PDA

View Full Version : King Street Makeover| Proposed


Pages : [1] 2

WaterlooInvestor
Nov 13, 2007, 5:59 AM
-

WaterlooInvestor
Dec 12, 2007, 11:15 AM
-

kitchener-lrt
Dec 12, 2007, 11:30 PM
Finally! Downtown Kitchener is coming back!!!

kitchener-lrt
Dec 17, 2007, 2:15 AM
Will this potentially make King Street more like Stephan Ave in Calgary?

WaterlooInvestor
Dec 17, 2007, 8:51 AM
-

WaterlooInvestor
Dec 17, 2007, 11:18 AM
-

Cambridgite
Dec 23, 2007, 4:01 PM
Couldn't believe I read this, written by a Cambridge resident! :)

http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/285636

Let's consider a downtown pedestrian zone

December 21, 2007
Eberhard von Weyhe


Reading between the lines and not referring to any comments in particular, there are people who do not agree with our elected administration on how money is spent to beautify and reinvigorate downtown Kitchener.

In hindsight, which is almost always perfect, decisions have been made and put in practice that did not bear the desired fruit. The plan now is to have wider sidewalks and plant some trees to make downtown more people friendly.

Why not forget wider sidewalks, but get rid of cars? Pedestrian zones or pedestrian streets are very popular in Europe, where almost every city has one. They are clean, they are busy and most likely, the presence of people would eliminate a lot of problems. I'm sure the right kind of business would soon establish to serve the people.

In our society, which depends too much on the automobile, having enough parking is, of course, a must. In my view, King Street with Weber and Charles streets running parallel would lend itself ideally to a traffic-free pedestrian zone.

Eberhard von Weyhe, Cambridge

Snark
Dec 24, 2007, 6:03 PM
..

Cambridgite
Dec 24, 2007, 9:18 PM
You might find it strange, but the businesses on King Street would be the biggest and loudest group against that idea. They get quite upset if even on-street parking on King is meddled with. They want potential customers to be able to drive up and park right in front of their establishment.

Well, it'd be interesting to see what percentage of people spending money downtown do so because they were driving through and something caught their eye. I suspect that when most people go downtown and spend money, they have a destination in mind. In that case, they can park somewhere other than King street and walk a couple of blocks. Really, it's not that hard to do. Cities like Portland and Vancouver didn't get where they are by treating their downtowns as a strip mall.

The other concern would be access by emergency services vehicles, and King Street has certainly had its need for that in the past decade!

Good point. :yes:

WaterlooInvestor
Jan 14, 2008, 10:10 AM
-

kitchener-lrt
Jan 14, 2008, 11:05 PM
Nice to hear things will get moving. Benton to City Hall needs to be done ASAP! I hope that in the future, King will get made over to the Market, as well as Duke getting some improvements. Imagine, streetscape improvements+ RT+ high density development=SUCCESS!

Snark
Jan 16, 2008, 2:58 AM
..

Cambridgite
Jan 16, 2008, 5:01 AM
King Street has been already been completely rebuilt from Benton to Ottawa Street over the past 10 years. The section from Benton to Scott was done just last year.

Yeah, they were really thinking about spending the taxpayers' money efficiently, eh? :rolleyes:

WaterlooInvestor
Jan 16, 2008, 9:43 AM
-

Cambridgite
Jan 16, 2008, 3:48 PM
What's wrong with spending money on Downtown aesthetics? King is our main street and it should look good. Millions were spent on a 1st class City Hall, so is that inefficient spending as well? I would say no.

It's not the fact that they're spending money on downtown aesthetics. It's the fact that they just finished repaving the street and now they're doing it all over again. If they had a little foresight, they would have made the pedestrian improvements while they were doing that or they'd do it the next time the street needed to be repaved. That would save the folks in Kitchener a little more money. Kitchener isn't exactly in a position to spend much in the first place anyway.

WaterlooInvestor
Jan 16, 2008, 4:43 PM
-

Snark
Jan 17, 2008, 1:12 AM
KW Rocks

WaterlooInvestor
Jan 17, 2008, 11:06 AM
-

WaterlooInvestor
Jan 17, 2008, 1:38 PM
-

WaterlooInvestor
Jan 17, 2008, 1:45 PM
-

WaterlooRegioner
Mar 21, 2008, 2:30 AM
Although I am intrigued by a future makeover on this area of King, I don't know that this is the best time for this to happen. With the construction of an LRT line just over the horizon, I feel that this is a somewhat preemptive move. The construction of an LRT line along king, which as of now seems very likely to happen within the next 2-3 years(ground breaking), would just result in the destruction of the 6 million dollars we are about to invest there. If a variable such as the LRT construction did not exist, I would say go ahead but the fact is that it's there. These are the type of things I get frustrated about with our city/region, sometimes we are ahead of many other areas and are very progressive thinkers, and other times we are behind the eight ball and don't take into account or flat out ignore these inevitabilities. It's not as though King Street is falling apart with potholes or dips and curves in the sidewalks that are a nuisance to people, and if they are they are very minor and can be fixed by minor repair. My stance on this is that we should wait until construction of light rail transit is complete(or funding is not attained) and make do with minor repairs and improvements rather than investing 6 million on an overhaul of this size. It's not like it's the end of the world as we know it, heck..this 6 million in improvements might even spark enough growth to make it worthwhile before they are torn up. But I highly doubt it. I might be completely out of it, but as long as we aren't tunneling, diverting around King Street, or using some new floating train that doesn't require tracks we will be doing construction on King when the light rail is implemented. I'm pretty sure the current route has it traveling along the road, so maybe a halfway point of fixing up the sidewalks and planters and leaving the road as is until further information is available. 6 million is a nice chunk of change and I just don't like seeing that kind of money being flushed down the toilet.

