U/C WLU Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science

[UrbanWaterloo]

Construction has begun...

July 18, 2012

[Trogdor]

Terrible name for a research centre (could anything be more ambiguous than "cold regions"?), but cool project.

[insider]

Why does this have parking fronting the street?!?! Isn't the Region supposed to be moving away from that terrible practice?

[metropolis]

Why does this have parking fronting the street?!?! Isn't the Region supposed to be moving away from that terrible practice?

Because in Waterloo it is more important to preserve building setback than anything else. Duh...

[insider]

Because in Waterloo it is more important to preserve building setback than anything else. Duh...

So true... Waterloo pisses me off. Hopefully they realize all the talent they're losing by their stupid planning and urban design decisions. City of Waterloo, listen to this: do you have how many times I've heard the phrase "WATERLOO SUCKS" or "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN WATERLOO?"... wake up already! Capitalize on the amazing institutions and all the talent that is already here and become the great city you could be.

[UrbanWaterloo]

August 15, 2012

[MacBerry]

So true... Waterloo pisses me off. Hopefully they realize all the talent they're losing by their stupid planning and urban design decisions. City of Waterloo, listen to this: do you have how many times I've heard the phrase "WATERLOO SUCKS" or "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN WATERLOO?"... wake up already! Capitalize on the amazing institutions and all the talent that is already here and become the great city you could be.

Placing your personal wants aside, persons with disabilities need and certainly appreciate that cities and institutions are paying attention to accessibility for all.

[KevinL]

Placing your personal wants aside, persons with disabilities need and certainly appreciate that cities and institutions are paying attention to accessibility for all.

I don't think his issue is with accessibility - that's a valuable asset anywhere. But we can still have a more urbanized design aesthetic while preserving accessibility, and the City of Waterloo is very behind the ball on that.

[myfaceisonfire]

Off topic but....The damage that has been done to our city at the permission our council is beyond reprehensible. How they haven't managed (or wanted) to put the hammer down on the flurry of developments they have approved over the past 18 months is maddening to the point of me literally wanting to move to Kitchener. Those are words I never thought I'd say.

[insider]

Off topic but....The damage that has been done to our city at the permission our council is beyond reprehensible. How they haven't managed (or wanted) to put the hammer down on the flurry of developments they have approved over the past 18 months is maddening to the point of me literally wanting to move to Kitchener. Those are words I never thought I'd say.

Exactly... and you're definitely not the only one, I've heard quite a few people about wanting to move out of Waterloo, I wish we could somehow communicate this to City Council.

[panamaniac]

......... the flurry of developments they have approved over the past 18 months is maddening to the point of me literally wanting to move to Kitchener. Those are words I never thought I'd say.

I had no idea that things were becoming that desperate!

[metropolis]

I had no idea that things were becoming that desperate!

Kitchener has embraced modern urbanism concepts and via a plethora of tax break strategies for downtown created a gentrification that only a decade ago seemed like an impossible idea.

If Kitchener continues on this path and Waterloo fails to implement something as simple as zoning for a proper mixed-use street wall along King St. I can easily see downtown become more desirable than Uptown for both business and residential within the decade to come.

When comparing progress in the past decade, make sure to keep in mind the reputation deficit Kitchener is dealing with vs. Waterloo.

In light of this the following look at downtown's progress going back 10 years and a couple forward is nothing to scoff at:
- Kauffman Lofts
- City Centre
- Arrow Lofts
- UofW Pharmaceutical School
- Lang Tannery tech hub
- Breithaupt Block
- Regional Courthouse and subsequent expansion and opening of quality eateries,
- Streetscape improvements and subsequent moves of local favourites from Uptown like Gloss, Silver Spoon and Brown Salon
- Regional Transit Hub
- Uptown developers Momentum buying their first property downtown for future condos

[bcwessel]

Kitchener has embraced modern urbanism concepts and via a plethora of tax break strategies for downtown created a gentrification that only a decade ago seemed like an impossible idea.

If Kitchener continues on this path and Waterloo fails to implement something as simple as zoning for a proper mixed-use street wall along King St. I can easily see downtown become more desirable than Uptown for both business and residential within the decade to come.

When comparing progress in the past decade, make sure to keep in mind the reputation deficit Kitchener is dealing with vs. Waterloo.

In light of this the following look at downtown's progress going back 10 years and a couple forward is nothing to scoff at:
- Kauffman Lofts
- City Centre
- Arrow Lofts
- UofW Pharmaceutical School
- Lang Tannery tech hub
- Breithaupt Block
- Regional Courthouse and subsequent expansion and opening of quality eateries,
- Streetscape improvements and subsequent moves of local favourites from Uptown like Gloss, Silver Spoon and Brown Salon
- Regional Transit Hub
- Uptown developers Momentum buying their first property downtown for future condos

-WLU School of Social Work
-Queen Street Apartments (between King and Charles)
-117 King West refurbishment by Perimeter
-King/Victoria Transit Hub
-Duke Street Revitalization
-La Marche Residential/Redeveloped Kitchener Market
-KPL Main Branch Upgrades

and more peripherally:

-Fusion Homes proposal for King Street East
-Victoria Commons

[BuildingScout]

If Kitchener continues on this path and Waterloo fails to implement something as simple as zoning for a proper mixed-use street wall along King St.

I think the record of Waterloo City Council is dismal. From 1950 to 2000 one would be hard pressed to name forward looking actions that made Waterloo special. What is weirder is that such an activist and meddling city council could ever approve a parking lot in Uptown Waterloo where a city square should always have been. This would be a lot more understandable if they were a Houston-style hands off central body, but given that they nitpick over every project how could they ever let this happen?

The student housing portfolio has been mismanaged from day one. By not creating student districts back when land was still empty, by letting monster houses sneak in through the back door, by allowing student warehouses without the creation of districts through mixed usage zoning.

City council record for 2000-2010 is only slightly better, and only because the previous track record is so atrocious.

[UrbanWaterloo]

October 12, 2012

[UrbanWaterloo]

November 29, 2012

[UrbanWaterloo]

December 18, 2012

[UrbanWaterloo]

January 12, 2013

[markster]

That's some interesting crenellation they've got on the top there.

This project seems a bit unique, if only for being built using concrete blocks! Most developments seem to be poured concrete these days (with or without the foam LEGO blocks).