U/C 144 Park | 67 m | 19 fl | 80% Sold

[urbandreamer]

Waterloo Region is car culture. Without a car, I felt socially stigmatized and isolated. Back to Toronto (below Dupont) for me! Anyhow this past Sunday I walked around the site thinking like a NimbyTect. This is the row of "bush" in question correct?



Now while lovely, it is possible the roots extend so far on the property that keeping them would drastically reduce the parking garage size--which in Waterloo sadly is a must to sell a home. A Brad Lamb Work Lofts/Flat Iron Lofts project would ideally be fantastic; but if however the trees must come down, what then is the best solution? It hit this NimbyTect like a ton of bricks, it's so obvious. I will work on a sketch and get back to you folks soon.

Oh and here's what phase 1 looked like 13 May 2012:



(In Toronto, taking photos of dirt piles, rebar and concrete is a "sport.")

[RangersFan]

I have not seen any activity on the site for the past week, I am wondering if something is up.

[luckee]

The treed path looks amazing in the sea of concrete, a welcome respite to the construction taking place adjacent.
What is even more significant are the walkers, strollers, joggers and bladers who use it and come out at the Caroline street side and their journey continues uninterrupted down Caroline St.
I've talked to some of those folks about the threat to the greenery...they are appalled and in some cases angry that the city would destroy the natural beauty of this significant trail...especially the mothers with strollers whose children appear to enjoy the cool shady greenery that the trees afford.
Without that greenery the area is going to bake in the summer and what with climate change we need to preserve what we have and create more.
We the citizens of Waterloo do not want to be shuttled off between two sweltering cement slabs so that other can profit just for the sake of expediency.
Build a high rise but "confine it to the space, the Vincenzo's parking lot"...this appears to be the compromise folks who use the trail want...
I've notice with a great deal of alarm that tall beautiful mature trees are being cut down at a record pace, "willy nilly" for our student housing, LRT expectations and the like...dozens and dozens and dozens of trees...and what's behind this? It's the profit motive and greed and a I don't give a damn attitude...
It really is sad and yet the city council can sit back as if with a sense of accomplishment and say "look what we've done"...and I say "yes look at what you've done"

[RangersFan]

Iron Horse Trail plan panned
May 23, 2012 | By Paige Desmond | Chronicle Staff | LINK

For Chris Klein a proposed change to the Iron Horse Trail could set a dangerous precedent.
A portion of the Iron Horse Trail could be relocated to accommodate a 19-storey condo building at Caroline and Park Streets — the second tower in a common development.
“As soon as we decide that we are willing to move a trail that sits on a historic rail line (for a developer), that opens the door for pressure from other developers,” Klein said. “There must be a compromise.”
The developer has requested an Official Plan amendment and zoning change from the City of Waterloo, giving it approval for a condo building with 194 units. The building would be functionally and physically linked to an already approved building at 144 Park St.
A relocation of the Iron Horse Trail to further in the southwest between the parking garage at 28 John St. W. and the proposed apartment building was requested by the applicant because its current location dissects the development site by running diagonally.

[UrbanWaterloo]

May 25, 2012

[amward]

I noticed on the ride to work this morning that several tanks were being unloaded. Anyone have some insight as to whether they're for de-watering, or something more?

Progress has certainly slowed on this since the excavation. I assume they're delaying things until a decision is made re: the 155 Caroline proposal.

[ookpik]

According to someone onsite yes the tanks are to hold pumped out water. I asked what will happen after concrete gets poured. They said they did not know for sure, "Maybe a large sump pump." I have no idea how serious they were about that.

[BuildingScout]

According to someone onsite yes the tanks are to hold pumped out water.

Usually water is just pumped into the drain. I assume it is being stored in this case because of potential contamination issues from the previous use of the site?

[mboos]

Some recent media coverage:
http://www.therecord.com/news/local/...horse-cyclists

As one of the people quoted in the article, I'd just like to point out that, despite what the framing of the article suggests, this is bigger than just a few cycling concerns. This development will impact pedestrian safety and comfort, rapid transit station use, traffic volumes, and even the tree canopy on nearby streets with the introduction of high voltage power lines. Waterloo and its developers can do better.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Construction has resumed...

August 7, 2012

[UrbanWaterloo]

September 16, 2012

[ruud]

This is taking a very long time, 4-5 months to complete a basement, yikes.

mid-late 2014 move-in date seems about right

[BuildingScout]

This is taking a very long time, 4-5 months to complete a basement, yikes.

mid-late 2014 move-in date seems about right

Waterloo: home of the slow construction crew.

Seriously, I travel the world, and have never seen a place where construction moves so slowly. What gives?

[Trogdor]

Waterloo: home of the slow construction crew.

Seriously, I travel the world, and have never seen a place where construction moves so slowly. What gives?

And it's not like faster construction isn't possible in the Region. If you look just a block away at the Red Condominium, it has nearly completed its six floors within the time it took to dig a basement for 144 Park. Unfortunately almost every other project (bar the student warehouses) is as slow as 144 to rise. Very strange indeed!

[Bristolman]

You'd have to wonder if the companies couldn't stand to hire a few more workers. I mean, how can London pave one of the busiest roads in their city in one night, and Waterloo takes 3 months>?

[RyHam]

Looks like the initial purchasers into this project will ultimately be looking at 5 years minimum to possession. That is a 75-floor-build-in-Toronto timeline (and long even by those standards).

Quite frankly, the lacklustre condo developers in this city could take major pointers from the size, style, and deployment of Momentum's projects. Westmount Grand, 144 Park and the unmitigated disaster of the Barrel Yards will make sure this poor reputation continues on through the ages.

[jay]

I laugh at these developers that promise these short term occupancies. Mady preached that they wouldn't have any delays or anything and we all know what happened. The only bad thing for these people compared to the original purchasers of Bauer Lofts is they wont make the money gain that Bauer did. The ship has sailed for huge profits on condos/lofts in Waterloo especially once things go south in the spring for RIM.

[RyHam]

Is 155 still on the go? At this stage, it seems absolutely bonkers that they would risk adding another 200 units onto a market that's already basically burst (why don't you tell me the average DOM month to month, KWAR, instead of giving me the usual frankennumbers?). This doesn't even take into account the units in Barrel that, for some completely asinine reason, aren't even being sold yet.

If you own a condo in Waterloo and you plan on selling, sell now. You will lose money if you wait.

[Trogdor]

This doesn't even take into account the units in Barrel that, for some completely asinine reason, aren't even being sold yet.it.

I'm not 100% positive, but I believe the condos being built currently at Barrelyards are to be rentals only so that would explain the lack of sales. Otherwise, yeah, I have no idea why they wouldn't have sales going at this stage.

[mpd618]

I'm not 100% positive, but I believe the condos being built currently at Barrelyards are to be rentals only so that would explain the lack of sales. Otherwise, yeah, I have no idea why they wouldn't have sales going at this stage.

How about the fact that 155 Caroline depends on the city disposing of the Iron Horse Trail segment for the project as currently planned to even be possible? No decision has been made, there's been no support from the public for doing so, but plenty of opposition.

I'm waiting for the City of Waterloo to be done with the backroom deals. That's not how you do city-building, and it's not respectful to the public as citizens and as taxpayers.