DHLawrence
Mar 21, 2008, 3:03 AM
From the look of the proposals, Charles Street is the favoured route of the LRT for much of the downtown Kitchener segment. I doubt work on King will start until the proposals are finalized, though.

kitchener-lrt
Mar 23, 2008, 2:41 PM
There rapid transit line won't travel on King St. through the downtown, so don't worry about the King St. Makeover going to waste.

rapid_business
Mar 24, 2008, 5:57 PM
/\ exactly. :tup:

WaterlooRegioner
Mar 24, 2008, 10:17 PM
This is good news!

Just didn't want to see that money wasted. I do like the look of the project...;)

jcollins
Mar 27, 2008, 10:36 PM
Im excited for this to be completed.

I can invision (hopefully) that with the potential for patios and what not, this could be similar to Sparks St. in Ottawa for those that are familliar with it.

Especially when the streets are closed to vehicles.

rapid_business
Mar 27, 2008, 11:19 PM
or Stephen Ave..... etc..., but yes, for a localized context, Spark Street works. (although, it doesn't work too well from a planning aspect) The ability to have car traffic during winter and evenings when nothing is going on is key for vitality and success.

WaterlooRegioner
Mar 27, 2008, 11:27 PM
I agree with Onishenko if I understand him correctly, King street is not ready for being closed to traffic and I doubt it ever will be. The difference between King Street and Stephen ave, although we would like to believe they are the same, is gravely different(as far as I know). I don't believe Stephen Ave. was the main street in Calgary, where King is. I would like to see a pedestrian only street, but at this point I can't think of a location good for this and I can't ever see it being King. I'm not familiar with Spark street though, could you enlighten me? I do very much think that a pedestrian friendly approach with wider sidewalks and more patios would be perfect for king, but not closed to cars.

rapid_business
Mar 27, 2008, 11:44 PM
During Festivals and such it can work well though. Even summer holidays if something small is going on downtown. Otherwise, leave it open. Calm the traffic, close it from time to time, but never...NEVER completly. We don't have the residential populations living in the area to warrant this..(not even close).

All pedestrian streets are a tired idea in North America as we stole it from Europe in the 70s and 80s in efforts to revitalize our downtowns, and it failed. We didn't see that there needs to be things that draw people there, people need to live there, and there needs to be options in our car-centric, low-density cities in the evenings. It was a novelty for a time, but wore of without solving the true problem of residential and mixed-use in the immediate area.

WaterlooRegioner
Mar 28, 2008, 12:00 AM
I agree completely then. :)

jcollins
Mar 28, 2008, 1:50 AM
I agree with Onishenko if I understand him correctly, King street is not ready for being closed to traffic and I doubt it ever will be. The difference between King Street and Stephen ave, although we would like to believe they are the same, is gravely different(as far as I know). I don't believe Stephen Ave. was the main street in Calgary, where King is. I would like to see a pedestrian only street, but at this point I can't think of a location good for this and I can't ever see it being King. I'm not familiar with Spark street though, could you enlighten me? I do very much think that a pedestrian friendly approach with wider sidewalks and more patios would be perfect for king, but not closed to cars.

Sparks St. is in downtown Ottawa running paralell to the Parlaiment Buildings. Its off limits to cars and is mostly small shops, pubs and restaurants, many of which with patios. During the spring/summer/fall during the lunch hour it is just about impossible to get a seat because of all the government employees. While Kitchener obviously doesn't have that number of people, I think that King st. could become something similar during the warm months, especially with more and more buisnesses wanting to be downtown. Hopefully there's ample room for decent sized patios outside of estabilishments. (does anyone know what the actual width of the new side walk will be?)

For the record, Im not advocating making King st. pedestrian only. Only that with the new construction, it has some ability to be like Sparks St.

Waterlooian4Life
Mar 31, 2008, 10:29 PM
From the look of the proposals, Charles Street is the favoured route of the LRT for much of the downtown Kitchener segment. I doubt work on King will start until the proposals are finalized, though.

Actually King Street is on route option that is being looked at as part of the EA process. If were the Street of Choice the Region would make it a Car free Street much like Spark Street in Ottawa only wiht transit running down the centre.

