what's big and empty and waiting to be used?

[jammer139]

Former Brick store on Wharncliffe Rd S near Southdale is still empty. There's actually alot of empty lands around there that could be developed in the future.

[MolsonExport]

Complete failure of a big box barf development. Pond Mills Area: https://www.google.com/maps/@42.9633214,...itch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

build it, and they won't come.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by jammer139

Former Brick store on Wharncliffe Rd S near Southdale is still empty. There's actually alot of empty lands around there that could be developed in the future.

I think you might be thinking of something else. The former Brick is where Curry's and Canadian Blood Services are. Not sure if the VR place is still in business, but it was only a portion of the old Brick.

[jammer139]

Bell to soon leave their Dundas Street office building leaving more space for Farhi to find tenants for. The work from home trends that were growing before the pandemic have only accelerated since. The idea that office workers would be flocking back to downtown office space after the pandemic is likely not going to happen since so many organizations have learned how to manage remote workers.



https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/bell...wn-building-that-long-bore-companys-name

[ssiguy]

What they have done in several cities with larger office developments is to have them converted into housing with a mix of both affordable and market rates. The Bell building would be an may not be an ideal candidate due to having a very large footprint but is great for slimmer buildings. Of course as the slimmer buildings are converted it decreases the overall vacancy rate hence filling up the current stock like Bell.

It's basically a new version of reworking old warehouses into condos/apts.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

What they have done in several cities with larger office developments is to have them converted into housing with a mix of both affordable and market rates. The Bell building would be an may not be an ideal candidate due to having a very large footprint but is great for slimmer buildings. Of course as the slimmer buildings are converted it decreases the overall vacancy rate hence filling up the current stock like Bell.

It's basically a new version of reworking old warehouses into condos/apts.

There is a building downtown, 520 Talbot I think it is, that changed purpose from office to residential after the foundation was poured but before the building went up. It was supposed to be the twin to 130 Dufferin, the RCMP HQ, and the underground was done at the same time for both buildings. After 130 was built, the market for office space was a little soft, so the builder (Old Oak I think but not sure) designed a residential building. Since the foundation was there, they were kind of married to the office building footprint. I've been in a few units and they are kind of cool, with the big round concrete columns right in some units and a different shape than common in purpose built residential buildings.

I think I've heard it said that the Two London Place foundation is already built, I wonder why it was never considered to build a residential tower on that site with all this other downtown work going on. I'm sure there is a good reason.

[jammer139]

Good news the former InfoTech office at Queens and Adelaide will soon reopen.



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/fo...h-office-is-transforming-again-1.6529903

[Djeffery]

Had been noticing for the last few weeks or so that work was being done on the former Westinghouse/ABB building at Clarke and Huron. Saw signs up today that Drexel Industries is taking over.

Drexel has been around for 10 or so years, and are a mini-Amazon type place, basically a third party e-commerce for dozens of businesses like Canadian Tire, Best Buy and even Amazon itself. They used to be in the south end at the corner of Green Valley and Hubrey in the old Green Giant, then moved into 100 Kellogg Lane at the start of 2017. They have the warehouse side of the building, south of King to Florence. I believe that at some undetermined point in the future, as 100 Kellogg gets developed out, that Drexel will move out and the warehouse demolished to house other business more in line with what the owners of 100 Kellogg are going for. Commercial and entertainment doesn't seem to mix too well with a busy trucking terminal on the property I don't think. But at least, the rent they are paying for over 300,000 sq ft is helping pay the bills.

Last year they also took over the former Bendix/Gates Rubber/Big V Drug store warehouse on Wilton Grove Road that most recently was a second warehouse for Brose auto parts. They are also starting an expansion that will essentially double the size of this warehouse to over 335,000 sq ft.

[jammer139]

This is good news given the old Westinghouse plant has been sitting vacant for decades. Demand for warehousing space has been high and seeing this building finally get some use is good to see.

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Had been noticing for the last few weeks or so that work was being done on the former Westinghouse/ABB building at Clarke and Huron. Saw signs up today that Drexel Industries is taking over.

Drexel has been around for 10 or so years, and are a mini-Amazon type place, basically a third party e-commerce for dozens of businesses like Canadian Tire, Best Buy and even Amazon itself. They used to be in the south end at the corner of Green Valley and Hubrey in the old Green Giant, then moved into 100 Kellogg Lane at the start of 2017. They have the warehouse side of the building, south of King to Florence. I believe that at some undetermined point in the future, as 100 Kellogg gets developed out, that Drexel will move out and the warehouse demolished to house other business more in line with what the owners of 100 Kellogg are going for. Commercial and entertainment doesn't seem to mix too well with a busy trucking terminal on the property I don't think. But at least, the rent they are paying for over 300,000 sq ft is helping pay the bills.

Last year they also took over the former Bendix/Gates Rubber/Big V Drug store warehouse on Wilton Grove Road that most recently was a second warehouse for Brose auto parts. They are also starting an expansion that will essentially double the size of this warehouse to over 335,000 sq ft.

[jammer139]

The 10 largest surface parking lots in the city



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-parking-lots-wasted-space-downtown-1.6855830

[jammer139]

Empty building tours as a means to draw interest in bringing them back.


Sadly the buildings highlighted in this article are all owned by the "landlord".



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-ontario-empty-vacant-buildings-1.6902135

[ssiguy]

The ONLY way London is going to get rid of these parking lots and develop them is for the city to rezone so that they are not allowed to be parking starting with the biggest lots first.
This means they would generate no revenue from the parking but still have to pay the property taxes making them a money pit and hence far more willing to sell. What's more, the potential new buyers will only purchase if they have a development in mind or it will become a money pit for them as well.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

The ONLY way London is going to get rid of these parking lots and develop them is for the city to rezone so that they are not allowed to be parking starting with the biggest lots first.
This means they would generate no revenue from the parking but still have to pay the property taxes making them a money pit and hence far more willing to sell. What's more, the potential new buyers will only purchase if they have a development in mind or it will become a money pit for them as well.

