Ira Needles Commercial Centre (Lacewood/Sandberry Developments) - Page 4

rapid_business · #61 Posted: **Jan 10, 2009, 5:01 PM**

It all comes down to building orientation and entrance placement though. What good is buidling placement that frames the interior intersections if the only entrances will be on the opposite sides facing the sea of parking. (And no, most retailors, sauf fast food, do not like more then one entrance as it is hard to control and contain)

waterloowarrior · #62 Posted: **Jan 16, 2009, 11:35 PM**

Mon, January 19, 7pm – 8pm
Where
265 Westvale Dr, Waterloo, Ontario, N2T 2B2 (map)
Description

On Monday January 19, the Westvale Community Association is holding an information meeting about the proposed Ira Needles retail development. The meeting will feature Ryan Mounsey, City of Waterloo urban planner. Ryan will provide an overview of the proposed development and answer any questions. All are welcome to attend. The development will be on Ira Needles Boulevard, opposite the Westvale neighbourhood, between Thorndale Drive and the railway tracks. -Development is proposed to be larger than Conestoga Mall or Fairview Mall -Proposed plan is twice the size of Sunrise shopping area -Proposal will be largest retail development in all of K-W -Includes retail, fitness club, restaurants, movie theatre and office space For more information on the proposed development email Westvale@westvale.org

TripleQ · #63 Posted: **Jan 27, 2009, 4:06 PM**

From the Westvale meeting and my neighbourhood association.

Also see the detailed PDF presentation from the City of Waterloo

Below is the full fact sheet, I have to highlight this though:

Quote:

Transportation Impact Study by Paradigm Transportation Solutions Limited confirms that mixed use development on the subject lands will reduce peak traffic volumes by 25%. Projected volumes to 2013 for INCC and other approved developments can be accommodated by the existing two lanes with existing roundabouts. Projected volumes to 2021 can also be accommodated with a four lane cross-section. INCC mixed use development does not accelerate the need to widen Ira Needles Boulevard to four lanes.

What the heck are they smoking? 2 lanes for the next 4 years? I can guarentee peak traffic volumes are not going down, let alone by 25%

Meeting Summary:

Quote:

Both University and Ira Needles are Regional Roads. Questions regarding traffic flow, volume, calming measures, etc., could not be answered as the traffic study is still pending with the Region of Waterloo. Once the traffic study has been completed, (in the next 4 weeks) results of the study will be distributed and questions will be answered at that time.

· The Region has stated that Ira Needles, as it is now, has the capacity to sustain the amount of traffic flow resulting from the development, but will be widened should a future need present itself.

· Parking lot at the centre will hold approximately 3000 – 4000 cars.

· The site will be a mix of commercial, office, retail and entertainment space.

· Approximately 3200 jobs will be created.

· There will not be a Costco.

· There will not be a grocery store.

· There will be no car dealership or gas station.

· Lowe’s Home Improvement Centre will be the first flagship store and will be completed this year.

· An 8 – 10 screen movie theatre, fitness club, and 6 – 7 restaurants have already signed letters of intent.

· Strong possibility for a Chapters.

· The entire site should be complete within 3 – 5 years.

· There will be a strong push to have the site be as environmentally friendly as possible.

Here's the full fact sheet:

Quote:

Ira Needles Commercial Centre (INCC)

Fact Sheet

* Existing Zoning already permits 997,000 sq. ft. of ‘as of right’ commercial uses, approximately half in Kitchener, half in Waterloo.

* New Zoning and Approvals address the latest Provincial/Municipal policy objectives for ‘complete communities’ providing a mix of uses and activities responding to walking, cycling, recreational, service, office and retail in close proximity to residential neighbourhoods. INCC will provide commercial space for uses that do not locate downtown or uptown due to large format. Retail, services, restaurants, office, fitness and cinema will allow west side residents to shop and work close to home as encouraged by Complete Communities concept.

* Market Feasibility and Impact Report was prepared by John Winter & Associates Limited confirming an acceptable impact and need for new commercial land use on the west side of Kitchener and Waterloo. After full development, levels of service for west side residents will still be below the levels of a decade ago.

* Retail Market Demand and Impact Analysis Peer Review by Henry Joseph Urban Consultants confirms above conclusions and recommends zoning regulations to protect the uptown and downtown commercial area by means of minimum size restrictions and/or percentage limits on the total of smaller retail shops, especially apparel and accessories. Restricting freestanding food stores and regulating a mix of uses is being recommended.

* Transportation Impact Study by Paradigm Transportation Solutions Limited confirms that mixed use development on the subject lands will reduce peak traffic volumes by 25%. Projected volumes to 2013 for INCC and other approved developments can be accommodated by the existing two lanes with existing roundabouts. Projected volumes to 2021 can also be accommodated with a four lane cross-section. INCC mixed use development does not accelerate the need to widen Ira Needles Boulevard to four lanes.

