Developer plans to build 500 rental units at Huether Hotel and surrounding businesses

Big change is coming to the Huether Hotel in Uptown Waterloo.

The owners of the historic landmark have partnered with a Toronto-based real estate business to build long-term rental units and an arts hub on the King Street North property.

While it hasn’t been approved yet, the plan is to create upwards of 500 rental units.

“In downtown Kitchener, we're seeing 30, 40, 50 storeys,” said developer Richard Vu, the CEO of Establish Properties. “For Uptown Waterloo, we're looking to bring a big city feel and attraction. So we're going to swinging for the fences.”

The building started as an inn and brewery in 1842. It got its name from Adam Huether, who took over as owner of the hotel in 1855.

The Adlys family purchased the property in 1953 and several generations have worked at its hotel, restaurant and brewery.

“The Huether has become a fixture in our lives and many other people’s lives for more than 60 years,” David Adlys explained in a media release. “In that time, we’ve heard many stories from people who celebrated weddings, graduations, anniversaries and other special occasions with us and we’ve been thrilled to be part of those special moments.”

Kelly Adlys (left) and Richard Vu (right) in front of the Huether Hotel in Uptown Waterloo on Aug. 8, 2024. (Heather Senoran/CTV News)

Kelly Adlys, who manages Huether’s restaurant, said an entertainment hub has always been part of the plan.

“It's kind of like a family dream,” he said.

The family is happy that it could soon come to fruition.

Parts of the Huether Hotel are protected under the Ontario Heritage Act. As such, the goal is to rejuvenating the existing space.

“We like the way it looks but hopefully we can get a push into the future,” Kelly Adlys said. “We're hoping to clean up some areas and improve some areas and get to create more jobs and all that stuff.”

There will be obvious changes but the developer said a lot of it will be at surrounding properties, like 71 King Street North and the buildings behind it on Bridgeport Road.

“We're really trying to restore it to its former glory. Will the block look different with a condo tower? Yes,” Vu said.

There are several businesses located inside the Huether.

One of them is The Jazz Room, which has been operating there for 13 years. 

“Since COVID, we've actually bounced back,” said Stephen Preece, from The Jazz Room. “We've had probably close to our best year last year.”

The Jazz Room plans to stay after the redevelopment, but what they’ll do during construction is a different story.

“It's going to be disruptive in some ways… but I think long term I see nothing but positive,” he said.

Princess Cinemas has rented space at the property for nearly four decades. The owner, John Tutt, said it is too early to say what will happen to the theatre or where they will go – if anywhere – but he expects to have more answers in the coming days and weeks.

“This new direction at the Huether Hotel is a positive step, and the best idea ever in maintaining the existing arts hub. Can't wait to see the plans,” Tutt said in an email to CTV News.

The Adlys family will continue day-to-day operations at the Huether, with the developer taking care of the demolition and construction.

The developer said it is still very early in the planning process so it is unclear when that work will begin. The earliest would at least two years.