Complete Lang Tannery Redevelopment | 20 m | 5 fl

[benjaminbach]

I believe mpd618 is referring to how the City Centre assembly began

[mpd618]

Really, Kitchener had a porn theatre? Where was it? The only one I can remember was the original Princess Cinema in Waterloo.

I believe mpd618 is referring to how the City Centre assembly began

Yep. To quote a blog called Shirt Tales, "the City of Kitchener purchased and then demolished the Lyric theatre, located a few steps west of the still extant Capitol/Club Elements to prevent a porn theatre from opening up shop downtown. In its role as vice-cop, this City's Council spent approx $9.7 M to create a gap-toothed streetscape and a huge parking lot still awaiting redevelopment."

[panamaniac]

Yep. To quote a blog called Shirt Tales, "the City of Kitchener purchased and then demolished the Lyric theatre, located a few steps west of the still extant Capitol/Club Elements to prevent a porn theatre from opening up shop downtown. In its role as vice-cop, this City's Council spent approx $9.7 M to create a gap-toothed streetscape and a huge parking lot still awaiting redevelopment."

Wow, the things you learn on this forum. Living elsewhere, I had no idea. I recall the sleazy bar beside the Lyric. The thought of the Lyric as a porn theatre - well, demolition would have been a rather desperate measure and it was a terrible loss, but on an emotional level I can understand it since the Lyric was once the most prestigious of the downtown theatres. Here's to continued better days for Downtown!

[benjaminbach]

Yep. To quote a blog called Shirt Tales, "the City of Kitchener purchased and then demolished the Lyric theatre, located a few steps west of the still extant Capitol/Club Elements to prevent a porn theatre from opening up shop downtown. In its role as vice-cop, this City's Council spent approx $9.7 M to create a gap-toothed streetscape and a huge parking lot still awaiting redevelopment."

The total is closer to $13 million. More background can be found on my blog at this link

[BuildingScout]

Don't forget that it was Kitchener City Council that bought up and demolished through neglect a building for the offense of containing a porn theatre.

True enough. This is also the city that paid $20,000 to buy out the Stag Shop, which simply took the money and opened a bigger store a block down King St.

[Greg Moore]

Government has no business blocking a legal adult business in that area. If the owners say no, it's one thing, but for council to think it's their business to shut this place down ais despicable. We are a region of a half-million people. There is room for this type of business.
Kitchener council is sickeningly conservative at times and poorly represents a cross section of its citizens.

Not that I was going to frequent this place. It just bothers me how meddlesome our governors think they are entitled to be.

< /rant >

Time to run for council. Voting isn't enough.

[speed]

Rumour has it........... the Tannery is going up for sale

[RangersFan]

Rumour has it........... the Tannery is going up for sale

If this is true, I wonder if it means there will not be a second phase to the development. Or maybe an even more creative plan may come into the picture.

[benjaminbach]

Allied REIT has announced that they are buying The Tannery District for $61.75 million. Details and thoughts can be found here:

Allied REIT buys The Tannery District in Kitchener’s Warehouse / Innovation District

"With this purchase, Allied REIT adds to its position as the dominant landlord in the Warehouse / Innovation District. They own 72 Victoria Street across the street, another converted building, and they have an interest in the Breithaupt Block redevelopment with Perimeter Development."

[metropolis]

Allied REIT has announced that they are buying The Tannery District for $61.75 million. Details and thoughts can be found here:

Allied REIT buys The Tannery District in Kitchener’s Warehouse / Innovation District

Someone correct me if I am wrong but this deals makes it highly unlikely we will see anything built on the now vacant lot next to the Tannery as Allied likes commercial properties and this lot is ideal at supplying them with parking for the Tannery... Great historic buildings with a ton of character now destined to be indefinately replaced by nothing more than a gravel parking lot.

[panamaniac]

Someone correct me if I am wrong but this deals makes it highly unlikely we will see anything built on the now vacant lot next to the Tannery as Allied likes commercial properties and this lot is ideal at supplying them with parking for the Tannery... Great historic buildings with a ton of character now destined to be indefinately replaced by nothing more than a gravel parking lot.

Far too soon to know, I should think.

[RangersFan]

Councillor leads charge to save Tannery building from demolition

June 13, 2012 | Terry Pender | The Record | LINK

The debate about the future of a historic industrial building on Joseph Street that was part of the Lang Tannery.

Etherington wants the brick building at 189 Joseph St. designated as a landmark under the Ontario Heritage Act and protected from demolition.

Etherington said one of the reasons he ran for city council in 2010 was because city staff allowed Toronto-based Cadan Inc. to demolish three historic buildings on Joseph Street to make room for a gravel parking lot. The former city council refused to intervene.

The remaining building at 189 Joseph St. was called the Hide House. Animal skins were stored and cured there.

[WatDot]

I really do hope the City of Kitchener pulls the demolition permit. Kudos to Etherington for taking this on. The City really screwed up by giving Cadan the permits in the first place. Billed as the "Warehouse District" to destroy ANYTHING salvageable related to this theme with historic relevance is completely idiotic.

“I thought we threw away a chance to create something similar to the Distillery District in Toronto, on a smaller scale,” Etherington said. “This might give us a second chance to save what could be a beautiful building.”

Same wave length man. Full support if by any chance you read this. Don't give up the fight... save that building!!

[panamaniac]

Good news that there might be another chance to save 189 Joseph. I was a bit puzzled that it wasn't torn down when the other structures went - maybe it's fate!

[mpd618]

I really do hope the City of Kitchener pulls the demolition permit. Kudos to Etherington for taking this on. The City really screwed up by giving Cadan the permits in the first place. Billed as the "Warehouse District" to destroy ANYTHING salvageable related to this theme with historic relevance is completely idiotic.

I generally agree and was one of those advocating for preservation on this site. That said, I'm not sure how possible it would have been for any developer to create something of the magnitude of the Tannery without that parking, given current attitudes among employers and employees.

On balance, I think Cadan pulled off something amazing with the Tannery, and I think that it plus future redevelopment of the adjacent site may be as good as could have been hoped for. Doing nothing with a site is a great way to bring about demolition, something with which the City of Kitchener has great first-hand experience.

At this point, I think there is enough leftover parking (not to mention all the additional parking nearby) and the Tannery is doing well enough that there is every justification to preserve and reuse the one remaining building east of Joseph Street.

[MonkeyGirl]

Agreed. The change that has happened in the last 2 years at the Tannery has been fantastic. Seeing the corner of Victoria & King turn into a thriving little hub has been one of the best things that has happened to the downtown core. I get a smile everytime I drive by.

[Drake]

Agreed. The change that has happened in the last 2 years at the Tannery has been fantastic. Seeing the corner of Victoria & King turn into a thriving little hub has been one of the best things that has happened to the downtown core. I get a smile everytime I drive by.

I keep hoping there is a plan for the U-Haul lot across the street. The low commercial building beside it is not very nice either. I imagine the land they are sitting on is worth quite a bit. I would be great to see an inspiring project go there.

[panamaniac]

Hold on, that's the block reserved (in my mind) for a major urban square!

[metropolis]

I keep hoping there is a plan for the U-Haul lot across the street. The low commercial building beside it is not very nice either. I imagine the land they are sitting on is worth quite a bit. I would be great to see an inspiring project go there.

I'm not sure about the U-Haul property (they are seperated by a lane and considered two different lots) but I have heard that the strip plazza on the corner of King and Victoria has a well liked developer closing on its sale shortly (if not already).

[metropolis]

Hold on, that's the block reserved (in my mind) for a major urban square!

Not to burst any bubbles here but we have a major urban square three blocks down at City Hall.