Kitchener-Waterloo Developments

249349 Views 1202 Replies 76 Participants Last post by Rowland, Feb 5, 2022

thryve

Discussion Starter · Mar 19, 2005

This will be the thread in which we put updates, news articles, rumours, photos, etc. around the subject of the Uptown Waterloo reconstruction project. (Public Park/Square, Town Square shops, retail, residential, commercial, etc.)

1 - 20 of 1203 Posts

thryve

Discussion Starter · #2 · Mar 19, 2005

Demolition has begun on the old end of the mall. (south end.)

I can't wait for a year from now or so when there will be tons of foundations for all the new storefronts going in along King St... exciting!

cmd uw

· #3 · Mar 20, 2005

This is great news. I am glad to see the redevelopment taking place after many years of delay.

Tri-City Guy

· #4 · Mar 20, 2005

It was borded up when I went by on the bus. I'll be glad when I see the wrecking ball.

algonquin

· #5 · Mar 21, 2005

any pics?

Jaybird

· #6 · Mar 22, 2005

Sounds like Waterloo Uptown is taking a trendy turn for new shopping on King St.

Victoria

· #7 · Mar 22, 2005

I use to live in Waterloo- I haven't been there for over four years.

I would love to see how things have changed.

thryve

Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 2, 2005 (Edited)

Yesterday (April 1st) the demolition began.

thryve

Discussion Starter · #9 · Apr 9, 2005

April 8:
Air-conditioning units removed from the roof via backhoes.

April 9:
Entire front half of southernmost section (where K-Mart, then Liquidation World was located) removed. Smashed brick and removed window frames are laying around. Dumpsters are ready and construction machines are moving in.

ssiguy2

· #10 · Apr 9, 2005

Pics????
Yes, Waterlou always was a cute university town which, unfortunatly always gets heaped together with Kitchener which is the poorest excuse for a city I have ever seen.
I must confess that I am guilty of sometimes doing this, automatically referring to K/W as opposed to them as separate cities.

thryve

Discussion Starter · #11 · Apr 12, 2005

April 13:

The demolition crew are working away quickly so that any petition that may pop up (created by Uptown businesses to protest the fact that a few parking spots will be a few minutes' walk away GRRRR) will not hault the demolition.

The Liquidation World portion of the mall has its roof practically gone, drooping downwards, as the front walls have been removed.

<I suppose the office building (6 storeys) will need to be 'dynamited' when the time comes... but they are going to be going for awhile before they need to do that.>

Tony

· #12 · Apr 13, 2005

I'm curious, was it not feasible to simply renovate the office tower to be condominiums? They'd have 12' ceilings and all too. Plus iirc, the building is pretty glassy.

thryve

Discussion Starter · #13 · Apr 13, 2005 (Edited)

No way. The office block stands on what will be the parking lot, which apparently will already be short a few spaces WITHOUT the office block there. As well, there will be condos above the storefronts, and finally, it just doesn't make sense given the fact that streetfront buildings will be built right at the sidewalk, anyways.

April 14:

Liquidation World portion (south end of mall, extreme south that is) is pretty much gone..... they are clearing the rubbish out of the way very quickly... its an amazing site.. one I never thought I would see in my lifetime

Finally an eyesore is leaving us!

oceanmdx

· #14 · Apr 14, 2005

SP!RE said:
April 14:

Liquidation World portion (south end of mall, extreme south that is) is pretty much gone..... they are clearing the rubbish out of the way very quickly... its an amazing site.. one I never thought I would see in my lifetime

anyways i am amazed to see such little interest in this project... once the new storefronts are going up, we have ourselves a whole new downtown... very often does this happen in Canada at all... a blank canvas to work with. its a shame that there is so little interest, because people are really missing out!!!

What's amazing is how you can see one day into the future and tell us what happened!

Tri-City Guy

· #15 · Apr 14, 2005

Unfortunately in KW they're more concerned about finding a spot to park their cars after a day of drive thru banking and Tim Horten's drive thru dining. LOL

Although not shown on the plan in the recent Record, a tall tower is planned which local shop owners are opposing. It was on the CKCO and it sounded like they said 28 stories (I must have heard wrong because there is little chance of KW getting a building that tall in my lifetime, let alone a five star hotel - ok, maybe in 2018 when amalgomation occurs, which will have to be forced upon it!!!) which would be the tallest in the city. Its a mix hotel and commercial.

Still, other buildings, apartments 10-15 stories are planned around the site so who knows? Maybe CKW will grow up? The city recently re-zoned the land around the mall to break a previous low rise only barrier. Still, I'll believe it, when I see it. It is a shame that business owners in the area are more concerned about loosing a few parking spaces, when God forbid somebody should dare get on a bus and arrive in a more attractive shopping area.

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Tony

· #16 · Apr 14, 2005

Why in the world are the business owners opposed to a residential tower? (That is if it's residential). Regarding parking, is the main parking garage at full capacity most of the time?

Tri-City Guy

· #17 · Apr 14, 2005

Tony - There is still plenty of parking around and a big city multi-level car park is right across the street near the Royal Bank as well. Most of the business people complaining are those on the ScotiaBank side of the road near the existing car park. They are worried that they'll loose the pedestrian traffic but frankly I think the square would actually attract MORE people. Besides, public transit is excellent down King Street and the actually number of lost parking spots is really quite minimal. This whole thing is getting delayed over and over by stupid stuff really when really what they need to do is get a move on. I think it would be wonderful for Waterloo.

As for the residental towers going up by the swimming pool / lofts area they got vocal opposion but the city went ahead and re-zoned it for high rise. Its downtown, so luckily common sense won over. Of course once again the business were going - where are people going to park? I would probably horrify them to know there are people like me that live in KW perfectly fine without an automobile. Its unfortunately that even business owners can be the worst NIMBYS sometimes. I think in five years things will start changing in a big way. It city has to start going up as its running out of room. Even industrial space in is short supply. Just look at Toyota having little chance to locate in Kitchener cause the city cannot accommodate it, so it goes to Woodstock with space galore.

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thryve

Discussion Starter · #18 · Apr 17, 2005

As Of April 16
-Liquidation World is gone
-demolition is already one-third complete
(-there is another lowrise section to demolish, as well as the office block)

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Tri-City Guy

· #19 · Apr 19, 2005

Nice to see it going. Thank God they are not wasting anytime leveling the beast. Can't wait for the tower to go next.

thryve

Discussion Starter · #20 · May 3, 2005 (Edited)

NEWS FLASH May 3, 2005
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Waterloo Town Square demolition

The wall panels of the office tower are being torn off, the whole building looted by demo workers. The tower will be gone very soon.

Meanwhile, the north end of the mall (now the Waterloo Town Square itself) is disconnected entirely from the old wing.

Folks... I proudly can say that the mall has begun its new life.

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