Wonderful Waterloo Archive

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U/C Belmont Village Condominiums | 33 m | 11 fl

Post #5933 05-01-2010 06:41 PM garthdanlor Town Member	Belmont Village Condominiums 539 Belmont Avenue West, Kitchener Developer:
Post #5942 05-01-2010 10:54 PM UrbanWaterloo Moderator Kitchener-Waterloo Joined Dec 2009 3547 posts	I don't see anything for 535 Belmont, but there have been building permits for it's neighbouring property. Site Address 539 BELMONT AVE W Permit No 10112313 Work Description PERMIT IS FOR THE BALANCE OF CONSTRUCTION FOR A 11 STOREY 114 UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING WITH 1 BELOW GRADE PARKING LEVEL. Status Under Review Permit Category Residential Building (Multi) Permit Type Apartment Application Date April 29, 2010 Issued By Issue Date Final Date Work Proposed New Construction Construction Value 17750000 Residential Units on Property 114 Special Conditions See address change request in street file for 539 Belmont Ave W. NEED LIST OF UNITS NEED DRAWING SHOWING UNIT LAYOUT & NUMBERING FOR BARB F. Contractor TRICAR DEVELOPMENTS INC Contractor Contact Info 3800 COLONEL TALBOT RD LONDON ON N6P 1H5 phone 519- - phone2 519- - LAND_USE_SUBCATEGORY MULTIPLE AREA 5346.9454355 LEN 343.77929294407 Site Address 539 BELMONT AVE W Permit No 09122898 Work Description PERMIT IS FOR A FOUNDATION ONLY FOR A 11 STOREY 114 UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING WITH 1 BELOW GRADE PARKING LEVEL - NO MECHANICAL, NO ELECTRICAL. SEPARATE PERMIT REQUIRED FOR BALANCE OF CONSTRUCTION. Status Issued Permit Category Residential Building (Multi) Permit Type Apartment Application Date November 25, 2009 Issued By MARTINAS Issue Date April 21, 2010 Final Date Legal Description PLAN 402 PT LOTS 15 & 16 RP 58R2550 PARTS 3 4 5 & 7 Work Proposed Foundation - Only Construction Value 1500000 Residential Units on Property 0 Special Conditions See notes on drawings. All work shall comply with the 2006 Building Code Final Inspection Deposit waived. See address change request in street file for 539 Belmont Ave W. Contractor TRICAR DEVELOPMENTS INC
Post #5950 05-02-2010 07:46 AM garthdanlor Town Member Uglyopolis Joined Mar 2010 336 posts	Thanks, I wasn't sure the address of that empty property (535 is the medical centre). Looks to be a decent sized building for that area. Interested to see what the final drawings look like. The Tricar Developments site doesn't mention a Kitchener building yet.
Post #5980 05-02-2010 07:42 PM Spokes Conurbation Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 5043 posts	There was a project called Five 39 BV that was talked about a couple years ago, I wonder if it's the same thing.
Post #6479 05-08-2010 07:45 PM RangersFan Sports & Recreation Moderator Kitchener Joined Jan 2010 747 posts	From the The Record January 19, 2010 London developer plans 11-story high rise KITCHENER — The Tricar Group of London, Ont., is planning an 11-storey apartment building on Belmont Avenue near Gage Avenue in Kitchener. The company recently purchased the property and has taken out a building permit for the footings, foundations and underground parking for the project, located at 539 Belmont Ave. W. Currently, the site is vacant. Tricar built the high-rise apartment building at Weber and Queen streets in Kitchener.
Post #6480 05-08-2010 08:06 PM Urban_Enthusiast86 Town Member Joined Mar 2010 339 posts	For this one, I'm not expecting a much quality in the urban design department, but at least it's neither uptown nor downtown.
Post #6482 05-08-2010 08:20 PM jay Moderator Bauer Lofts, Waterloo Joined Dec 2009 665 posts	Least it has u/g parking and is close to Belmont Village.
Post #6486 05-09-2010 01:24 AM mpd618 City Member Waterloo, ON Joined Jan 2010 942 posts	Staff are supposed to get around to making Belmont Avenue West a mixed-use corridor sometime towards the end of this year. This section will be included.
Post #6501 05-09-2010 10:11 AM Spokes Conurbation Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 5043 posts	Originally Posted by mpd618 Staff are supposed to get around to making Belmont Avenue West a mixed-use corridor sometime towards the end of this year. This section will be included. Yup, although given how behind they are on the other sections, expect the BV mixed use corridor to happen in about a year from now. Too bad this one won't be mixed use.
Post #7449 05-24-2010 09:28 AM mpd618 City Member Waterloo, ON Joined Jan 2010 942 posts	Originally Posted by Urban_Enthusiast86 For this one, I'm not expecting a much quality in the urban design department, but at least it's neither uptown nor downtown. There's currently a hole on the site quite a ways back from the street. I hope everyone's looking forward to street-fronting parking....