* Controlled Access to Ira Needles Boulevard has already been established by regional road planners and engineers with only three direct access intersections and driveways whereas similar commercial strips, i.e. Fairway Road have as many as 38 individual, independent driveways along a similar frontage.

* Excellence in Design will be achieved through implementation of a detailed Design Brief and Guidelines as already negotiated between the developer and the two cities. This will ensure a comprehensive planned development taking advantage of the opportunities for excellence in site planning, architectural design and theme, landscaping, pedestrian and cycling routes, and on site transit, etc.

* Servicing: All services are available to the site with a cross border agreement providing sanitary and water from the Kitchener lands to Waterloo. The lands are 60% graded. Glasgow Street realignment is scheduled for 2009.

* Financial: The developer has paid approximately $1.4 million for access and intersection improvements including ‘option 5’ design of paved shoulder and catch basins enabling a less costly conversion to the four lane design when it is warranted in future notwithstanding that INCC does not accelerate the need to widen the road. Approximately $5.5 million in commercial and development charges (levies) will be paid at building permit stage (current rate). The mixed use development will generate over $500,000 per month in taxes at full development to be shared by the municipalities and school boards.

* Employment: It is estimated that approximately 3,200 jobs will be created by the shops and services and land use at full development.

* Attraction: The INCC development offers excellence in design and features, proposed by local developers and owners who are well known in the community for providing quality developments.

A Lowes Home Improvement store has agreed to anchor the Waterloo section of the master plan and is anxious to start construction in 2009. Ten other stores and services are also ready for construction, timing subject to final approvals.

January 14, 2009

waterloowarrior · #64 Posted: **Jan 27, 2009, 4:36 PM**

Thanks for the update... that is a lot of parking!

BusyBerliner · #65 Posted: **Jan 27, 2009, 6:25 PM**

"Parking lot at the centre will hold approximately 3000 – 4000 cars"

!?!

That's obscene. This will certainly be one massive strip mall.

WatDot · #66 Posted: **Jan 27, 2009, 7:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TripleQ

What the heck are they smoking? 2 lanes for the next 4 years? I can guarentee peak traffic volumes are not going down, let alone by 25%

Ya that has to be a typo. Increase I think is the word they were looking for... haha... not decrease. But heck even 25% is a typo in my opinion.

KitchenerBitcher · #67 Posted: **Jan 27, 2009, 8:00 PM**

I can't see it creating 3200 jobs! That seems like an exaggeration. Even though it's sprawl, i will guiltily be very happy to finally have a movie theatre at my end of the city.

waterloowarrior · #68 Posted: **Mar 28, 2009, 4:24 AM**

glasgow realignment
http://www.kitchener.ca/Files/Item/i...dts-09-044.pdf

smably · #69 Posted: **Jun 9, 2009, 12:55 PM**

The Record: Mega-mall proposed for west Waterloo

Highlights:

Quote:

Greg Voisin, president of Ira Needles Commercial Centre, said the 35.8-hectare (88.5-acre) development at the corner of Ira Needles Boulevard and University Avenue will be an environmentally friendly community featuring pedestrian walkways, landscaped features and bicycle pathways.
...
The development will be bigger than Conestoga Mall and will include three roundabouts within the site and 4,000 parking spots.

Yeah, suburban greenfield developments with 4,000 parking spots are totally environmentally friendly! Sigh.

And of course, this development will happen. If the cities don't approve it, the OMB will.

Duke-Of-Waterloo · #70 Posted: **Jun 9, 2009, 1:05 PM**

Here's the full article from The Record:

Mega-mall proposed for west Waterloo

By Liz Monteiro, THE RECORD, Tuesday, June 9, 2009

WATERLOO

People living in the west side of Waterloo are "screaming for services," says the developer who's planning Waterloo Region's biggest retail and office development.

Greg Voisin, president of Ira Needles Commercial Centre, said the 35.8-hectare (88.5-acre) development at the corner of Ira Needles Boulevard and University Avenue will be an environmentally friendly community featuring pedestrian walkways, landscaped features and bicycle pathways.

"It will be a place where people want to hang out and not in a bad way,'' said Voisin, who is working on the project along with Paul Dietrich and Geoff Moore.

The project, just over one million square feet of retail and office space, straddles both cities of Waterloo and Kitchener. Waterloo has 17.7 hectares (43.7 acres) and the remaining 18.1 hectares (44.7 acres) is located in Kitchener along Ira Needles Boulevard, a two-lane regional road.

The development will come before both Waterloo and Kitchener councillors at council meetings June 22.

