KIWI Condos on King William | ? | 14 fl | Complete

[lachlanholmes]

Moving closer to construction, a few variances will be headed to the CoA on the 15th.

August 15th Committee of Adjustment Agenda (see page 61 onward)

Also we can add the height in meters to the title - if you measure by top of the residential roof it's 43.87 meters tall, or if you measure to the top of the mechanical penthouse it's 48.87 meters tall.





As well, their site has been updated with lots of renderings.

The source of all images below is linked here.







Rooftop Terrace




Social Room


Quite an austere looking Lobby

[Pipedreams]

We might be a few years out from seeing this come to fruitition, we toured the sales departments the other week and they told us they were about ~4 years out from move in day. Looks like a nice unit they had modeled at some cool things about the building. Like many Toronto designed things in Hamilton I can see them running into issue with parking. I strongly disagree with government enforced parking minimums, but I can see buildings like this one running into sales issues without a parking spot. Only the more expensive units are guaranteed a parking spot, any of the <400,000$ units would likely not have one.

[bigguy1231]

Originally Posted by Pipedreams

We might be a few years out from seeing this come to fruitition, we toured the sales departments the other week and they told us they were about ~4 years out from move in day. Looks like a nice unit they had modeled at some cool things about the building. Like many Toronto designed things in Hamilton I can see them running into issue with parking. I strongly disagree with government enforced parking minimums, but I can see buildings like this one running into sales issues without a parking spot. Only the more expensive units are guaranteed a parking spot, any of the <400,000$ units would likely not have one.

The reason the government mandates parking spaces is so that the taxpayer doesn't have to be on the hook for providing parking in the future. It helps keep cars off neighbourhood streets.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

The reason the government mandates parking spaces is so that the taxpayer doesn't have to be on the hook for providing parking in the future. It helps keep cars off neighbourhood streets.

While I do think there needs to be parking minimums, for this exact reason, there wouldn't be such a reliance on vehicles if we stepped up our transit and cycling Infrastructure.

I also am not a fan of tieing the spaces to higher cost condos, because sometimes someone in a smaller unit may require a car for work.

[yomsen]

Originally Posted by Pipedreams

We might be a few years out from seeing this come to fruitition, we toured the sales departments the other week and they told us they were about ~4 years out from move in day.

4 years is that a normal amount of time for construction? Why so long?

[bigguy1231]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

While I do think there needs to be parking minimums, for this exact reason, there wouldn't be such a reliance on vehicles if we stepped up our transit and cycling Infrastructure.

I also am not a fan of tieing the spaces to higher cost condos, because sometimes someone in a smaller unit may require a car for work.

Even in Toronto less than 20% of the population uses public transit, the idea that any more than that will ever use public transit especially in this city is a fantasy. Less will use cycling. I respect that you would like to see more people using alternative methods of transportation, but in reality people like their cars and that isn't going to change anytime soon.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

Even in Toronto less than 20% of the population uses public transit, the idea that any more than that will ever use public transit especially in this city is a fantasy. Less will use cycling. I respect that you would like to see more people using alternative methods of transportation, but in reality people like their cars and that isn't going to change anytime soon.

While that is not a correct number: https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/as-sa/98-200-x/2016029/98-200-x2016029-eng.cfm

Even if it were, that's why designing around transit and cycling is important. And a part of that is limiting vehicle options. There will always be a need for parking, but have extremely high minimums does not encourage other modes at all. Cycling and transit usage has been up over the 1996-2016 period. Especially in downtowns people are choosing other options. This development has a walk and transit score that blows other areas of the city out of the water.

We need to stop designing around only the car if we want any uptick in transit and cycling. Robust infrastructure will do a heck of a lot more than advertising or suggesting people do it.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

Even in Toronto less than 20% of the population uses public transit, the idea that any more than that will ever use public transit especially in this city is a fantasy. Less will use cycling. I respect that you would like to see more people using alternative methods of transportation, but in reality people like their cars and that isn't going to change anytime soon.

That’s city wide and the modal share is actually closer to 30% for “non automobile” commutes. The downtown area sees commutes in non vehicular forms exceed 80%. Many buildings downtown today sell with 0 parking, and the current standard is one space for every 5-10 units.

I live downtown in a rental building and while I have a parking space, i’d say only about 20% of units take one. And our building has unusually cheap parking rentals.