Post #7468 05-24-2010 06:34 PM UrbanWaterloo Moderator Kitchener-Waterloo Joined Dec 2009 3547 posts cc LRT Letters to letters@wonderfulwaterloo.com	May 24, 2010
Post #7478 05-24-2010 08:19 PM Spokes Conurbation Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 5043 posts	Well I hope you're wrong, but I don't think you are unfortunately. If this passed with surface parking along the street, the city is on crack.
Post #7485 05-24-2010 10:51 PM mpd618 City Member Waterloo, ON Joined Jan 2010 942 posts	Originally Posted by Spokes Well I hope you're wrong, but I don't think you are unfortunately. If this passed with surface parking along the street, the city is on crack. With existing zoning, the developer is probably fully within their rights to put surface parking between the street and the building. This is why I hope the city gets on rezoning this corridor pronto.
Post #7486 05-24-2010 10:53 PM Spokes Conurbation Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 5043 posts	Originally Posted by mpd618 With existing zoning, the developer is probably fully within their rights to put surface parking between the street and the building. This is why I hope the city gets on rezoning this corridor pronto. Im right there with ya, but I wouldn't hold my breath. The way they've taken their time with the other ones this one's at least a year away.
Post #8845 06-21-2010 07:22 PM Spokes Conurbation Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 5043 posts	The pieces of crane are on site, expect to see this one go up this week.
Post #10166 07-07-2010 02:01 AM UrbanWaterloo Moderator Kitchener-Waterloo Joined Dec 2009 3547 posts cc LRT Letters to letters@wonderfulwaterloo.com	Building Footprint July 6, 2010
Post #11662 07-27-2010 10:21 PM mpd618 City Member Waterloo, ON Joined Jan 2010 942 posts	The crane's up.
Post #11900 07-30-2010 04:43 PM Spokes Conurbation Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 5043 posts	So it looks like the hole is right up to the front of the property in almost the whole lot. Great news since we thought initially there would be a big front yard/parking lot out front. This may just be for the underground parking though, and the building may still be quite set back.
Post #12121 08-04-2010 07:02 AM UrbanWaterloo Moderator Kitchener-Waterloo Joined Dec 2009 3547 posts cc LRT Letters to letters@wonderfulwaterloo.com	August 2, 2010
Post #20821 05-01-2010 06:41 PM garthdanlor Town Member Uglyopolis Joined Mar 2010 336 posts	Does anyone know what is going in next to the medical centre @ 535 Belmont? Excavation has begun.
Post #20875 12-10-2010 11:44 AM metropolis Town Member Waterloo Joined Jan 2010 135 posts	Based on the early construction pics they excavated the entire site for underground parking. This was promising. Now based on the render they are going to have additional surface parking "lots of parking for guests!" the website says and much of it looks like it is along the sides/front of the structure. The building should be positioned parallel to the street, pressed up against the sidewalk with any absolutely needed parking hidden out back. Even the student apartments along King St. have been able to get that right! As I said already the whole thing looks really Mickey Mouse, inside and out. FYI the image at the top of the page is really stretched and I know it is because their website (Mickey Mouse too by the way ) is doing that to the image but is there any way to fix that?
Post #20877 12-10-2010 01:36 PM IEFBR14 Transportation Moderator H2OWC Joined Mar 2010 1021 posts	Originally Posted by metropolis Now based on the render they are going to have additional surface parking "lots of parking for guests!" Unless the condo corp hires rent-a-cops the outdoor parking will more likely be used by owners who have more than one car but who either didn't have the foresight/money to buy additional underground parking spots or who found that they were all sold out. I suspect that some (many?) buyers pay for additional parking spots in the hope that they can later rent/resell them for a profit. FYI the image at the top of the page is really stretched and I know it is because their website (Mickey Mouse too by the way ) is doing that to the image but is there any way to fix that? One way is, especially for PhotoShop illiterates like me, would be to use another graphic from their site, e.g.
Post #20890 12-10-2010 06:09 PM jay Moderator Bauer Lofts, Waterloo Joined Dec 2009 665 posts	Originally Posted by IEFBR14 Just curious, but does Bauer Lofts have individual HVAC in each unit? Yes each unit has it's own Heat Pump and is individually billed.
Post #20932 12-11-2010 10:27 AM IEFBR14 Transportation Moderator H2OWC Joined Mar 2010 1021 posts	Originally Posted by jay Yes each [Bauer Lofts] unit has it's own Heat Pump and is individually billed. So Belmont Village Condominiums brings [to rip off a phrase] "small town cheap" to Belmont Villages's "small town feel."
Post #20979 12-11-2010 08:08 PM SP!RE Town Member Toronto Joined Apr 2010 146 posts	Ugh. What a blight this architecture-less piece of junk this will be. Sigh.
Post #20984 12-11-2010 09:59 PM Urban_Enthusiast86 Town Member Joined Mar 2010 339 posts	Compared to what I thought it was going to be, I'm actually a little relieved. But only just barely. For an apartment building being built on spec, I figured it would look something like what's gone up/is going up behind the Cambridge Centre. But by condominium standards, it's kind of ugly. The worst part of all is the surface parking lot surrounding it. I was hoping something would be built there which would extend the 'village' southwards.
