties Andrin Investments Limited will appear before Heritage Kitchener next Tuesday to explain the plans in detail.

Glass and steel additions will be built on top of the existing buildings, bringing the height to nine floors. The inside of both buildings will be completely rebuilt. Three floors will be added to the Mayfair Hotel at 11 Young St. Six floors to the building next door at 156-158 King St. west.

The proposed redevelopment plan calls for a speakeasy club in the basement and:

First floor — a restaurant, whisky bar, hotel lobby and pool.

Second floor — 13 suites plus a gym and yoga studio.

Third floor — 13 suites and the spa’s reception.

Fourth floor — 14 suites and the spa.

Fifth floor — 14 suites and office space.

Sixth floor — 14 suites and two conference rooms.

Seventh and Eight floors — 14 suites on each level.

Ninth floor — sky bar and restaurant.

Leon Bensason, the city’s head of cultural heritage planning, said the new floors will be contemporary and compliment the old architecture below.

“That can only be good news,” Bensason said.

Mark Pettigrew, who owns Casablanca Books a few doors down from the Mayfair Hotel, is happy to see some concrete plans for the redevelopment of the old buildings.

“I like it. It looks good and I am happy they are preserving the outside of the old buildings,” Pettigrew said.

Andrin has local partners for this phase of the redevelopment of Centre Block. Initially, the Mayfair Hotel and Hymann Hardware Building were to be redeveloped in the third and final phase, which could mean nothing would be finished on that corner for seven to 10 years.

In response to concerns about that timeline, Andrin said it would advance the redevelopment of the Mayfair if local partners could be found. It appears that is now the case although the identities of the local partners are not known.

In April 2009 the City of Kitchener and Andrin signed an ambitious development agreement for the western half of the block that is bounded by King, Young, Duke and Ontario streets.

The agreement calls for 397 condominiums in two buildings — a 17 storey building at Young and Duke streets and a 14 storey building on King Street West. Three podium buildings will be fronting on King, Young and Duke streets. A courtyard will be located in the centre of the development on top of a multi-level underground-parking garage. The city will own the top level with about 250 spaces.

A few months ago Andrin opened a sales office on King Street West for the condominiums. Other than to say sales are meeting expectations the developer has not been specific about pre-sales.

[loveskitchener]

This sounds so exciting! Should be a great addition to the downtown core...I'm especially excited for the sky bar and restaurant!

[thusenth]

This looks fantastic, I can't wait to see this develop!