While I like the Idea I highly doubt that it will end up being the route of Choice. Charles Street is far more likely

kwoldtimer
Apr 1, 2008, 2:24 AM
Actually King Street is on route option that is being looked at as part of the EA process. If were the Street of Choice the Region would make it a Car free Street much like Spark Street in Ottawa only wiht transit running down the centre.

While I like the Idea I highly doubt that it will end up being the route of Choice. Charles Street is far more likely

Charles would seem a far better choice to me than King. LRT would seem to conflict with the planned festival area in front of new City Hall. LRT might also encourage some development off the King Street strip (for a city it's size and for all the fun we had as teenagers cruising up and down it on Saturday nights:D , Kitchener's downtown suffers from being strung out along such a long, narrow corridor). Don't forget that Duke and Charles were configured to get traffic around the centre, back in the days when thought was originally given to making King St pedestrian only (what, you thought that was a new idea - hardly!). If you really wanted to develop pedestrian areas, I would look to Gaukel and segments of Hall's Lane. Why do I find that stimulating in a vaguely Jack the Ripper way?:koko:

jcollins
Apr 3, 2008, 4:16 PM
I know the common trend right now is for lofts/condos to be built. But do you think we'll see any nice rental units being built as opposed to just units for sale.

I think it would most likely draw more people downtown. Those that possibly are just out of one of the two universities, and arn't yet ready to buy.

Or maybe they are trying to move away from this?

rapid_business
Apr 3, 2008, 4:24 PM
It's hard to say. Current trends see building rental units as generally unprofitable. We saw the big boom in apartment building in the 60s and 70s with the handouts and push from the feds, but not so much anymore.

jcollins
Apr 3, 2008, 9:17 PM
That's a shame...I think something like that would be beneficial in terms of getting more people living downtown.

rapid_business
Apr 4, 2008, 4:07 AM
Yeah, I know what you are saying. Generally however, 20-40% of condo building units are bought by investors and such who do rent out units themselves. This means, although development companies are more interested in making a quick buck and selling properties rather then holding on and renting them out, people make up for it through their own initiatives.

jcollins
Apr 4, 2008, 2:57 PM
Oh, I wasn't aware of that. Thats not too bad then.
Hopefully this trend continues when the rest of the lofts/condos are finished

DHLawrence
Apr 7, 2008, 10:07 PM
On CKCO news tonight, they announced that Kitchener city council is going to table a bill to put a hold on the redesign of the King Street area because the costs are skyrocketing.

jcollins
Apr 7, 2008, 10:12 PM
On CKCO news tonight, they announced that Kitchener city council is going to table a bill to put a hold on the redesign of the King Street area because the costs are skyrocketing.

Are the plans still going to be the same, or changed to lower costs?

DHLawrence
Apr 7, 2008, 10:16 PM
They didn't really say; they just said that they're thinking of delaying it because of the costs. No word on what they'll do with it when they get around to it. Some of their proposals included granite curbs, so it's no wonder the price is going up.

Waterlooian4Life
Apr 7, 2008, 11:30 PM
the city of kitchener just got 3 mill from the government to do this i would think that they can scrounge up the extra cash

jcollins
Apr 8, 2008, 3:04 AM
More on this delay....

http://www.kitchener.ca/news/mediadetail.asp?tid=13986

They need more time to "review the design and financial projections" ??

DHLawrence
Apr 8, 2008, 4:03 AM
Translation: they need to cut back the expense so people don't scream at them for spending more money than they said.

KWnGTA
Apr 8, 2008, 2:51 PM
wrong info

DHLawrence
Jun 19, 2008, 8:11 PM
City commits $8.8M to make core more pedestrian-friendly (http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/369989)

June 19, 2008
Terry Pender
RECORD STAFF

KITCHENER

The makeover of the downtown stretch of King Street is back on after another $3 .2 million was added to the project's budget this week.

City councillors increased the budget to about $8.8 million, up from an earlier estimate of $5.7 million.

Tenders will be issued later this year for the work, which includes narrowing King Street, reducing the height of the curb, widening the sidewalks and adding more than 100 trees, decorative lamp posts and street furniture.

When the reconstruction came to city councillors for approval in April, they balked at the higher than expected costs. But a $3.2 million grant from Queen's Park has now been rolled into the budget.

The aim of the project is to transform King between Frederick and Francis into a pedestrian-oriented area that can easily be blocked off to cars for festivals. The estimated cost ranges from $9.7 million to $11.3 million.

Cory Bluhm, the city's urban investment adviser, said the tenders will be designed so that less expensive materials can be used to keep the costs within the maximum budget of $8.8 million.

"One of the items would be the amount of specialized surface treatments, like granite, reducing the amount we would require or looking at similar materials that may be a little more cost effective," Bluhm said.

New planters that allow rainwater to soak into the ground, new transit shelters and new bike racks will be installed. The area in front of City Hall will be better designed for major festivals, with accent lighting, caf?s, very low curbs and new trees.

The project is proceeding with few changes to the original plans, Bluhm said. "There are no major items we are removing, it's more scaling back in smaller detailed areas that would not impact the overall objective."

Construction schedules will not be set until the city consults with businesses along King Street. Whenever possible, the work will be done at times chosen by the business community so it won't suffer.

