Kitchener Heritage Committee discusses plans for proposed high-rise development

A proposed high-rise development near Victoria Street North might have to commemorate its past after a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) from city staff.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Kitchener Heritage Committee met and discussed a developer’s plans to put three tall towers up on Victoria Street North between Margaret and St. Leger streets.

The towers would range in height from 18 to 40 storeys with more than 1,000 residential units and 1,100 square metres of commercial space.

City staff said, after the HIA, the property only met one of the nine heritage criteria – the one being the lands have associative value with Greb Industries, a Western boot company, and Bauer Hockey.

A staff report recommended a commemorative element be included into the proposed development to acknowledge that history.

Committee members also voiced some concerns about the impact of construction.

“In regards to the land disturbances with construction – you're looking at a property that is across the street. It's not immediately adjacent to the designated buildings. And there's also additional studies that we can require out the site plan stage, including vibration monitoring reports if determined to be needed. So we can take a closer look at what the construction impacts would be,” said Jessica Vieira, a heritage planner with the City of Kitchener.

There were no decisions made at Tuesday’s meeting as the committee only heard feedback from heritage staff.

In February, staff at a rock climbing gym near the proposed site voiced concerns about having to close if the development went ahead.