London Construction - Development News Thread#1

[sbday]

Snark's summary of the saga of One London Place is pretty much the way that I remember it as well. I was resident in London back in those days (late 80's, 1990) and remember well the buzz that that development created amongst those of us that are skyscraper/development junkies (I am a hardcore addict!). I still have the glitzy marketing brochure produced by Sifton for the development in my files somewhere. At approx. the same time, Dufferin Corporate Centre was built and this had followed closely the Old Oak Properties twin 18 story project (can't remember the name of it now).

It was the golden era of commercial highrise construction in London and was associated with the expectation of future strong demand for downtown London office space due to expansion of the existing major corporate head offices at the time (i.e. London Life, Canada Trust) and the anticpation that firms would be "decentralizing" functions from Toronto. London was deemed to be an ideal location due to low costs, good location, educated labour force, IT infrastructure, and an existing (albeit small) financial "cluster", etc. Recall Cambridge Developments indicated the same rationale for the their ill-fated proposal for the Talbot Block.

Unfortunately this theory proved to be dead wrong and in fact the opposite has happened since then. It is a real shame IMO that head office functions of major London-founded financial institutions such as London Life and Canada Trust have migrated out of the city, leaving only regional or branch functions which are subject to the whims of decision-makers located in Toronto or Winnipeg or elsewhere. I remember once reading an explanation of London's bygone national reputation of "fat cat city" which was based on the number of well paid white collar types working at such London institutions. In those days (up until the 60s or even 70s), the city's wealth and powerful corporate citizens commanded significant "cloud" on the national stage in political and business circles and the city was widely known as such. Thats the London my parents grew up in.

So...I agree wholeheartedly with the view that we will only see residential highrise development in the city in the forseeable future. The only hope of ever seeing significant commercial development downtown again would be a reversal in the flow of head office - type employers back into the city. I would like to see the LEDC make a concerted attempt to go after those types of employers and try and re-establish a financial or insurance cluster in the city again similar to the way they have suceeded in luring manufacturers (autoparts) and are trying to snag life sciences companies. I would also love to see newer homegrown London companies such as Pacific & Western Bank of Canada grow and be retained and supported by the City.

[ldoto]

Update!Hooters Restaurant and new strip mall.

I can't wait till it opens. I will be there Fridays after work with the guys! :eek2:

[ldoto]

Update!Hooters Restaurant and new strip mall.

I can't wait till it opens. I will be there Fridays after work with the guys!

[ldoto]

Update!Westmount Estates II Residential complex.

[MolsonExport]

^Gads, yet another banal 12-storey commie-block for London. How original.

[MolsonExport]

Any London Forumers go to Ribfest?

[ldoto]

Parkway woes ramp up

Mon, August 7, 2006

Veterans route could be part of a ring road, but not without on- and off-ramps.

By JOE BELANGER, FREE PRESS CITY HALL REPORTER



There's a major problem with London's first parkway and its potential first leg of a future ring road -- there's no plan for entry or exit ramps.

City hall hasn't taken steps to secure land for ramps along Veterans Memorial Parkway, the former Airport Road, a shocker to politicians when they found out recently.

That also has revived a decades-old question of whether London, one of Canada's few big cities without an intra-city expressway, needs a ring road.

At an estimated cost of $320 million, it's simply "unaffordable" for a city whose traffic doesn't justify it, argues Vic Cote, the city's finance boss.

"When you're looking at that kind of money . . . it has no business legs," he said.

But proponents, such as the general manager of London's chamber of commerce, say the city has a duty to ensure adequate transportation for business, and the ring road's cost will only escalate if city hall doesn't plan for it.

"We keep trying to make sure city council doesn't forget about it and keeps it in their sights," Gerry Macartney said.

The west-end parkway has the potential to become the start of a ring road if the city ever goes ahead.

But with no plans in place for ramps, that means access to the road is limited already.

And with land along most of the road's major intersections already developed, buying land for ramps would cost taxpayers a premium.

"Our opportunity to build (overpasses and other structures needed for a ring road) could be forfeited without the opportunity to protect the lands needed," said Dave Leckie, the city's director of roads and transportation.

"To a great extent, that has already occurred."

Members of council's environment and transportation committee were stunned when they learned at a recent meeting the city hasn't moved to identify and protect or buy land needed for on- and off-ramps if a ring road is built.

