Kitchener 864 King Street West | 140.5m | 44s | Vive Development | R+L

[Paclo]

864-872 King Street West: a proposed 44-storey rental apartment building designed by Reinders + Law for Vive Development on the northeast corner of King Street West and Pine Street in the KW Hospital area of Kitchener.

Previous 2 tower concept for the site:

 

[interchange42]

So, that's a residential tower on top of a jail?

42

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

...probably a developer with CampusOne'itus. >.<

 

[ZEBuilder]

The two tower concept is still very much in the works, Vive is getting a ZBA on the first tower with plans to bring forward another ZBA for the taller tower in the future.

When Kitchener was updating all of their zoning around MTSAs this past year through the "Growing Together" project property owners whether developers or not had the chance to ask the city to make their properties different zones provided there was adequate context, such as proof of ownership.

With Growing Together the city effectively scraps the mess that was downtown zoning (85-1 and 2019-051 bylaws) and replaces it with 4 zones all with different restrictions. This site was one of the sites that was put forward to the city to be placed into the highest zone (SGA-4). However the concept Vive had at the time included additional properties (2 others) which would effectively allow this to be a 4 tower development with heights ranging from 55-25 floors.

Kitchener in general has a horrible addiction to random precast panels, so it really isn't surprising to see random precast here, the one saving grace is that Vive buildings tend to look half decent (Market Flats, Woodside Terraces, Ophelia just as some examples), but Vive also hasn't ventured deep into the highrise realm yet so it's too early to tell in that regard, in the next year or two we'll be able to tell based on their 1001 King St projects podium, as shoring started this past week.

 

[interchange42]

Well, we've put up a front page story about this thing.

Here are some titles for the story that I considered but ultimately discarded:

"Kitchener Rental Tower to Rise Above Stunning Podium"

“Kitchener Rental Tower to Rise Above Totally Sick Podium” and just claim that it’s meant in the way stupid kids use that word these days, or the reverse, as need be.

“Kitchener Rental Tower to Rise Above Brutal, Not Brutalist Podium”

“Kitchener Developers Aim to Incarcerate Renters”

“Reinders+Law Hands Back Architectural Licences”

“New Gate To Hell Proposed For Kitchener”

“Kitchener Developers, Architects Give Up, Way Up”

“Kitchener Tower Lobby to Include Receptacles for Gouged-out Eyes”

Did I miss a better one? Thoughts?

42

 

[Koops65]

"You too can live in a bunker in Kitchener!"

 

[A Torontonian Now]

Well, we've put up a front page story about this thing.

Here are some titles for the story that I considered but ultimately discarded:

"Kitchener Rental Tower to Rise Above Stunning Podium"

“Kitchener Rental Tower to Rise Above Totally Sick Podium” and just claim that it’s meant in the way stupid kids use that word these days, or the reverse, as need be.

“Kitchener Rental Tower to Rise Above Brutal, Not Brutalist Podium”

“Kitchener Developers Aim to Incarcerate Renters”

“Reinders+Law Hands Back Architectural Licences”

“New Gate To Hell Proposed For Kitchener”

“Kitchener Developers, Architects Give Up, Way Up”

“Kitchener Tower Lobby to Include Receptacles for Gouged-out Eyes”

Did I miss a better one? Thoughts?

42

“Kitchener Developers, Architects Give Up, Way Up”

Best one by far.

 

[ZEBuilder]

This has gotten all of the approvals that it needs from the city in terms of ZBA/OPA/SPA for phase 1 and Vive now has a shoring permit in place which was issued on July 31st. I walked by the site in the middle of August and there was no signs of shoring yet but it should be starting soon based on comments Litt (Vives CEO) has previously made.

The GC on this appears to be a company called Oranj Constructors based on the signs posted on the fencing. This will be their first project, however the people behind Oranj Constructors are not new to the development world as Oranj Constructors is a spin off of Vive.

 

[ZEBuilder]

Shoring has now started on this site, I went by in the rain so the photo quality is not the best.

 

[ZEBuilder]

The crane on this went up December 5th.

The foundation/site servicing permit was issued November 27th, with the balance of construction permit still under review.

This photo is taken from McLennan Park on December 24th. The site is the crane to the left of the photo. The cluster of buildings in the center is 100 Victoria/Garment St/Station Park, then the building to the right is TEK Tower, This building is going to be as tall as TEK Tower once it is complete.

 

[YongeBloor]

End of Year Update