[WaterlooInvestor]

560 Queen Street South Apartment Building
Kitchener, ON
Drewlo Construction Limited

Building Permits:

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/PermitNo06010756-560QueenStS.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/PermitNo07002760-560QueenStS.jpg


Map:

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenStreetSouth-MapViewer.jpg


Construction Pic - September 30, 2007:

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/Sept%2030%202007/560QueenStreetSouth.jpg

Construction Pics - November 3, 2007:

Queen Street View
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenStApartment-November32007-Q.jpg

Iron Horse Trail View
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenStApartment-November32007-I.jpg

[WaterlooInvestor]

I added a map showing the shape of the building to the first post

December 15, 2007:

From Queen Street
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenStreetSouth-December152007.jpg

[Cambridgite]

Taken by Koops65 on January 20, 2008.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2337/2207073397_5efc2e40f4_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2232/2207073515_928c00a2e7_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2317/2207073621_c97458d7ea_o.jpg

[WaterlooInvestor]

February 28, 2008:

Queen Street
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenStreetSouthApartmentBuildin.jpg

Queen Street
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenStreetSouthApartmentBuil-1.jpg

Iron Horse Trail / Queen Street View
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenStreetSouthApartmentBuil-2.jpg

[WaterlooInvestor]

March 24, 2008:

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenStreetSouth-March242008-2.jpg

[WaterlooInvestor]

April 2, 2008:

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenSouthApartments-April22008-.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenSouthApartments-April220-1.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenSouthApartments-April220-2.jpg

[myfaceisonfire]

This really is a massive building. It's hard to appreciated it's size in those pictures. It will be interesting to see how they finish it off, it has the potential to go either way IMO.

[jcollins]

Are there any renderings of what the final project is expected to look like?

[KitchenerBitcher]

I drove by this place today and it's in a really nice location. If I could afford the high rent that will probably be charged I'd get a place in there.

[jcollins]

I think when this place is done it's going to encourage a lot of Queen st. to be redone.

Theres already someone redoing the one building on King/Queen. And theres a lot of potential all the way down to this building.

The old gas station/service center between it and the Nougat needs to go though!

[koops65]

Taken by me April 19:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2353/2426141776_07b3ffb95d_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2272/2425328393_d0aae50147_b.jpg
Working on the 8th floor now, starting to see some glass too.

[rapid_business]

Hmm had no idea about this project. No renderings kicking around I assume?

[kitchener-lrt]

Looks like Kitchener's slowly growing up. This project really shot up in the last month eh?
And like Onishenko asked, are there any renderings?

[koops65]

I remember seeing a crude drawing over a year ago, but when they created the Waterloo Region forum it seems to have been lost, but it was small and had little detail anyways. I don't know about any good renders though, unfortunately...

[WaterlooInvestor]

I haven't seen a render, but I expect this building will look similar to Drewlo's 310 Queen Street South Apartment Building: http://www.drewloholdings.com/kitchener/queen.htm

http://www.drewloholdings.com/kitchener/photos/310qfront.jpg

So nothing great, but this does add density to the Queen South corridor.

[rapid_business]

:( I mean, I figured as much from what we could see from the concrete form... but how about some nicer finishing materials?

Ah well... now where is the emoticon for shooting yourself in the head....?

[jcollins]

I haven't seen a render, but I expect this building will look similar to Drewlo's 310 Queen Street South Apartment Building: http://www.drewloholdings.com/kitchener/queen.htm

http://www.drewloholdings.com/kitchener/photos/310qfront.jpg

So nothing great, but this does add density to the Queen South corridor.

Is it going to be like the Drewlo building in that it's considered a "luxury rental building"

[WaterlooInvestor]

:( I mean, I figured as much from what we could see from the concrete form... but how about some nicer finishing materials?

Definitely would be nice, and hopefully they put at least some brick on the bottom floors.

Is it going to be like the Drewlo building in that it's considered a "luxury rental building"

Yeah it will likely be a "luxury rental building", similar to 310 Queen S or The Regency @ 57 Queen St. North ( http://www.homestead.on.ca/kitchener/57quee_frame.htm ). Rents will likely be $1000+.


-------------------------------------------------------------------


Overall though, and at this point (my thoughts may change slightly as the building is finished), I give this development a 6.0/10.

Things I like:
- height & density
- parking is underground
- Queen Street & Iron Horse Trail Corridor Effects

Things I dislike:
- no ground floor retail (at least I haven't heard of any - has anyone else?)
- dated building design: it's not in the same leagues as a Bauer or UW Health Sciences Campus (although I guess 'ok' considering it's an apartment building)

[jcollins]

The main reason I like (not love though) this development is that it brings more people downtown. And since it's a more upscale rental apartment, I think it'll focus on still bringing the right grouping of people downtown.