Oh, it's so simple. You should run for council. How many parking lots downtown are just prime for development if only the person or company that owned it would sell? You make it sound like someone is just ready to pounce on every last parking lot and build on it except that dastardly land owner is holding on to it.

Not only would the city probably be spending lots on lawyers if they effectively legislate parking lots out of business. But what if you are wrong about how many lots are waiting for someone to build? You shut down the income stream, the owner has to sell, nobody wants to buy, the taxes build up and the city forecloses on it for tax default. Now the city is sitting on a worthless piece of land that they probably turn into a parking lot.

[jammer139]

So now that the former Weston factory has been demolished on Weston St just east of Wellington Rd what should be built there?


Location is just a couple hundred meters east of Wellington and the future BRT. Overlooks the Thames river and valley parkland below. Has a terrific view of the downtown skyline.


1. Should the city buy it and build an old south community and rec centre? Imagine two ice rinks, large indoor aquatic centre pools(ie:50m) to fill the gap with Thames pool now gone, large gym, workout/weight equipment rooms, community meeting room spaces, daycare centre, public library, YMCA.


2. Private developer buys it and builds 3-4 high rise residential towers?


3. Leave it to grow weeds for a generation?

[Snark]

Originally Posted by jammer139

So now that the former Weston factory has been demolished on Weston St just east of Wellington Rd what should be built there?


Location is just a couple hundred meters east of Wellington and the future BRT. Overlooks the Thames river and valley parkland below. Has a terrific view of the downtown skyline.


1. Should the city buy it and build an old south community and rec centre? Imagine two ice rinks, large indoor aquatic centre pools(ie:50m) to fill the gap with Thames pool now gone, large gym, workout/weight equipment rooms, community meeting room spaces, daycare centre, public library, YMCA.


2. Private developer buys it and builds 3-4 high rise residential towers?


3. Leave it to grow weeds for a generation?

Either option would be excellent, except for the matter of access: the lot is located at the end of two narrow older residential streets, with the nearest arterial street being half a kilometre away. Under the current situation, having between 300 and 500 people living there would be a big problem.

[sparky212]

They could always connect Weston and Edna with an at grade crossing over the tracks that line is not busy and would give options if they where to put in a larger development.

[DireRaven]

Originally Posted by jammer139

So now that the former Weston factory has been demolished on Weston St just east of Wellington Rd what should be built there?


Location is just a couple hundred meters east of Wellington and the future BRT. Overlooks the Thames river and valley parkland below. Has a terrific view of the downtown skyline.


1. Should the city buy it and build an old south community and rec centre? Imagine two ice rinks, large indoor aquatic centre pools(ie:50m) to fill the gap with Thames pool now gone, large gym, workout/weight equipment rooms, community meeting room spaces, daycare centre, public library, YMCA.


2. Private developer buys it and builds 3-4 high rise residential towers?


3. Leave it to grow weeds for a generation?

A rec centre would be great - there's already an ice rink across the tracks so having a big aquatic centre with some workout facilities would help make up for losing the Thames pool.

[jammer139]

That rink across the tracks is a privately owned operation.


now called Londons Sports Park previously Brookside Arena


https://www.londonsportspark.com/leagues/clear.cfm?clientid=6584&page=slider


In decades past the former Ivanhoe rink and curling club property is also a future redevelopment opportunity down the road. Large footprint which could be an alternate location for a new Rec centre or mid to high density housing if the private openers shut down.

Originally Posted by DireRaven

A rec centre would be great - there's already an ice rink across the tracks so having a big aquatic centre with some workout facilities would help make up for losing the Thames pool.

[ssiguy]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Oh, it's so simple. You should run for council. How many parking lots downtown are just prime for development if only the person or company that owned it would sell? You make it sound like someone is just ready to pounce on every last parking lot and build on it except that dastardly land owner is holding on to it.

Not only would the city probably be spending lots on lawyers if they effectively legislate parking lots out of business. But what if you are wrong about how many lots are waiting for someone to build? You shut down the income stream, the owner has to sell, nobody wants to buy, the taxes build up and the city forecloses on it for tax default. Now the city is sitting on a worthless piece of land that they probably turn into a parking lot.

You wrote that comment 3 years ago. Imagine what could have been built if they had brought in those changes then.

Remember I stated parking lots NOT parking spots. I am only talking about lots that are exclusively for parking but if a business has parking then they can keep it with regular tax rates. As for legal problems, there wouldn't be any. Cities change zoning all the time. Remember all the development in the last 50 years has been on what was once zoned as agricultural. What the City cannot do is expropriate land except under conditions of ultimate domain like the BRT and highways.

The City would not be taking anything from anybody but simply changing the zoning and giving the owners a reasonable amount of time to accommodate those changes. 5 years would be more than enough time for the largest lots and what they do with those lots would be their own business as long as it's not parking. If they don't want to sell or develop the land that is completely their own choice but the taxes still have to be paid.

This would not, and should not, be done overnight and would start with the largest lots first. For example, lots with more than 50 spots are given 5 years, 30 to 50 10 years, 10 to 20 15 years and less than 10 don't bother. Slowly but surely these lots would be developed by the owners or by new owners and yet it wouldn't cost the City a cent.
As long as it's profitable to just let these parking lots sit there, there is no motivation for the owners to do anything with them and this is the problem.

[Djeffery]

Yeah if only the city could pass a bylaw requiring the economy to be stronger and the market forces become suitable for all this building that you think is being held back by land owners who prefer parking lots.