"What I don't understand is why those plans were not made years ago," Coun. Bill Armstrong said. "And we just widened this road to four lanes from two. Why wouldn't we look at that issue then?"

Most of the road's major intersections, from River Road in the south to Oxford Street in the north, are crowded with businesses. The city is paying a consultant $300,000 to find solutions, which could include ramps, even service roads.

But Controller Bud Polhill said with much of the land taken up by business, "I think we're too far down the path at this point to say we're going to put overpasses on Airport Road" to handle a ring road.

[ldoto]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport
Any London Forumers go to Ribfest?

Yes I went to the Ribfest and the balloon Festival it was a great time the Ribs where awesome. Here are some pics from the Balloon Festival.

Here's some info on the two Festivals.

The London Rib-Fest is the largest festival of its kind in Canada and second largest in North America. Each year, over 120,000 people attend the event over the five day span in downtown Victoria Park.

Eleven restaurants from Canada and the U.S. take part in the "Best Ribs in Canada" competition. Two LABATT beer tents host adjoining entertainment stages, one with nightly karaoke and the other with a line-up of professional entertainment. In addition to our ribbers, there are fifty craft and food vendors set up throughout the park. We have fun for all ages with face painting, kiddie rides, games and inflatable attractions for the kids and much more. The ferris wheel ride is FREE!

Rib-Fest by the Numbers:

120,000 Number of people expected to attend
35,000 Pounds of ribs consumed
5,000 Cobs of corn consumed
3,500 Hours of volunteer time
500 Volunteers required for the event
150 Kegs of beer consumed
50 Food and Craft Vendors in the park
11 Rib Restaurants participating
5 Days of fun
2 Labatt beer tents
1 Largest Rib-Festival in Canada
0 Charge for admission - FREE, FREE, FREE!!





























The London Balloon Festival, founded in 1983, has flown from Harris Park for 22 consecutive years and has featured Hot Air Balloons from around the world that, “fill the sky with colour”. In addition to twice daily Hot Air Balloon launches, the Festival’s combination of day and night time entertainment, full amusement park midway, combined with an extensive selection of food and fun, creates “London’s Family Festival of Excitement”.

[MolsonExport]

^great shots, thanks! I went to both the ballon festival and the rib fest (had Tony Roma ribs, corn, etc.).

[Blitz]

Gads, yet another banal 12-storey commie-block for London. How original.

....and it looks exactly like the one just down the street. I've never seen a city so obsessed with twin towers.

[ldoto]

Residential housing starts hit an 18-year high in London

Wed, August 9, 2006

By HANK DANISZEWSKI, LONDON FREE PRESS BUSINESS REPORTER



Two new highrise apartment buildings boosted London’s residential housing starts to an 18-year high last month.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) says there were 616 housing starts in July, more than double the same month last year.

CMHC analyst Penny Wu cautioned the figures are skewed by two large projects just begun — Auburn Developments’ 200-unit apartment building at Ridout Street and Dufferin Avenue and Tricar Group’s 194-unit building on Commissioners Road West.

Single housing starts for the month, a more reliable gauge of the construction market, were down seven per cent to 190 units last month.

But overall it has still been a strong year for the housing market, said Wu, with starts up 40 per cent for the first seven months.

Most of the increase has been in multi-unit rental and condominium projects, with 1,094 starts from January to July compared to 519 last year.

London continues to buck the trend of slumping sales in the rest of Ontario. The CMHC says Ontario home starts for January to July are seven per cent lower compared to the same period last year.

Derek Anderson, president of the London Home Builders’ Association, said the city’s construction industry is still benefitting from relatively affordable prices and a good supply of residential land for development.

Municipal investment in the downtown and a break on development fees has boosted the market for high-end apartments in the core, he said.

“Downtown is now becoming the spot to be.”

[ldoto]

London boom continues to buildThu, August 10, 2006

There are whispers this could be a record year for construction in the city.

By JOE BELANGER, FREE PRESS CITY HALL REPORTER



Up, up and up they go. When they'll stop, nobody knows.

Houses, townhouses and apartment complexes continue to spring up across London, fuelling the city's six-year building boom.

Despite projections the boom would tail off as the year progressed, there are whispers the city could set a construction record.

"There are a couple of planned projects (for which building permits haven't been issued) that could put us into another record year," said Rocky Cerminara, the city's director of building controls.

