McMaster Graduate Student Residence | ? | 31 & 10 fl | Complete

[Chiknquesadilla]

Even with the high rents, the students are bound to eat out once in a while or do some shopping nearby. I can’t see how this building wouldn’t benefit the core.

Not to mention the building itself just looks awesome.

[Fruitloops]

Im surprised that there still is a Sept target date for move in. I guess the building will be occupied in phases. I expect a lot of OT for the workers.

Today they were receiving lots of drywall.

[eatboots]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

That being said, I'd agree that the prices seem reflective of the current market and in a few years with rent prices continuing to climb, these will look significantly more affordable.

University towns are always expensive, renting to a student is like a florist doing a wedding but I've read more than one article about how rents are starting to hit a wall where they get increased and the people just move out and no one moves in.

[King&James]

It's a free market, if they set lease rates too high they will not rent, and certainly Knightsbridge will adjust accordingly. That being said, the cost of post secondary education inclusive of accommodation is astronomic relative to student income (hence Bank of Ma and Pa, or hello mountain of student debt)

[Hawrylyshyn]

These are also grad students - they get paid to do their schooling/research so have some more money to spend on housing

Different than undergrad students

[king10]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

To be fair, the article seems to try to pit Kroetsch against Farr but I'm not sure the councillor even mentioned Farr. I think the article is written in a way to make it seem like he did though. He was simply saying the pricing is expensive for students, and he's not sure how much benefit it will bring to the downtown with students paying such high rents compared to their disposable wealth. Kroetsch is an advocate for affordable housing, I would expect him to make a point about the affordability of housing for students and of course it would be great if this could be cheaper for grad students, and I don't think that's a controversial point to make.

That being said, I'd agree that the prices seem reflective of the current market and in a few years with rent prices continuing to climb, these will look significantly more affordable.

This isn't the only place where grad students can live. The ones living here will be the ones with excess cash to spend, perhaps from family money.

[TheHonestMaple]

How does Kroetsch expect a project like this to be financially viable? Does he think money grows on 'green friends'?

[TheRitsman]

They are exempt from DCs. I'd love to see McMaster operate their residences as non-profit, meaning they continue to get cheaper over time, but that really just means one less revenue source from international students.

We should be doing everything possible to ensure we can educate our society if they choose to. Affordability is a key issue of higher education, and I'm not really worried about my councillor being concerned for this affordability whether he can affect it or not. I wish they were cheaper too, but I understand why they're not.

[TheHonestMaple]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

They are exempt from DCs. I'd love to see McMaster operate their residences as non-profit, meaning they continue to get cheaper over time, but that really just means one less revenue source from international students.

We should be doing everything possible to ensure we can educate our society if they choose to. Affordability is a key issue of higher education, and I'm not really worried about my councillor being concerned for this affordability whether he can affect it or not. I wish they were cheaper too, but I understand why they're not.

You should be concerned that your councillor has a complete lack of financial sense though. How could Mac ever justify giving away units for below market rate? It would make amazing projects like this impossible to build.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by King&James

It's a free market, if they set lease rates too high they will not rent, and certainly Knightsbridge will adjust accordingly. That being said, the cost of post secondary education inclusive of accommodation is astronomic relative to student income (hence Bank of Ma and Pa, or hello mountain of student debt)

Housing is not a free market. Much like food or water, the buyer needs the product, so can only shop around so much before they have to give in and pay.

[drpgq]

What's NSERC pay nowadays plus TAing? Back when I was at Mac grad school it was relatively lucrative so potentially those recipients could afford it.

[atnor]

Kroetsch is such a loser it makes me laugh.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by atnor

Kroetsch is such a loser it makes me laugh.

I'm sure everyone here is the epitome of cool.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by atnor

Kroetsch is such a loser it makes me laugh.

Who genuinely talks about other adults like this? I’m no fan of a lot of Kroetch’s politics, but that doesn’t mean he’s a loser. Treat people with respect.

[TheHonestMaple]

Kroetsch treats his enemies with absolute disdain. He basically called a fellow councillor a white supremacist.

[NortheastWind]

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

Kroetsch treats his enemies with absolute disdain. He basically called a fellow councillor a white supremacist.

Two wrongs don't make a right.

[urban_planner]

Originally Posted by NortheastWind

Two wrongs don't make a right.

Ok Dad lol, Just Kidding.

[atnor]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Who genuinely talks about other adults like this? I’m no fan of a lot of Kroetch’s politics, but that doesn’t mean he’s a loser. Treat people with respect.

His Twitter feed says otherwise. Trees and respect.

[TheHonestMaple]

Kroetch’s twitter feed is literally just disparaging remarks about people he doesn't like, while asserting himself as the moral alternative.

[TheRitsman]

Hey pals, I can't believe I'm saying this, but can we stay on topic, take your conspiratorial level of whinging to one of the specifically set out complaining threads.

May I suggest the one where you guys rant about homeless folks like they're vermin to be eradicated? I think that makes sense so the rest of us can discuss the developments and things related.