"We are going in with no pre-conceived notions as to when exactly we would start until we know from them what their desires are," Bluhm said.

"We suspect we would probably start at Speakers' Corner at Frederick Street and work toward City Hall, but until we get firm understanding from the business community we can't guarantee where we will start," Bluhm said.

If construction starts this fall it could be finished in the fall of 2010.

tpender@therecord.com

kitchener-lrt
Jun 19, 2008, 11:55 PM
It's about time!

KWnGTA
Oct 31, 2008, 2:08 AM
Did anybody else get a chance to check out the display of streetlights proposed for the Master Plan tonight?

They set up 6 streetlights on the sidewalk between Centre Block and City Hall to gauge how they would look when installed.

notmyfriends
Nov 4, 2008, 6:30 PM
Are they still there? Anyone get any pictures?

KWnGTA
Nov 5, 2008, 2:57 AM
bah! pictures would have been a great idea!

They aren't up, were there for only a couple hours that night.

jcollins
Dec 17, 2008, 7:34 PM
Steed and Evans wins contract for King Street makeover

December 17, 2008
RECORD STAFF

KITCHENER

Construction is now scheduled to begin in April on a $7.6 million makeover of King Street from Frederick to Francis.

Yesterday the city announced the successful bidder for the high-profile project is Steed and Evans Limited. During the next two years the sidewalks will be widened, the curbs lowered and the street narrowed. Under this pedestrian-first model the street can be easily blocked off for festivals.

More planters to hold shade trees and new light standards will be put in place.

The light standards will feature two 70-watt bulbs throwing lighting both on the sidewalk and the street.

"So we should get a nice, bright downtown," Mark Garner, the executive director of the Kitchener Downtown Business Association, said.

Garner was happy to hear a contractor was selected and the delayed project was scheduled to begin next spring. "It sounds great," he said.

The work will be done in three phases between 2009 and 2011 with most of it scheduled for 2009 and 2010.


Maybe downtown being lit up a bit more will draw more people there, and businesses.

jcollins
Mar 10, 2009, 6:00 PM
Open house to showcase King Street plans

March 10, 2009
Record staff and Canadian Press

KITCHENER

Anyone interested in the city's plans for reconstructing King Street can attend an open house on Thursday, March 19, from 6 p.m. to 8 p. m. in the rotunda at City Hall. The sidewalks will be widened, the curbs dropped and the roadway narrowed along King Street between Frederick and Francis streets. Construction is scheduled to start this spring and finish in 2010. City staff will be on hand to answer questions. Free parking will be available in the underground garage.

notmyfriends
Mar 10, 2009, 6:51 PM
Someone bump this on the 19th or I'll never remember.

Thanks in advance,
nmf.

dunkalunk
Mar 10, 2009, 8:07 PM
Gotta work, take lots of pictures. :D

jcollins
Mar 20, 2009, 4:46 PM
King Street revamp coming

March 13, 2009
Terry Pender
RECORD STAFF

KITCHENER

http://media.therecord.topscms.com/images/cc/7d/519615fd4a4c9ffe3aaa561a9311.jpeg

Work begins next month on a three-block stretch of King Street that will turn the downtown core into a construction zone until the end of August.

The end result will be a pedestrian-oriented streetscape with wide sidewalks, a narrower roadway, cafés, benches, decorative lighting, tree planters and a city centre that can be easily blocked off to vehicles and turned over to people for events and festivals.

Construction will be staged in an effort to reduce the impact it will have on the businesses along that stretch of King Street, said Eric Saunderson, the project manager.

"We are continuing to work with the contractor to fine-tune and look at ways to accelerate and to get the work done as fast as reasonably possible," Saunderson said.

But Mark Pettigrew, owner of Casablanca Books at 146 King St. W., wishes the city would pause the construction work during the months of June, July and August.

"That's our high season," Pettigrew said. "This is going to affect our sales quite a bit."

Thousands of people attend the Kitchener Blues Festival in August and Pettigrew sells more books during the festival than at any other time of the year.

"We have stated our objections but it feels as though they are just not listening," Pettigrew said.

The city has scheduled the most disruptive work--the replacement of the roadway--for late August or early September.

It's another story, though, for the sidewalks. The spaces between the curbs and the building fronts -- sidewalks, planters, light standards -- will be done first on one side of the street and then the other. Then the street will be done.

"We keep the roadway in place as long as reasonably possible to keep the dust down," Saunderson said.

The project will cost $8.8 million, including a $3.2 million from the provincial government. "We are removing the curb so it will be a low-profile curb so it will appear to be one level surface for the most part," Saunderson said.

The redesign allows for flexible parking -- more spots in the winter, but fewer in the summer when the sidewalks have more people.

"It's an exciting design, to say the least, and it will be quite a noticeable change," Saunderson said. "It's long overdue."

A project open house is to be held at city hall on March 19, from 6 to 8 p.m.

tpender@therecord.com

jcollins
Mar 20, 2009, 4:47 PM
King Street makeover will begin next month

March 20, 2009
RECORD STAFF

KITCHENER

Out with the concrete and in with the elms, oaks and maples.

