Waterloo councillors get first look at four proposed high-rise towers

Four new high-rise towers could go up in Waterloo – if the developer gets their way.

Waterloo city council got its first look at the proposals at Monday night’s council meeting.

The developer, Prica Global Enterprises, already has several high-rise towers in Waterloo.

The developer is asking for zoning by-law amendments for the four towers – which, if approved, would each stand 25 storeys.

Three towers are proposed at a lot on 143 Columbia Street West. The developer wants to include 591 bedrooms and 118 square metres of commercial space.

Included in the application is an ask to reduce the minimum required tower separation distance from 11.0 metres to 8.2 metres, vary bicycle parking space requirements to allow for stacked bicycle parking and to permit geothermal wells.

"We've consulted early and extensively with city staff and really look forward to collaborate with staff as we move these applications forward," said Brandon Simon, an associate with The Planning Partnership.

The developer is also proposing a tower at 20 University Avenue with 260 bedrooms with 647 Square Metres of commercial space.

An artist rendering of the proposal at 20 University Avenue. (Youtube/PG Design Studio)

There’s already some opposition. The owner of the condo towers next door to the proposed Columbia Street site hired a lawyer who wrote a letter to the city discussing their concerns.

In a letter, lawyer Ira Kagan cited concerns about access to sunlight, privacy and wind conditions.

The letter posted in the city’s agenda that the proposal on Columbia Street would “result in increasingly unacceptable impacts of the above mentioned matters.”

The City of Waterloo said it is too early to comment on the proposals and confirmed no decision will be made at Monday’s meeting. The city also confirmed it will be looking to get public feedback before anything is approved.