"We're running out of ICI (industrial, commercial and institutional) jobs, but residential construction is still doing quite well and that might hang in there for the rest of the year because there are some indicators we're not slowing down."

Fuelling the residential building boom are retirees and professionals moving into the city, said Derek Anderson, president of the London Home Builders' Association.

"Very quietly, London is growing and not a lot of people are aware of it, but people are coming here," Anderson said.

"I think you're going to see an end to this (boom), but when I don't know. It's got a lot to do with all the attractions London has to offer retirees and (health-care, education) professionals. I'm as surprised as everyone else in our industry."

Baby boomers are also abandoning the suburbs for condominiums in the city's core.

Population figures from Statistics Canada for 2004, the most recent year available, show a net population gain of 4,000 people for Middlesex, much of which would go to London.

Anderson said he believes London's population influx has accelerated during the last 18 months and is an important factor driving the housing market.

"We're used to seeing a relatively flat population over the last 20 years. We are not realizing how much we've grown since 2000."

Anderson also said the city's construction industry is still benefiting from relatively affordable prices and a good supply of residential land for development.

Municipal investment in the downtown and a break on development fees have boosted the market for high-end apartments in the core, he said.

"Downtown is now becoming the spot to be."

Anderson said small manufacturing plants that feed larger automotive plants also bring new workers.

Steve Janes, president of the London Development Institute, could only speculate on the continued building boom benefiting developers.

"We have serviced land available at very attractive prices and people are migrating here to live and work.

"The city has a good cross-section of job opportunities, good educational institutions, good medical facilities and we have a variety of housing in design, size and price."

Projections this year suggested the value of building permits issued for construction projects would settle at about $550 million, far less than the record $647 million issued in 2004.

But this year's numbers continue to climb.

To the end of July, the city had issued building permits valued at $417.5 million, compared to $379 million a year earlier.

New residential housing -- single-family, duplexes, townhouses and apartment buildings -- accounted for more than $251 million of construction values. Additions and alterations accounted for another $26.7 million.

At least two of the major projects Cerminara said could push the city into a record building year are planned by Tricar Developments. They are:

- A 12-storey, 155-suite luxury condominium on Richmond Street North between Fanshawe Park and Sunningdale roads.

- The $100-million, twin-tower project on the Ridout block, each 28 storeys.

Tricar president Joe Carapella confirmed he'd like to start both projects this year.

"The fences will go up around Ridout (today) and I'm hoping to get digging on Richmond in late fall or early spring," Carapella said.

A RECORD MONTH, BUT

Two new highrise apartment buildings boosted London's residential housing starts to an 18-year high last month -- but there's a catch. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) says there were 616 housing starts in July, more than double the same month last year. But CMHC analyst Penny Wu cautioned the figures are skewed by two large projects just begun -- Auburn Developments' 200-unit apartment building at Ridout Street and Dufferin Avenue and Tricar Group's 194-unit building on Commissioners Road West. Single housing starts for the month, a more reliable gauge of the construction market, were down seven per cent to 190 units last month.

BY THE NUMBERS

Total London construction permit values since 2000:

2006 to July 31: $417.5 million

2005: $621 million

2004: $647 million

2003: $579 million

2002: $608 million

2001: $505 million

2000: $330 million

[ldoto]

Next two weeks I will be on vacation.So if you can keep the updates going it would be great.Make me proud!

Thanks Ldoto

[Snark]

..

[ldoto]

Old East gains new greenery

Sat, August 12, 2006

A $50,000 facelift to Queen's Park adds new life to the area.

By JOE BELANGER, FREE PRESS CITY HALL REPORTER



The signs of revitalization in London's Old East Village aren't always easy to identify.

Empty store fronts remain in evidence, others are in transition between tenants, new businesses come and go and the second-hand furniture and appliance stores still dominate many blocks.

Problems of crime, drugs and prostitution persist and the various social agencies to help low-income people remain.

But yesterday, the Village and its residents celebrated arguably the most visible sign of revitalization with the completion of a $50,000 facelift to Queen's Park.

"Our community is very excited about having this wonderful green space because we really don't have any other green areas," said Donna Currie of the Old East Village Community Association.

"Now we're able to walk through a green area and feel like we're walking through a park."

Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best congratulated the community on the revamped park and thanked Western Fair officials for co-operating.

The fair will maintain the park, part of which will still be closed with fencing during special events.