This April will usher in a season-long construction project on King Street, part of a $7.6-million makeover turning the downtown into a greener, more pedestrian-friendly place.

By next year, you might not recognize it -- picture over a 100 new trees of six different species, grasses to filter storm water, and wider, "flexible" sidewalks that can be altered for patios and parking spaces.

"When we're done, there won't be anything like it in the region or the province," boasts Eric Saunderson, the city's project manager.

Workers will begin tearing up the old sidewalk April 6 on the south side of King Street, starting at Gaukel Street and moving west toward Benton Street. At Benton, the work will switch to the north side of the street, and construction will work its way back to City Hall, finishing up in September.

Work further east on King Street, up to Francis Street, is to be done in 2010.

Most people at a public information session last night seemed to like the city's plans.

"Downtown needs a major facelift," said Bob Clements, who lives in the city's west end.

"We don't shop downtown nearly as much as we used to 20 years ago . . . They need to give people a reason to come back."

jcollins
Mar 20, 2009, 4:49 PM
Did anyone go to the presentation last night? I wasn't able to make it.

I've got to say, Im excited that this is finally starting and moving forward.

Should we though start to take bets on the actual completion dates? And how close those dates in the image are followed? :haha:

notmyfriends
Mar 20, 2009, 5:42 PM
Someone bump this on the 19th or I'll never remember.

Thanks in advance,
nmf.

:(

dunkalunk
Mar 20, 2009, 11:52 PM
Are there photos, or are the boards up yet?

Cambridgite
Apr 11, 2009, 6:43 AM
They've already put fences up and started digging up the road. I have a feeling that this will be bad for business in the affected areas. I noticed that the pedestrian traffic downtown was very light today. However, Victoria Park was abuzz.

rapid_business
Apr 11, 2009, 6:49 AM
/\ most commercial in most cities was quite today as it was good friday.

jcollins
May 4, 2009, 5:08 PM
Speakers Corner gets makeover

May 04, 2009
Terry Pender
RECORD STAFF

KITCHENER

The corner of King and Benton streets will be transformed in the coming months into an open, inviting public space as part of the city's $7.6 million makeover of the core's main street.

"It's definitely a big change from what we've had in the past," Cory Bluhm, an urban planner working in the city's economic development department, said.

Speakers Corner at Benton and King streets has already been cleared of trees, benches and gardens.

In the coming months new benches, trees, gardens, decorative lighting and granite clad walls will be constructed. The new plaza will feature a sculpture by local artist Allan Mackay.

"By September everything should be put back in order," Bluhm said.

The old corner was small and only a small number of people could sit on the benches there.

"Our hope is by opening it up it is a lot more inviting to a lot more people," Bluhm said.

"By moving toward more of a wide open, hard surface hopefully that allows groups like Oktoberfest to use it for a lot more public events and special events," Bluhm

The work at Speakers' Corner is expected to cost about $450,000.

While work is underway at Speakers' Corner, construction started near King and Gaukel streets.

During the coming months workers will proceed along King Street's south side heading toward Speakers' Corner.

Once there, construction switches to the north side of the street and heads back toward Gaukel.

Wider sidewalks, more planters holding about 100 new trees and decorative lighting will be added.

The whole idea is to make that stretch of King Street pedestrian friendly--an area that can easily be closed to vehicles during festivals.

tpender@therecord.com

gghtransit
May 4, 2009, 6:50 PM
I was having lunch at the Mr. Sub on King Street recently, and talked with one of the employee's there. He says the construction on King is causing a major loss of business (he didn't define what 'major' was though). Admitedly, one does notice there is a significant drop in pedestrian and almost non-existant vehicle traffic in the core now between Water and Benton/Frederick.

Here's hoping the project doesn't negatively affect businesses too much over the next year, since construction isn't expected to wrap up until September 2010 (only the CURRENT phase will be done by this september).

waterloowarrior
Aug 11, 2009, 1:38 AM
photos by urbandreamer http://www.urbantoronto.ca/showthread.php?p=301178#post301178

Photos taken at night, but wow, am I ever impressed! Best I've seen since Portland Oregon! (Or Montreal.)

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/6559/dsc07306d.jpg

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7527/dsc07307.jpg

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/9364/dsc07308d.jpg

(Taken 6 August 2009)

metropolis
Aug 11, 2009, 1:57 AM
Love the light posts, the dominant sidewalks, the bollards (do they light up?), how the trees will actually get to survive and thrive in those planters and how they didn't just use saplings so those trees actually get to make it more than a week. Thanks for posting waterloowarrior.

WatDot
Aug 11, 2009, 3:33 AM
It's starting to look good. Step in the right direction. :tup:

Duke-Of-Waterloo
Aug 11, 2009, 4:51 AM
how the trees will actually get to survive and thrive in those planters and how they didn't just use saplings so those trees actually get to make it more than a week.

A tree is NOT a lollipop!!

