Wonderful Waterloo Archive

This site is maintained by Sam Nabi as a record of the vibrant Wonderful Waterloo community, which was taken offline in 2014. This site is a partial archive, containing some posts from 2009-2013. To read more about the recovery effort and access the data in a machine-readable format, check out the GitHub page.

U/C 203 Lester Street | 51 m | 17 fl

Post #28007 Unknown date Unknown Author	203 Lester Street 203, 207, 209, 211 Lester Street & 127, 129 University Avenue West, Waterloo Developer: Linden Village Incorporated
Post #28008 03-28-2011 08:13 AM Unknown Author Moderator Kitchener-Waterloo Joined Dec 2009 5693 posts	Demolition Control Application DC2011-05 Report:
Post #28010 03-28-2011 10:06 AM Unknown Author Town Member Kitchener Joined May 2010 132 posts	I'm not too happy that there will be a random property stuck between two tall apartment buildings. Makes that property rather un-developeable (I know that's not a word )
Post #28011 03-28-2011 10:12 AM Unknown Author Urban Issues Moderator Joined Jul 2010 1641 posts	Originally Posted by Newgrad I'm not too happy that there will be a random property stuck between two tall apartment buildings. Makes that property rather un-developeable (I know that's not a word ) I'm willing to bet that whoever owns that property most have gotten a rather nice offer from the buyer of the five parcels above, but held out for more.
Post #28012 03-28-2011 10:21 AM Unknown Author City Member Kitchener Waterloo Joined Oct 2010 603 posts Benjamin Bach \| Real Estate Sales Rep @ Cushman & Wakefield Waterloo Region Ltd. brokerage. Not intended to solicit clients or properties under contract.	Originally Posted by BuildingScout I'm willng to bet that whoever owns that property most have gotten a rather nice offer from the buyer of the five parcels above, but held out for more. Happens more often than owners of these houses want to imagine. When someone makes you a great offer today, don't always hold out for a stupendous offer tomorrow. Tomorrow may not come !
Post #28015 03-28-2011 11:00 AM Unknown Author City Member Kitchener Joined Oct 2010 954 posts	Originally Posted by BuildingScout I'm willng to bet that whoever owns that property most have gotten a rather nice offer from the buyer of the five parcels above, but held out for more. I doubt that. They almost certainly got a "slightly lower than assessed value" offer. The developer already had 5 properties assembled, which is plenty to work with. The homeowner has absolutely no leverage, and the developer knows that the property will have little development potential afterwards, and would submit a bid accordingly. Or, if you want to come at it from a pure monetary direction: Architectural drawings are expensive, so the extra property would almost certainly serve primarily as parking, so the worth to the developer of that property is basically the amount saved in Cash-in-lieu-of-parking, minus demolition costs, real estate fees and legal fees for the extra property. Then you offer about 2/3 or 3/4 of that, since there's no point going through the hassle if you aren't going to save money.
Post #28017 03-28-2011 11:04 AM Unknown Author City Member Kitchener Joined Oct 2010 954 posts	Also, can we please get a mixed use corridor on University sooner rather than later? The plaza is great and all, but maybe we can spread out the amenities just a little. Students are rather lazy, after all.
Post #28018 03-28-2011 11:34 AM Unknown Author Metropolis Member Waterloo, ON Joined Jan 2010 2122 posts	Can someone please attend this meeting and speak against any more pure-residential zoning on University Avenue? By the time the city realizes what it's done, there won't be any more Columbia and University to develop.
Post #28019 03-28-2011 12:10 PM Unknown Author Town Member Kitchener Joined May 2010 132 posts	I'm going to raise an issue I brought up with the last mega-building on Lester. I think this might create some pretty bad traffic issues. It is already very difficult to make a left on to University from the south side of Lester. And it is really difficult to make a left off of university going west onto Lester. Without some sort of change, I see this being a problem. I know that not every student will have a car, but we only have one of three towers up and it is already a bit of a nightmare during peak traffic time. I'm not against increased density- I'm for it-but I'd just like to see some plan for managing traffic coming off of streets like Lester.
Post #28020 03-28-2011 12:13 PM Unknown Author Town Member Kitchener Joined May 2010 132 posts	Originally Posted by markster Also, can we please get a mixed use corridor on University sooner rather than later? The plaza is great and all, but maybe we can spread out the amenities just a little. Students are rather lazy, after all. It blows my mind how the city can't see that bottling that many students in a confined area with little to do other than drinking is a bad thing. We need to provide them with recreation and jobs in the areas that they live! The local levels of government are concerned about future traffic issues but they can't see that it is a good idea to put jobs within walking distance of students. It is mind boggling.
Post #28021 03-28-2011 12:16 PM Unknown Author City Member Joined Dec 2009 591 posts	Originally Posted by Newgrad It blows my mind how the city can't see that bottling that many students in a confined area with little to do other than drinking is a bad thing. We need to provide them with recreation and jobs in the areas that they live! The local levels of government are concerned about future traffic issues but they can't see that it is a good idea to put jobs within walking distance of students. It is mind boggling. You know, that's what I thought about/heard of Waterloo when I was thinking about whether or not to come here for undergrad. Instead, I stayed in Montreal, and only moved here 12 years later.
Post #28022 03-28-2011 12:40 PM Unknown Author Urban Issues Moderator Joined Jul 2010 1641 posts	Originally Posted by markster I doubt that. They almost certainly got a "slightly lower than assessed value" offer. Friends who used to live on Columbia St. got offers at about twice assessed value. Originally Posted by markster The homeowner has absolutely no leverage, and the developer knows that the property will have little development potential afterwards, and would submit a bid accordingly. The homeowner can go to city council and stop this from happening because his property will be adversely affected. If he finds a sympathetic ear there the homeowner could kibosh the entire development. How's that for leverage?
