Quote:
Originally Posted by onishenko
I disagree. An empty lot is a blank canvas full of potential. A stucco cube is a towering monument to mediocrity that will adorn your city for 50+ years. I've seen enough sh*t project go ahead in KW to last a life time. I can wait a couple years on this one...
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Hello all - I'm a new poster to this forum. I'm not tied to the real estate industry in any way but I do care a lot about Waterloo's potential and image.
As soon as I saw the plans for the Barrel Yards I approached local councillors I know about my concerns, which reflect those of onishenko and others - these stucco monuments may wreck our rising skyline and uptown for over 50 years.
Recent student projects have adopted the stucco approach and some of them are even done well, but this is supposed to be the crown jewel of Waterloo's uptown. Waterloo is doing its best to be world class in intellectual pursuits...why should our architecture lag so much?
I spend a lot of time in Vancouver and am very impressed by their efforts to create/approve/build condos that are attractive and reflective of it being a wealthy, world-class city. Waterloo is a wealthy city too and should not suffer from mediocrity needlessly. I don't think cost will be too much of an object (see the brisk sales for Bauer, the42, Seagrams, and Waterpark Place back in the day!).
Unfortunately, the city councillors claim there is not much they can do, other than pass along my comments to Auburn.
What, if anything, can be done to stop this from happening, or forcing Auburn back to the drawing board?
Waterloo deserves so much better.