(I know some of you on here will get this! ;))

waterloowarrior
Aug 11, 2009, 11:59 AM
^ hehe ;)

Cambridgite
Aug 11, 2009, 3:39 PM
I'm quite impressed with the changes. I've always said that downtown Kitchener needed much better lighting at night. Looks like they got it! Hopefully these trees also grow to create an atmosphere similar to uptown Waterloo.

I was having lunch at the Mr. Sub on King Street recently, and talked with one of the employee's there. He says the construction on King is causing a major loss of business (he didn't define what 'major' was though). Admitedly, one does notice there is a significant drop in pedestrian and almost non-existant vehicle traffic in the core now between Water and Benton/Frederick.

Here's hoping the project doesn't negatively affect businesses too much over the next year, since construction isn't expected to wrap up until September 2010 (only the CURRENT phase will be done by this september).

I was worried about the same thing. Maybe they should have broken it up into smaller phases? I wonder if these businesses are going to get any compensation for their city-induced losses.

A tree is NOT a lollipop!!

(I know some of you on here will get this! ;))

:haha:

jcollins
Aug 11, 2009, 4:10 PM
Love the light posts, the dominant sidewalks, the bollards (do they light up?), how the trees will actually get to survive and thrive in those planters and how they didn't just use saplings so those trees actually get to make it more than a week. Thanks for posting waterloowarrior.

It doesn't look like they do. Looking at the drawings (http://www.downtownkitchener.ca/sites/cityofkitchener/files/2009-04-22_3_Young-Ontario.pdf) it looks like the ones labeled B3 ("bollard sleeve at parking") and B1 ("removable bollard with sleeve and cap") don't light up. I'm not totally sure what the difference is between B1 and B3

Looks like there's some light up bollards (B2) in front of city hall spaced every other bollard

smably
Aug 11, 2009, 7:40 PM
I was worried about the same thing. Maybe they should have broken it up into smaller phases? I wonder if these businesses are going to get any compensation for their city-induced losses.
I'm not sure it would make sense to do less than a block at a time. The phases are already a reasonable size, I think.

And yes, it sucks for the businesses right now, but the long-term benefits will likely more than outweigh the loss of business during construction.

I agree that the work looks awesome, and I can't wait for phase 2 down to Francis. I'll try to post some before and after photos after phase 1 finishes.

Tony
Aug 11, 2009, 7:42 PM
A tree is NOT a lollipop!!

(I know some of you on here will get this! ;))

oh gawd... who is that, I forget... Seasons? Hammond?

jcollins
Aug 12, 2009, 6:00 PM
I saw some of the new bike racks installed today. Looking good. They're kind of a wavy M shape. Didn't take any pictures though, sorry guys.

Duke-Of-Waterloo
Aug 12, 2009, 9:17 PM
oh gawd... who is that, I forget... Seasons? Hammond?

Suffling! :cool:

jcollins
Aug 13, 2009, 2:01 PM
King Street facelift in the home stretch

August 12, 2009
By Brent Davis, Record staff

KITCHENER — It’s been a difficult summer for downtown businesses, as work continues on one of the most dramatic facelifts in King Street’s history.

The finished product is getting positive reviews in the blocks where work is nearly done. But there’s still about seven weeks to go before the shovels fall silent for the year.

Throughout this first phase of the reconstruction project — which has seen the street narrowed and sidewalks widened to create a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere — maintaining access to businesses has been a priority.

However, with entire chunks of King Street closed to traffic for weeks at a time since the spring, and with another stretch near City Hall temporarily relegated to one-way flow, it’s been tough on many storekeepers.

“We all felt the pinch of slow sales for the two months of construction,” said Dawn Tran, co-owner of the Matter of Taste coffee shop. “Now that it’s open, things are starting to pick up.”

Tran said the pain was worth enduring, when she looks at the new streetscape’s planters, modern lights and sidewalks.

“Hopefully with this new streetscape, in most people’s eyes the downtown doesn’t seem to be as much of a scary place as it used to be.”

At Petsche’s Shoes, signs advertise a blowout sale as the store tries to move unsold inventory and regain some badly-need cash flow.

“The end result looks like it’s going to be beautiful,” manager Anita Petsche Good said. “But we personally have felt that the staging and delays in some of the construction work have definitely been difficult for us.

“We’re looking for a full return of vitality down here.”

Work on the first three-block phase is two weeks behind schedule, thanks in part to rainy days and unforeseen complications, project manager Eric Saunderson said. Completion of the first phase is now expected by the end of September.

The city is pleased with the contractor’s progress, especially in recent weeks. Saunderson said the $8.8 million project remains on budget.

By the end of September, crews should add a base coat of asphalt that will allow for parking on the new brick boulevards when road posts are removed.

A surface layer of asphalt and decorative crosswalks will be added later, likely next year. Next spring, work begins on three blocks on the other side of City Hall.

Although specifics on a parking and patio plan still have to be worked out, Saunderson said the new King Street will offer up to twelve additional parking spots when work is complete on the entire six-block stretch.

Wider boulevards and movable road posts were designed to allow for a flexible parking configuration.