[bigguy1231]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

While that is not a correct number: https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/as-sa/98-200-x/2016029/98-200-x2016029-eng.cfm

Even if it were, that's why designing around transit and cycling is important. And a part of that is limiting vehicle options. There will always be a need for parking, but have extremely high minimums does not encourage other modes at all. Cycling and transit usage has been up over the 1996-2016 period. Especially in downtowns people are choosing other options. This development has a walk and transit score that blows other areas of the city out of the water.

We need to stop designing around only the car if we want any uptick in transit and cycling. Robust infrastructure will do a heck of a lot more than advertising or suggesting people do it.

That statscan link shows 24% of people in the Toronto CMA use public transit and only 9.8% in Hamilton. So I was off a couple of points for Toronto, but then again I thought Hamilton was actually higher than it is. It really doesn't change the fact that the public transit numbers are quite low.

[Chronamut]

For those pushing cycling - you ever tried to cycle in our winters? Some things are simply unrealistic in our climate. Those that push for these things are usually never the ones who actually do them. Busing is an option but can take forever to get anywhere - I honestly use taxis more than busing nowadays simply because a 13 min cab ride can save me hours on a bus, waiting at bus stops, having full buses drive right by you and having to wait for the next one.. transferring etc. Our city is still very much a "car" city unfortunately.

The best solution is simply to live right near where you work, or better, right over it. We'll see if that becomes a good option in our era - it worked in the past. I personally live across the street from my work.

But back on topic - I love the design, esp. the wrap around balconies - that feels unique

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by Chronamut

For those pushing cycling - you ever tried to cycle in our winters? Some things are simply unrealistic in our climate. Those that push for these things are usually never the ones who actually do them. Busing is an option but can take forever to get anywhere - I honestly use taxis more than busing nowadays simply because a 13 min cab ride can save me hours on a bus, waiting at bus stops, having full buses drive right by you and having to wait for the next one.. transferring etc. Our city is still very much a "car" city unfortunately.

The best solution is simply to live right near where you work, or better, right over it. We'll see if that becomes a good option in our era - it worked in the past. I personally live across the street from my work.

But back on topic - I love the design, esp. the wrap around balconies - that feels unique

I bicycle in the winter, and the winter bicycling numbers are actually decently high. The majority of the year is quite bikable, it's only a few really bad snowy days that are really difficult to bicycle. Most people don't choose to cycle and as a result have no idea how to comfortably do it in winter. The main thing is if more cycling infrastructure exists more people will bicycle more of the year. I'm already super surprised how many people cycle as their main transport in Hamilton, and this development is pushing for more of an ubran millennial vibe.

[King&James]

63% sold so far according to Urbanicity.... Wonder what number they need to get to before we see shovels in ground.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2miBHcHBfN/?igshid=m13vw24pkgry

[BaconPoutine]

I believe that developers need to sell 80% of condo units before the bank will provide the construction loan.

[King&James]

So 266 units, puts them at 167sold , with another 45 or so to get them to 80%. Maybe a 2020 start then.

[Jon Dalton]

Originally Posted by Chronamut

For those pushing cycling - you ever tried to cycle in our winters?

Yep, I've been doing it for 20 years.

[Innsertnamehere]

Been cycling to work / school in winter for about 5 years now. There are about 2 months a year when my cycling rates drop to 1-2 times a week.. but for 10 months a year it’s an easy and quick ride to work, with the remaining 2 months being a bit more weather dependant but far from write-offs. I’m fairly weather reliant for my cycling too, lots of co-workers bike every day all winter long.

[johnnyhamont]

Saw a few utility vehicles on site today. Website says "The Sales Office is temporarily closed as we begin construction." Anyone have further details about timelines? Last anyone shared here, we were looking at occupancy 4 years out from Summer 2019 but if substantial construction is starting in the coming weeks or months then it should be sooner than that.

[lachlanholmes]

Looks like they're going to be demolishing the sales office soon and hopefully starting construction. Pics of the site and of the new sales office on King:

[Crapht]

I went by this lot this morning. The old building is gone. Equipment working on site.

[Innsertnamehere]

Great news, another crane downtown is incoming. And a new developer actually getting through to construction. We now have Liuna, Vrancor, and Rosehaven building downtown.

By my count, we could have 8 cranes in the downtown by year end. Exciting times!