Small Urban Kitchener Construction

[neonjoe]

Does anyone know what the digging is about at the Weber/East Ave split? I may be just removal of old tanks, although I have no memory of there being a gas station on the site. If it were just bit larger, I always thought that site would be a nice spot for a triangular or "flatiron" type professional building.

There used to be a Petro Canada at that corner along with the corner of Ottawa and Weber where the used car dealership is now. This one closed first as it was redundant. One of those two became Petro Canada stations when Gulf Canada was purchased.
Hopefully it is more than just ground cleanup.

[KevinL]

Misty Mountain is getting a neighbour!

[panamaniac]

Misty Mountain is getting a neighbour!

Exactly the kind of funky retail that suits Downtown. Nice to see.

[4Kitchener]

I was told from the city that this is going to be mixed use... a row of town houses at the back and a small apartment building right up front.

[panamaniac]

I was told from the city that this is going to be mixed use... a row of town houses at the back and a small apartment building right up front.

Are you sure you have the right building? The upper two floors of this one are being converted into apartments, but I don't think that there would be space in behind for townhouses, would there?

[4Kitchener]

Are you sure you have the right building? The upper two floors of this one are being converted into apartments, but I don't think that there would be space in behind for townhouses, would there?

Hmmm, sorry. I forgot to tag the previous comment to my reply. But i was refering to the digging that is taking place at Weber and East ave.

[panamaniac]

Hmmm, sorry. I forgot to tag the previous comment to my reply. But i was refering to the digging that is taking place at Weber and East ave.

Good news. I guess I must abandon my dream of a flatiron building, but it will be good to see some housing on that site.

[bcwessel]

I was told from the city that this is going to be mixed use... a row of town houses at the back and a small apartment building right up front.

Will there be some kind of groundfloor retail beneath the apartments at the front? Or are they considering the mixture of two kinds of residential units to be worthy of the distinction "mixed use"?

[panamaniac]

Will there be some kind of groundfloor retail beneath the apartments at the front? Or are they considering the mixture of two kinds of residential units to be worthy of the distinction "mixed use"?

That would seem an odd location for retail, IMO. If they really mean mixed use, perhaps a dentist or other small office on the ground floor? It's not a big lot, so it will be interesting to see how they will incorporate parking into the site if it is to include both townhouses and a small apartment building. The recent purchase of the Mitsubishi dealership on Ottawa St would seem to open that site to real mixed use in the future - it would be nice someday to see such development all along Ottawa from Weber down to Charles, especially given the proximity of the future LRT.

[bcwessel]

That would seem an odd location for retail, IMO.

Why?

[panamaniac]

To be honest, I always felt that site would make a interesting location for a professional building of some sort. However, if housing is going to be built there as was described in 4Kitchener's post, it seemed to me that you would be talking only about one or two shops, at best, that would be separated by a busy street from Ottawa St, where I see better prospects at some point in the future. It seems more logical to me to concentrate future retail in a mixed use context along Ottawa St, especially if the Eastwood Plaza were eventually redeveloped as well (together with the Mitsubishi dealership, the two sites would be huge).

[bcwessel]

To be honest, I always felt that site would make a interesting location for a professional building of some sort. However, if housing is going to be built there as was described in 4Kitchener's post, it seemed to me that you would be talking only about one or two shops, at best, that would be separated by a busy street from Ottawa St, where I see better prospects at some point in the future. It seems more logical to me to concentrate future retail in a mixed use context along Ottawa St, especially if the Eastwood Plaza were eventually redeveloped as well (together with the Mitsubishi dealership, the two sites would be huge).

Fair enough. A busy, transit-rich intersection destined for future urban intensification and increased complexity seems a perfect place for a single coffee shop or mini-market below some flats (I'll bet the surrounding neighbours would appreciate having something a bit more interesting to walk to and congregate at than Eastwood Square in the short term while that space awaits rehabilitation, too.)

That being said, and basing this solely on the very sparse information provided above, I really like the idea of mixing residential unit types in single developments (if you want a coffee shop in your neighbourhood, you should have to accept residential options affordable to the least well-paid person employed there). I just don't think it's particularly appropriate to call mixed-unit residential mixed-use. I'll wait for more details to come out before getting too specific with my commentary.

[UrbanWaterloo]

117 King Street West - May 30, 2012

[SP!RE]

Perimeter Development is putting a modern glass facade on those bottom two floors.

[KevinL]

A minor point, but a positive sign all the same: the bodega ('Torreense Store') at Mill and Stirling is renovating its exterior - a foam layer to be followed by (presumably) stucco over its plain painted brick. Good to see a thriving neighbourhood.

[panamaniac]

I noticed that just yesterday - good to see the building being spruced up after so many years. I hope if the community centre across the street is ever expanded, that they build out toward Mill Street - the parking lot in front of the centre is really annoying.,

[panamaniac]

117 King Street West - May 30, 2012

Matter of Taste has now closed for a few days to move in to their new space immediately beside the existing location - the new glass front on this building is going to look very good, I think.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Matter of Taste has a soft opening tomorrow at 10am in their new space.

117 King Street West - June 30, 2012

[panamaniac]

Misty Mountain is getting a neighbour!

Two new businesses - a hair salon (Salon Brown) and an IT firm (no details) have opened on second and third floors, respectively, of this renovated Queen St building>

[metropolis]

Two new businesses - a hair salon (Salon Brown) and an IT firm (no details) have opened on second and third floors, respectively, of this renovated Queen St building>

Brown Salon moved from Uptown. They were on King, I believe, down by Dairy Queen.