artyboy123
Senior Member
Taken from https://www.therecord.com/news/wate...oposed-near-rockway-gardens-in-kitchener.html
KITCHENER — Councillors want to see commercial space and high-quality design in a proposed highrise development at the “gateway” to Kitchener’s core.
5/17/23, 7:06 PM Kitchener councillors want retail space, high-quality design for ‘gateway’ Weber Street towers
The plan from Vive Development would build an eight-storey podium and two towers — 17 and 27 storeys, including the podium — with 503 one- and two-bedroom rental apartments near Rockway Gardens.
The development would have 291 parking spaces, mainly underground.
Councillors approved the plan at a committee meeting Monday night, voting to include an amendment to the staff recommendation that would require a minimum amount of commercial space on the ground floor of the development.
Pending some additional information from staff and the developer, final approval for the required official plan and zoning bylaw amendments would be granted at an upcoming council meeting.
“There’s an opportunity here to increase housing supply with purpose-built rentals in an intensification corridor, and to introduce a new compatible building form in the neighbourhood with high-quality urban design at the gateway to the city’s downtown,” said senior city planner Craig Dumart.
The buildings would be on an L-shaped property at 815 and 825 Weber St. E. and 1770 King St. E., with frontage onto Montgomery Road as well.
The towers would be along Weber Street, with a driveway and outdoor amenity area fronting onto King.
They would replace three existing commercial buildings with several businesses. Another plaza at the corner of King and Montgomery is not affected by this proposal.
The surrounding neighbourhood includes that corner plaza and other businesses, Eastwood Collegiate Institute, low-rise homes on Floral Crescent across King Street, and the Highway 8 interchange. Two more Vive highrises are planned a bit further up King Street at the former Schwaben Club site.
Vive’s 815/825 Weber St. project proposes 11 ground-floor units built as apartments but with higher ceilings so they could be converted to retail or other commercial uses in the future.
Some councillors, concerned with the displacement of existing businesses and the potential loss of those amenities in an intensifying area, wanted Vive to commit to including commercial space from the outset.
“My concern is that we’re putting in another 500 people in that area, we’ve got a high school, and we’re taking a big chunk of commercial real estate out of that,” said Coun. Christine Michaud.
Vive’s Stephen Litt said another Vive project under construction at Margaret Avenue and Victoria Street is designed with similar residential ground-floor units that are flexible and could be converted later.
“The idea here was similar flexibility, but we’re good committing to retail.”
The Weber Street development won’t include affordable units but is intended for midmarket rentals, Litt said.
While he said he could look at including some three-bedroom units, “the deep need is definitely one and two bedrooms, transit-oriented, core areas.”
Staff recommended a holding provision requiring updated design documents to ensure “a high quality of urban design that contributes positively to the public realm and streetscapes with adequate on-site amenity.”
Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said he’d like to see how the development’s King Street amenity space could be integrated with nearby Rockway Gardens and the King Street boulevard.
“This is kind of a statement entry point into the city.”
KITCHENER — Councillors want to see commercial space and high-quality design in a proposed highrise development at the “gateway” to Kitchener’s core.
5/17/23, 7:06 PM Kitchener councillors want retail space, high-quality design for ‘gateway’ Weber Street towers
The plan from Vive Development would build an eight-storey podium and two towers — 17 and 27 storeys, including the podium — with 503 one- and two-bedroom rental apartments near Rockway Gardens.
The development would have 291 parking spaces, mainly underground.
Councillors approved the plan at a committee meeting Monday night, voting to include an amendment to the staff recommendation that would require a minimum amount of commercial space on the ground floor of the development.
Pending some additional information from staff and the developer, final approval for the required official plan and zoning bylaw amendments would be granted at an upcoming council meeting.
“There’s an opportunity here to increase housing supply with purpose-built rentals in an intensification corridor, and to introduce a new compatible building form in the neighbourhood with high-quality urban design at the gateway to the city’s downtown,” said senior city planner Craig Dumart.
The buildings would be on an L-shaped property at 815 and 825 Weber St. E. and 1770 King St. E., with frontage onto Montgomery Road as well.
The towers would be along Weber Street, with a driveway and outdoor amenity area fronting onto King.
They would replace three existing commercial buildings with several businesses. Another plaza at the corner of King and Montgomery is not affected by this proposal.
The surrounding neighbourhood includes that corner plaza and other businesses, Eastwood Collegiate Institute, low-rise homes on Floral Crescent across King Street, and the Highway 8 interchange. Two more Vive highrises are planned a bit further up King Street at the former Schwaben Club site.
Vive’s 815/825 Weber St. project proposes 11 ground-floor units built as apartments but with higher ceilings so they could be converted to retail or other commercial uses in the future.
Some councillors, concerned with the displacement of existing businesses and the potential loss of those amenities in an intensifying area, wanted Vive to commit to including commercial space from the outset.
“My concern is that we’re putting in another 500 people in that area, we’ve got a high school, and we’re taking a big chunk of commercial real estate out of that,” said Coun. Christine Michaud.
Vive’s Stephen Litt said another Vive project under construction at Margaret Avenue and Victoria Street is designed with similar residential ground-floor units that are flexible and could be converted later.
“The idea here was similar flexibility, but we’re good committing to retail.”
The Weber Street development won’t include affordable units but is intended for midmarket rentals, Litt said.
While he said he could look at including some three-bedroom units, “the deep need is definitely one and two bedrooms, transit-oriented, core areas.”
Staff recommended a holding provision requiring updated design documents to ensure “a high quality of urban design that contributes positively to the public realm and streetscapes with adequate on-site amenity.”
Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said he’d like to see how the development’s King Street amenity space could be integrated with nearby Rockway Gardens and the King Street boulevard.
“This is kind of a statement entry point into the city.”