Post #28025 03-28-2011 01:16 PM Unknown Author Metropolis Member Waterloo, ON Joined Jan 2010 2122 posts	Originally Posted by Newgrad I'm going to raise an issue I brought up with the last mega-building on Lester. I think this might create some pretty bad traffic issues. It is already very difficult to make a left on to University from the south side of Lester. And it is really difficult to make a left off of university going west onto Lester. Without some sort of change, I see this being a problem. I know that not every student will have a car, but we only have one of three towers up and it is already a bit of a nightmare during peak traffic time. How much parking is the zoning calling for? If someone is able to speak to this issue at Council tonight, I'd also encourage you to point out that there is no reasonable justification for minimum parking requirements in this area. And that perhaps the traffic issues should call for limits on how much parking they are able to provide.
Post #28038 03-28-2011 06:59 PM Unknown Author City Member Kitchener Joined Oct 2010 954 posts	Originally Posted by BuildingScout Friends who used to live on Columbia St. got offers at about twice assessed value. The homeowner can go to city council and stop this from happening because his property will be adversely affected. If he finds a sympathetic ear there the homeowner could kibosh the entire development. How's that for leverage? Thank you for providing some backup info. A bit a bit hearsay, but I have no reason to doubt it. Given the way that corridor's been rezoned, I don't think the homeowner would have had a chance at the OMB, but this is not something that I feel we can reasonably debate about (too many hypotheticals).
Post #28041 03-28-2011 08:30 PM Unknown Author Metropolis Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 4277 posts	Talked with councillor Jeff Henry about this project and the proposed project across the street on University which has yet to be reported here on WW (I guess Im the first!) and expressed my displeasure for yet another 5 bedroom non mixed use project. He said he shares my feelings but the city would be taken to the OMB and lose because of the zoning. He said the zoning is the issue and the 5 bedroom problem as well as the non mixed use problem are both being addressed in the new Official Plan. At the end of the day though, that's bullshit. If the city wanted to change the zoning they could have without waiting for the OP. Kitchener did it. Again, Waterloo proving it's the dumbest "smartest city".
Post #28042 03-28-2011 08:32 PM Unknown Author City Member Joined Jan 2010 744 posts	Originally Posted by mpd618 Can someone please attend this meeting and speak against any more pure-residential zoning on University Avenue? By the time the city realizes what it's done, there won't be any more Columbia and University to develop. That wouldn't do much, as it's already zoned MR-25. It looks like the developer has already consolidated the properties, and once the structures are gone, if their building specs conform to the MR-25 zoning (which an ordinary 16 storey apartment does), they could apply for building permits. All that's going to council tonight is a demolition application. I highly doubt this will be done for September, but with the pace these things are built at with all their prefabricated parts, it might just go together like a puzzle and be ready for January.
Post #28043 03-28-2011 09:26 PM Unknown Author City Member Kitchener Waterloo Joined Oct 2010 603 posts Benjamin Bach \| Real Estate Sales Rep @ Cushman & Wakefield Waterloo Region Ltd. brokerage. Not intended to solicit clients or properties under contract.	Originally Posted by Spokes Talked with councillor Jeff Henry about this project and the proposed project across the street on University which has yet to be reported here on WW (I guess Im the first!) and expressed my displeasure for yet another 5 bedroom non mixed use project. The north east corner of University & Albert will be built up with a 6 story student building with surface parking. It will be built to maximum permitted density.
Post #28073 03-29-2011 01:55 PM Unknown Author Town Member Joined Apr 2010 180 posts	Originally Posted by Duke-of-Waterloo That wouldn't do much, as it's already zoned MR-25. It looks like the developer has already consolidated the properties, and once the structures are gone, if their building specs conform to the MR-25 zoning (which an ordinary 16 storey apartment does), they could apply for building permits. All that's going to council tonight is a demolition application. I highly doubt this will be done for September, but with the pace these things are built at with all their prefabricated parts, it might just go together like a puzzle and be ready for January. Last time I checked, MR-25 zoning allows for ground floor retail.
Post #28082 03-29-2011 03:54 PM Unknown Author City Member Kitchener Joined Oct 2010 954 posts	Originally Posted by DKsan Last time I checked, MR-25 zoning allows for ground floor retail. Uh... Zoning Bylaw No person shall Erect, alter, enlarge or use any Building or land in whole or in part within the Multiple Residence ‘MR’ zone for any purpose other than the following Uses: • Single detached dwelling; • Semi-detached dwelling; • Duplex dwelling; • Triplex Dwelling; • Apartment Dwelling; • Lodging House Class One; • Class A Group Homes; • Class B Group Homes; • Beauty Salons and Barber Shops; • Offices and clinics for a Health Practitioner; and • Non-residential uses including: Nursery Schools, Churches, church halls, Sunday schools, Public Schools, Separate Schools, Nursing Homes and Recreational parks and playgrounds operated by the City of Waterloo. I saw one application from 2005 where someone wanted C3 uses allowed in a MR-25 zone, but that appears to have been a one-off.
Post #28084 03-29-2011 04:13 PM Unknown Author Metropolis Member Waterloo, ON Joined Jan 2010 2122 posts	Originally Posted by Duke-of-Waterloo That wouldn't do much, as it's already zoned MR-25. It looks like the developer has already consolidated the properties, and once the structures are gone, if their building specs conform to the MR-25 zoning (which an ordinary 16 storey apartment does), they could apply for building permits. All that's going to council tonight is a demolition application. I really doubt a developer would take the city to the OMB for, say, allowing commercial ground-floor uses in this thing.