[kitchener-lrt]

^ I agree with you jcollins. Not exactly Centre Blockish, but it'll add to the downtown. We need more people downtown! More people= more shops! More shops= more people shopping downtown!

[jcollins]

Not exactly Centre Blockish

While I bet we'd all wish that every building went up was of the beauty of the Centre Block project, that's just not going to happen (too bad though isnt it). With that in mind, I wouldnt even be opposed to seeing another building or two with the same demographics in mind elsewhere downtown.

As you said Kitchener-lrt, right now, it's all about getting people down town, once they're there, the rest falls into place.

[aplz]

http://www.drewloholdings.com/kitchener/photos/310qfront.jpg


Oh god no...

[WaterlooInvestor]

While I bet we'd all wish that every building went up was of the beauty of the Centre Block project, that's just not going to happen (too bad though isnt it).

True. I still think this project adds to the downtown, but just not in the same way as one of our premiere developments. One other thing I like is it's location, being on the edge of the downtown, where it's design doesn't matter as much. In comparison, I would never want this built on somewhere like the Centre Block site, since then I feel it would actually take away from the beauty of City Hall and the TD Canada Trust Centre.

[WaterlooInvestor]

April 25, 2008- View from City Hall

- you can see this building popping up behind the Victoria Park Clock Tower
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/LookingsouthfromthetopofKitchenerCi.jpg

April 26, 2008:

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenSouthApartments-April262-1.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenSouthApartments-April262008.jpg

[WaterlooInvestor]

May 13, 2008 - Working on the 9th floor

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenStreetSouth-May132008-1.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenStreetSouth-May132008-2.jpg

View from City Hall
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/ViewfromKitchenerCityHall-towards56.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/ViewfromKitchenerCityHall-toward-1.jpg

[WaterlooInvestor]

May 26, 2008: working on the 10th

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa262/AndrewEH/560%20Queen%20St%20S%20Apartment/560QueenStreetSouth-May262008.jpg

[KitchenerBitcher]

If only all developments could move at the pace of this apartment building!

[rapid_business]

/\ You can move at lighting speed when you are just throwing sh*t together!

[KitchenerBitcher]

True, this development will not be near the quality of Arrow lofts. Even if we're all old and grey by the time they finish.

[koops65]

Taken today by me: Long distance shots from the Lang Tannery rooftop.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3012/2601726455_dda45564e3_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3091/2602554394_37e08a8d24_o.jpg

[koops65]

Pix taken today by me.
Now working on the 13th floor, only 1 more to go!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3057/2664412848_61a5de5fe9_b.jpg
The back side of the building.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3237/2664413122_c545b34132_b.jpg

[Cambridgite]

It's amazing how fast that building went up.

[WhipperSnapper]

need update

2008 or 2009

likewise, Auburn 2 in Cambridge

[dunkalunk]

the photos on the first page are dead.

[koops65]

I took this pic a few days ago, finally got around to uploading it...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3006/3262542051_7dd3b8803e_o.jpg

[koops65]

Snapped these last week:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2510/3689581309_2dc7b2111e_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2601/3689581947_671120eca8_b.jpg

[mark76]

wonder one thing: are they gonna tear down that gas station??

[KW4Life]

That looks Chernobyl beautiful. Cold grey concrete. Mmmmm. I have a warm fuzzy feeling.

[mark76]

That looks Chernobyl beautiful. Cold grey concrete. Mmmmm. I have a warm fuzzy feeling.

lol, yes I think chernobyl is right word to describe it,:haha:

[mpd618]

I think it looks decent. Nothing special, but not terrible.

[koops65]

I dont think its terrible either. The cold bare concrete is being covered up with paint or stucco, and the brick columns at the front are a nice little touch I wasnt expecting. Give it another few months and it wont look so Russian from the 80's...

[rapid_business]

and give it 10 more years and it will again...

[WhipperSnapper]

Looks pretty damn bad. I'm not convinced the brick works with that paint colour either.


Drewlo's motto; "destroying Ontario one highrise at a time"

[sparky212]

Its decent for drewlo if you want bad look at some of their london project. like 50 capulet
http://www.drewloholdings.com/london/photos/1460beaverb.jpg
or
beaverbrook towers. you guy's are pretty lucky

[jcollins]

Ya I think it's decent too. It doesnt have a lot of wow factor, but it's not horrible. It'll be nice to get people downtown, and along the Queen St corridor. Which looks good with the recent roadwork slowly wrapping up.

Hopefully this doesn't take business away from Arrow lofts (if it happens)

[jcollins]

This one's coming close to completion. The brick work is making it look quite good I think.

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af81/jcollins1311/Kitchener-Waterloo%20Shots/DSCF2185.jpg?t=1257006210

http://i996.photobucket.com/albums/af81/jcollins1311/Kitchener-Waterloo%20Shots/DSCF2187.jpg?t=1257006259