Originally, the plan this year was to complete one side of King Street at a time. But with input from the Downtown Kitchener business association, the decision was made to complete an entire block at a time.

“There was a lot of interest from the local business community to take this block approach … so they wouldn’t be inconvenienced twice,” Saunderson said.

Restaurateur Peter Martin is critical of what he calls “project mismanagement” in altering the format after work was underway, and not doing a good job communicating the change.

He’s concerned about scheduling that allowed the King Street work to proceed in conjunction with road work on Lancaster and Queen streets, and about the loss of parking spaces at Charles and Benton streets as a parking garage is built.

“There’s a multitude of issues that different levels of government have to deal with, and they’re not all on the same page,” Martin said, inside his 20 King Restaurant.

But he acknowledged the street needs an overhaul, saying the cobblestone sidewalks went in shortly after he opened about two decades ago.

“We’re hearing businesses are down 50 to 70 per cent,” Martin said. “We’re trying to be optimistic about the long-term outcome.”

He said it will be key for the city to attract events to the core that draw crowds and make the most of the new layout.

Just down King, as backhoes tear up the street in front of her clothing store, Erin Young remains upbeat.

“I think it’s going to be great when it’s done,” said Young, co-owner of Inception. “Being in the third block, we’re able to see how the first block is looking.”

This is the business’s first brush with construction, but Young said she’s pleased with how crews have maintained access to the store.

“I think we expected it to be what it is,” she said. “We weren’t expecting it to be pretty.”

Saunderson said lessons learned during the first phase of the reconstruction will serve them well next year.

“It’s a very complicated project,” he said. “We understand there are a lot of business needs. We try to go above and beyond to do our best.”

bdavis@therecord.com


So people will be able to park ON the sidewalks when the bollards are removed?
Here's hoping they don't remove them much

DHLawrence
Aug 13, 2009, 2:05 PM
That stood out to me as well. I didn't think that was part of the deal!

jcollins
Aug 13, 2009, 3:43 PM
Me neither. I can't imagine that the bollards would be removed very often to accommodate parking. There's plenty of other parking options currently. I'd hate to see all this work done to widen the sidewalks only to have cars being parked on them.

rapid_business
Aug 13, 2009, 3:45 PM
perhaps just delivery and temporary means?

jcollins
Aug 13, 2009, 4:56 PM
perhaps just delivery and temporary means?

I could see delivery purposes, but what would they need temporary parking for?

Seems like it'd be a hassle removing a few of those bollards for a delivery, especially if the stores have access from the rear (halls lane on the one side of king st.)

taylortbb
Aug 13, 2009, 6:05 PM
I think I read somewhere it was supposed to be seasonal. In the summer cafes will need the space, but in the winter people don't want to walk so far.

smably
Aug 13, 2009, 7:17 PM
I think the bollard approach is great. It's a step toward eliminating on-street parking without all the politics of eliminating it outright. Once businesses see that people still visit without all the parking, they will be more open to the idea of permanently removing it.

Even when the sidewalk is being used for parking, the surfacing says "this is pedestrian space" -- very different from the old design with asphalt and curbs, which was hostile to everyone except motorists. I think it's important to consider the psychology of changes like this, how it affects people's perception of space on the street. The new sidewalks say "this is a street for pedestrians", without taking away its role as a route for vehicles.

jcollins
Aug 13, 2009, 8:26 PM
Its kind of like implying there still is on street parking - so that people don't get upset - but in reality there isn't, or is very little.

Makes everyone happy. Hopefully.

kitchener-lrt
Aug 14, 2009, 4:38 AM
I like what I'm seeing so far. Mod's, I think the thread title should now be: U/C.

jcollins
Aug 20, 2009, 11:36 PM
So I like the new lights that are being installed. Are there plans to do this style lights elsewhere downtown? Driving from King onto Gaukel made me realize there is still a lot of the old "globe" style lamps around downtown. I wonder if we'll see the new style lights on streets like Weber, Charles, Queen, Ontario, etc.

timc
Aug 21, 2009, 1:28 PM
I haven't been downtown to see them yet, but don't those lights on the tops of the posts put out a lot of useless light (i.e. light pollution)?

rapid_business
Aug 21, 2009, 2:35 PM
Not much. It's atmospheric as opposed to directional.

jcollins
Aug 21, 2009, 10:59 PM
I haven't been downtown to see them yet, but don't those lights on the tops of the posts put out a lot of useless light (i.e. light pollution)?