Only a remnant of the original park, established in 1879, remains -- about a two-acre patch of green grass and trees lining Dundas Street from Rectory to Adelaide streets.

Most of the original parkland is now occupied by Western Fair, which has leased it since 1887.

But a new entranceway, decorative banners on cast-iron posts, benches, trees and flower gardens complete the first phase of the facelift. Additional enhancements, such as a playground and skating rink, are planned.

"We want this park to be used by the residents," said Currie, adding the east of Adelaide label may persist, but not in the spirit of residents living in the area.

"People are becoming more aware of the changes," said Currie. "There was a time when people wouldn't even come and visit, just because we're east of Adelaide, and I think that's changing."

Currie said the recently approved heritage district designation has "really helped change that perception."

"There's always going to be problems here, like there are in Old North or downtown, which nobody really talks about because they aren't east of Adelaide," Currie said.

Sarah Merritt, manager of the Old East Village Business Improvement Area, said many of the changes are subtle.

City council has passed bylaws and zoning amendments offering incentives for landlords to upgrade properties, including one that allows artists to live in the rear of their stores.

Merritt said some properties along Dundas have recently sold and new owners are anxious to reinvest in the village.

Historic Aeolian Hall, bought by concert pianist Clark Bryan three years ago and renamed Aeolian Hall Performing Arts Centre, has been a key to the revitalization.

[ckkelley]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

^Gads, yet another banal 12-storey commie-block for London. How original.

OUCH!

[ldoto]

I'm back guys! My vacation was great it was so peaceful at Musoka and Collingwood. I also went to the scenic caves in Blue Mountain. I will post some pics in the next couple days.

[ldoto]

Core ready for turn changes

Wed, August 23, 2006

The plan is worth a test, one veteran merchant says.

By JOE BELANGER, FREE PRESS CITY HALL REPORTER



Even after 53 years of working and selling on London's Dundas Street, Fred Kingsmill doesn't mind taking a chance.

"Of course, we've seen many experiments in the downtown over the years. I think I can support it for the test period," the veteran retailer said yesterday.

The "test" is a relaxing of turn restrictions on Dundas and Richmond streets to make it easier for shoppers to manoeuvre through the core.

Turns, especially left turns off the single-lane Dundas and Richmond, aren't allowed now. But a city hall committee has recommended changing that under a one-year pilot project, which goes to council for a vote Monday.

Under the proposal:

- Left and right turns off and onto Dundas at Clarence, Richmond and Talbot streets would be banned only from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays.

- Left and right turns at Richmond onto Dundas would be allowed except during the same peak traffic times.

- Left turns from Dundas to Talbot would be allowed, again except in peak traffic.

It's a test because nobody knows what effect it will have on traffic flow, busing and safety.

Staff and city council's environment and transportation committee have agreed to try the one-year pilot project to lift turning restrictions except during daily rush hours.

"There are two schools of thought on everything you do," Kingsmill said.

"If it doesn't prove to be working right, then we'll just go back to the old way."

London Transit fears the change may wreak havoc on its bus schedules, causing delays, missed transfers, unhappy riders and, ultimately, fewer passengers.

That would mean less fare revenue, but also a smaller share of provincial gas tax money, which is based on ridership increases, not decreases.

It's also likely to slow car traffic through the core at key locations, such as Dundas Street, which narrows to one lane both ways at Richmond. Cars turning left or right will have to wait for pedestrians and oncoming traffic.

City staff are set to meet with business leaders and London Transit to figure out how to measure the success of the change.

Staff say it will take until at least November, possibly the new year, before turn restrictions are lifted.

Bob Usher, chairperson of the London Downtown Business Association, said drivers will accept the slower pace for faster options to get around the block to stores.

"We've had an awful lot of business people talk about it and request it," Usher said.

"If it doesn't work, let's look at it again. But let's at least give it a try."

[Snashcan]

I'm back in london for the school year living on the 9th floor of a 10 story building at william and pall mall, my view is to the east and not towards downtown, but not bad since london is covered with trees.

Looking forward to hearing if some of these big projects will go through, this is my 4th year here and I have seen some development happen, but would love to see something dramatic in london's skyline.

[FazDeH]

^^ wouldn't we all, its a fingers crossed situation.
Harriston has broken ground so thats good news! Does anyone one know when they expect it to be completed?