'There's a certain excitement': Kitchener council approves city's tallest tower

KITCHENER -

The parking lot that currently sits at 30 Francis Street South in Downtown Kitchener is set to be replaced with the city’s tallest tower after Kitchener city council approved the necessary zoning for the project.

The 44-story mixed-use condo will include 532 residential units and five ground-floor commercial spaces.

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic told CTV News approving the zoning at Monday’s council meeting was an important decision.

“There's a certain excitement, particularly for those who are really excited about that kind of urban living,” Vrbanovic said Wednesday.

Construction can now move forward, following a 30-day appeal period.

Also on Monday, council voted on amendments that will see the developer include commercial space on the ground floor for a more active streetscape, 20 electric vehicle parking spaces, and 28 that are EV ready.

Vrbanovic also calls the project important to address one component of housing supply and affordability in the region.

"What we want to be able to do is really make sure there is a range of affordability throughout the housing spectrum," he said. "Myself and other members of council have talked about the important of the missing middle, so we're talking about three to six storey buildings in appropriate areas as well."

Despite the hundreds of thousands of dollars in community benefits, including $600,000 towards affordable housing, Coun. Debbie Chapman, who sees over the ward that will host the tower, could not support it.

"Of course a 44 storey building is not compatible with the surrounding neighbourhood as it far exceeds the height of the Tannery, far exceeds the height of the U-Haul building next door, and it far exceeds One Victoria Street, which has 19 storeys," she said.

Coun. John Gazzola was the only other vote against the project. He believes more benefits could have been secured.

"There's a lot more we could've asked for," he said. "We could've asked for a whole floor of affordable housing. We could've asked for a three room school, things that the community that lives there could've used."

Other councillors say the project is much needed with housing prices continuing to climb and a vacancy rate of about two per cent in Kitchener.

"Yes, developers are going to make some profits, but at the end of the day we still need the supply because if they don't build it, no one else will," said Coun. Bill Ioannidis.

Coun. Dave Schnider stressed the need to look forward to where the city will be in 20 years as he voted in support of the project, adding that not everbody wants to live in the suburbs.