Personally they remind me of the needle atop the CN tower when it's lit up

jcollins
Aug 21, 2009, 11:01 PM
RE: On street parking/bollards

Looks like they'll just take sections of bollards out at a time to allow parking:

From http://www.downtownkitchener.ca/news/kingstreet/updates/ :


The bollards will be moved to accommodate on street parking from Gaukel to Ontario. There will be three locations along King Street where on street parking will occur - Centre Block, Petsche Shoes and Double-Double Pizza.

jcollins
Sep 5, 2009, 5:44 PM
Feds put $1.2 million into King Street upgrades

September 05, 2009

http://media.therecord.topscms.com/images/69/4b/1d4f04be4fd6b197bd9a5b2d6530.jpeg

http://media.therecord.topscms.com/images/2e/31/cce94da645d0ae9f7ac9b09dd717.jpeg

KITCHENER — The federal government will spend $1.2 million to help make downtown Kitchener more friendly for pedestrians. The cash, announced Friday by Kitchener Centre MP Stephen Woodworth, will add lighting, trees, benches, bicycle racks, new Christmas decorations and new Civic Square furnishings to the streetscape upgrades that are already underway on King Street. Kitchener council is widening sidewalks and reconstructing six blocks in the downtown in a bid to make the area more attractive and attract businesses and visitors. The project is among 90 getting federal funding as part of a $102-million injection of taxpayer cash meant to stimulate the southern Ontario economy.

Leaffan
Oct 1, 2009, 1:17 PM
King Street reopens today in downtown Kitchener

KITCHENER — King Street in downtown Kitchener reopens to traffic Wednesday at 3 p.m. Parts of the street have been closed since April for sidewalk and road reconstruction. Crews will still be on site installing plantings and other features, but traffic flow will not be disrupted. Another section of King Street will close next year, to continue the reconstruction. The project is adding wider sidewalks, flexible parking, better lighting, and healthier trees and plantings.

DHLawrence
Oct 7, 2009, 3:10 AM
Anyone know if they're planning to put another layer of tarmac on King before it's too cold? Right now everything's raised--manholes, storm drains, curbs, the lot.

Are they planning to do it all at once next year when the other section's done?

EDIT: Never mind, it turns out they are. I feel sorry for the plow crews who will need to dodge those in the winter.

gghtransit
Oct 7, 2009, 6:15 AM
Anyone know if they're planning to put another layer of tarmac on King before it's too cold? Right now everything's raised--manholes, storm drains, curbs, the lot.

Are they planning to do it all at once next year when the other section's done?

EDIT: Never mind, it turns out they are. I feel sorry for the plow crews who will need to dodge those in the winter.

It's become standard practice (locally anyways) to apply the top coat at least a year later on road reconstruction projects, Queen Street is also now dotted in manholes and the gutters sticker up at the edge of the road etc. etc. Westmount road was rebuilt between Ottawa and Block Line a year or two ago and the top coat was applied only this year.

King Street won't get it's final coat until after Phase 2 is complete

timc
Oct 7, 2009, 3:27 PM
It's become standard practice (locally anyways) to apply the top coat at least a year later on road reconstruction projects, Queen Street is also now dotted in manholes and the gutters sticker up at the edge of the road etc. etc. Westmount road was rebuilt between Ottawa and Block Line a year or two ago and the top coat was applied only this year.

King Street won't get it's final coat until after Phase 2 is complete

Don't they add a bit of a lip around the manholes so that the edges aren't quite so abrupt?

smably
Oct 14, 2009, 3:28 AM
Apologies in advance for the image-heavy post.

I took some photos of King Street right before they started the reconstruction work, with the intention of going back and photographing the finished product. I finally got around to doing that this evening. So here are before and after shots at various points along King Street!


Before:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k55/smably/kitchener/1B.jpg
After:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k55/smably/kitchener/1A.jpg


Before:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k55/smably/kitchener/16B.jpg
After:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k55/smably/kitchener/16A.jpg


Before:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k55/smably/kitchener/2B.jpg
After:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k55/smably/kitchener/2A.jpg


Before:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k55/smably/kitchener/4B.jpg
After:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k55/smably/kitchener/4A.jpg


Before:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k55/smably/kitchener/5B.jpg
After:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k55/smably/kitchener/5A.jpg


Looks pretty good, I think. I can't wait for them to do the other side of downtown (Gaukel to Francis).

jcollins
Oct 14, 2009, 11:20 AM
Great Shots!!

I really like what they've done downtown. Not only does it provide more walking space, but it just plain looks better. I can't wait until they put the finishing touches on, like the cladding on the planters and what not.

waterloowarrior
Oct 14, 2009, 1:29 PM
Great pics!

does anyone else notice traffic moving slower with this new streetscape? Not that that's a bad thing in a city centre.

jcollins
Oct 14, 2009, 9:07 PM
Great pics!

does anyone else notice traffic moving slower with this new streetscape? Not that that's a bad thing in a city centre.

I've noticed it for sure!

Maybe people are slowing down to take a look :haha:

Leaffan
Oct 15, 2009, 12:37 AM
I went by today for the first time since the work was done, I think it looks really good.

kitchener-lrt
Oct 15, 2009, 1:25 AM
The pics! The smart car in the last pic looks like it came right out of a rendering haha.

jcollins
Oct 15, 2009, 11:21 AM
Great Shots!!

I really like what they've done downtown. Not only does it provide more walking space, but it just plain looks better. I can't wait until they put the finishing touches on, like the cladding on the planters and what not.

So turns out, due to the cold weather, the granite cladding is being put on hold until next year. I think they're just going to do all of the finishing at once, for phases one and two.