Some residents and at least one Waterloo councillor have voiced concerns over increased traffic. A neighbourhood meeting of Westvale residents will be held Thursday night.

Voisin said a traffic study shows that Ira Needles will not have to increase to four lanes from the current two lanes because of this development.

Most of the traffic will stay within the development, Voisin said, referring to the variety of amenities, including an athletic club, a movie theatre, and retail stores such as Lowe's home improvement.

There will be approximately 220,000 square feet of office space.

The development will be bigger than Conestoga Mall and will include three roundabouts within the site and 4,000 parking spots. (Duke: not only Conestoga, but also Cambridge Centre, Sunrise, Fairview, and BridgeCam...we're talking 1,000,000+ square feet here!)

The project could hold as many as 3,500 employees and generate about $500,000 a month in taxes for the communities.

Construction could be completed in about five years.

Meanwhile up the street at Ira Needles Boulevard and Erb Street West is another retail development.

The 75,000-square-foot project will feature a restaurant, a beer store, and other retail stores, said city planner Trevor Hawkins. (Duke: One of the retail stores on the Rock site will be Winners)

Initially, the developer, Windsor-based Rock Developments, went to the Ontario Municipal Board to appeal the city council's decision to defer the development.

Councillors were worried about increased traffic.

But the city and the developer came to an agreement and agreed that the development should not be held up because of other nearby bigger projects.

Hawkins said Rock Developments is expected to apply for building permits this summer and begin construction. The project could open by next spring.

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/550377

mpd618 · #71 Posted: **Jun 9, 2009, 1:22 PM**

Can we please put in a streetcar along University Avenue, and ditch (some of) the parking and sprawl? I wonder if the city or region could force contribution to a streetcar project from this developer....

diegaxo · #72 Posted: **Jun 9, 2009, 1:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpd618

Can we please put in a streetcar along University Avenue, and ditch (some of) the parking and sprawl? I wonder if the city or region could force contribution to a streetcar project from this developer....

Ask for it! If you suggest it to the city and it gets enough attention they will eventually build it.

WatDot · #73 Posted: **Jun 9, 2009, 1:48 PM**

On the one hand I think the traffic problems will make public/rapid transit more preferable by the general population, which to me is a good thing that encourages change.

On the other hand, we know the one major anchor is Loews. What do you buy at Loews? Building materials. I will never get on public transit with 2 pieces of drywall and 5 two by fours!!!!

Glad to see this development is going to be more pedestrian friendly which should help those from the local neighbourhood and those trying to walk from their parked cars to the various businesses... but still this is a Big Box development selling big box items (go big or go home). I think traffic concerns for this project are warranted, unfortunately. Ira Needles planning/forecasting was a disaster!!

But that being said... I still hope this development gets the approval.

mpd618 · #74 Posted: **Jun 9, 2009, 2:58 PM**

The development will outlive its tenants. And there's nothing to say that part of the development couldn't be more pedestrian-accessible at the start.

mpd618 · #75 Posted: **Jun 9, 2009, 5:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duke-Of-Waterloo

Voisin said a traffic study shows that Ira Needles will not have to increase to four lanes from the current two lanes because of this development.

Bullshit. From the report: "the report does however confirm regional staff’s conclusion in Staff Report E06-040 (2006) that there is no need to widen Ira Needles Boulevard for the foreseeable future (i.e. before 2013) and that widening will be required by 2022 (or before);" That report makes it clear that there will be terrible traffic in that vicinity, just not bad enough for road expansion (according to them).

They do also make this weird claim: "the report also concludes that that [sic] proposed zone change does not accelerate the need to widen Ira Needles Boulevard when compared to the existing zoning permission as the total traffic generated is very similar;"

The traffic report and plans can be found here.

Brenden · #76 Posted: **Jun 11, 2009, 12:27 AM**

Is this a change from the original plan of big box power center to a conventional inclosed mall?

waterloowarrior · #77 Posted: **Jun 11, 2009, 12:37 AM**

this is from the May 09 design guidelines

WatDot · #78 Posted: **Jun 11, 2009, 1:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brenden

Is this a change from the original plan of big box power center to a conventional inclosed mall?

As posted by Waterloo Warrior... I would call it more of an "Urban Fusion". Taking on characteristics of a city core (sidewalks, benches, etc) and a big box development (lots of parking, big name stores, etc.).

mpd618 · #79 Posted: **Jun 11, 2009, 2:23 PM**

This is still a suburban mall, and there is little urban about it other than pretense.

jcollins · #80 Posted: **Jun 11, 2009, 2:24 PM**

And it almost looks like, with the exception of the huge stores, the small ones are being put in a U shape facing inwards on a smaller parking lot. Doesn't look THAT bad.