Post #20987 12-11-2010 10:05 PM mpd618 City Member Waterloo, ON Joined Jan 2010 943 posts	Originally Posted by Urban_Enthusiast86 But by condominium standards, it's kind of ugly. The worst part of all is the surface parking lot surrounding it. I was hoping something would be built there which would extend the 'village' southwards. The Belmont mixed-use corridor can't come too soon....
Post #21032 12-12-2010 02:19 PM Greg Moore Urban Issues Moderator Belmont Villiage Joined Dec 2009 223 posts Twitter - @the_g_spot	Originally Posted by mpd618 The Belmont mixed-use corridor can't come too soon.... I'd like to see Belmont between Union and Glasgow lined like this, up to four stories high if these apartments were visually improved. http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=belmont...079999999,,0,0
Post #21582 12-22-2010 06:21 AM UrbanWaterloo Moderator Kitchener-Waterloo Joined Dec 2009 3549 posts cc LRT Letters to letters@wonderfulwaterloo.com	December 20, 2010
Post #22882 01-16-2011 09:06 AM UrbanWaterloo Moderator Kitchener-Waterloo Joined Dec 2009 3549 posts cc LRT Letters to letters@wonderfulwaterloo.com	January 14, 2011
Post #22884 01-16-2011 09:09 AM Spokes Conurbation Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 5043 posts	Those big windows look good!!
Post #26279 02-19-2011 08:06 AM UrbanWaterloo Moderator Kitchener-Waterloo Joined Dec 2009 3549 posts cc LRT Letters to letters@wonderfulwaterloo.com	3rd Floor - February 15, 2011
Post #26282 02-19-2011 09:37 AM panamaniac Town Member Joined Mar 2010 414 posts	I know that this project has its critics, but the floorplans for the condos show some surprisingly spacious units. That together with what looks like big windows and balconies would seem to promise some pretty decent living space, although it might be too car-oriented for some tastes.
Post #26286 02-19-2011 11:58 AM Spokes Conurbation Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 5043 posts	It looks like the wall is already finished on the outside. Are they doing precast walls with this thing?
Post #26288 02-19-2011 01:04 PM KevinL City Member West-South-West Kitchener Joined May 2010 530 posts My Flickr - My Facebook	Originally Posted by Spokes Are they doing precast walls with this thing? That's definitely my guess; no way were those poured in place.
Post #26310 02-19-2011 07:59 PM BigCityBoy Hamlet Member Joined Jan 2011 10 posts	Originally Posted by KevinL That's definitely my guess; no way were those poured in place. Definitely pre-cast panels and floors on exterior walls and most interiors - i've been watching them put them in. Very fast way to erect the walls and allows for factory-controlled construction of the panels. There are also at least two in-situ re-inforced walls being installed in the core. It'll be interesting to see how they cover gaps in the segments and whether further down the road i wonder if rust stains will be a problem with the wall connections? This development seems a little 1950's style of pre-cast, knock'em up and make'em cheap-style of apartment construction so famous in council estates across Britain at that time. The surrounding properties are not great - Transglobe owns the red towers to the north and there is low rise commerical further south including large parking lots.
Post #26329 02-20-2011 09:10 AM panamaniac Town Member Joined Mar 2010 414 posts	Are there any other buildings of that size in the Region that used precast panels?
Post #26334 02-20-2011 12:13 PM SP!RE Town Member Toronto Joined Apr 2010 146 posts	Precast = ten times better than stucco, IMO.
Post #26345 02-20-2011 03:38 PM BigCityBoy Hamlet Member Joined Jan 2011 10 posts	Originally Posted by panamaniac Are there any other buildings of that size in the Region that used precast panels? Don't know, panamaniac, but i'm sure there are (i know the Westmount Grand is using 2 storey-high interior pre-cast walls for some interior walls).
Post #26347 02-20-2011 03:54 PM benjaminbach Town Member Kitchener Waterloo Joined Oct 2010 270 posts Benjamin Bach, Sales Rep & Director at KW Commercial \| Read my real estate investment blog Not intended to solicit clients or properties under contract.	Here is an interesting article (PDF) on how "How Precast Meets High-Rise Challenges" http://www.clarkpacific.com/download...s_HighRise.pdf (Clark Pacific is a firm that specializes in pre-cast building systems, fyi) “Based on our experience on a wide range of building types, it appears that precast is most appropriate for exterior cladding where there is a desire to conceal interior uses,” Manus says. “When a greater percentage of glass is desired, the economy of precast is diminished. But where there is a desire to create a masonr y-like condition, such as in an historic context, precast is a very logical material.” “Precast panels are often a good choice because of their ability to control costs and provide the richness of texture and pattern that you expect from a residential building. For us, the challenge is always to turn the panel into something that expresses lightness and delicacy.