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rdaner

rdaner

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I was thrilled to read this! Massive boost to a beautiful downtown and more than compensates for the relocation of Co-operators to a suburban location. Looks to be a renovation of an existing office tower with no indication who architect will be. Congratulations Guelph!

beta.ctvnews.ca

Conestoga College to open new campus in Guelph

Conestoga College said Thursday that the institution will be opening a new full-service programming satellite campus in the City of Guelph.
beta.ctvnews.ca beta.ctvnews.ca
 
rdaner said:
I was thrilled to read this! Massive boost to a beautiful downtown and more than compensates for the relocation of Co-operators to a suburban location. Looks to be a renovation of an existing office tower with no indication who architect will be. Congratulations Guelph!

beta.ctvnews.ca

Conestoga College to open new campus in Guelph

Conestoga College said Thursday that the institution will be opening a new full-service programming satellite campus in the City of Guelph.
beta.ctvnews.ca beta.ctvnews.ca
Click to expand...

Is it literally the office tower that the Cooperators currently occupy:

1682081418434.png


The time line suggests about 1 year from The cooperators moving out to Congestoga opening, so I wouldn't imagine there would be a comprehensive re-clad here.

I would imagine mostly interior renos, but maybe remove the existing canopy out front, new signage, and possibly remove the parking out front for public space.
 
Locating it right across the street from the GO station, as well as VIA Rail and city transit is sensible. Though losing a corporate HQ from the city centre is lamentable, this is nonetheless going to add an incredible vibe to the core. Aside from the obvious benefits for local businesses(bars, restaurants, cafes etc.), having an influx of so many young people in the heart of the city could be a game changer!
 
Doppleganger said:
Locating it right across the street from the GO station, as well as VIA Rail and city transit is sensible. Though losing a corporate HQ from the city centre is lamentable, this is nonetheless going to add an incredible vibe to the core. Aside from the obvious benefits for local businesses(bars, restaurants, cafes etc.), having an influx of so many young people in the heart of the city could be a game changer!
Click to expand...
Yes, it looks like the Co-operators HQ is moving out into an exurban location- which is a wash economy-wise (though a plus with the new university) but a negative move sustainability-wise, so I think there should have been a push by the city to have kept them in the downtown core- possibly encouraging a larger office component in the Baker District Redevelopment?

The Co-operators aims to build Canada's first WELL-certified insurance and financial services building - Jan 24, 2019

newsreleases.cooperators.ca newsreleases.cooperators.ca
www.newswire.ca

Co-operators earns Zero Carbon Certification for corporate headquarters

/CNW/ - With construction well-underway, Co-operators new head office in Guelph, ON has earned Zero Carbon Building – Design Standard certification from the...
www.newswire.ca www.newswire.ca
 
I see your concern over
Co-Operators moving but I have to wonder how many employees have been working from home, many of whom could live in a central location so it may not have the same impact as if they had moved 15 yeaare ago.
 
Oh, that monster of a building always looked sort of intimidating. I hope the refurbishment adds some more colour to the area. Maybe a bit more vibrancy, as well, given that from my experience the university students tended to stay on the south side of the Speed/Eramosa Rivers.
 
rdaner said:
I see your concern over
Co-Operators moving but I have to wonder how many employees have been working from home, many of whom could live in a central location so it may not have the same impact as if they had moved 15 yeaare ago.
Click to expand...

I worked in Guelph in 2021 for two months. The downtown office workers who worked from home, hurt the local downtown businesses big time. A lot closed down. Conestoga College will be a much needed boost for the downtown stores, restaurants and cafe's.
 
north-of-anything said:
Oh, that monster of a building always looked sort of intimidating. I hope the refurbishment adds some more colour to the area. Maybe a bit more vibrancy, as well, given that from my experience the university students tended to stay on the south side of the Speed/Eramosa Rivers.
Click to expand...
I also think this one after renovation will be better, because there it really is not pleasant and we should not forget about learn more because pride and prejudice are two very important criteria when you have such a problem, I also met with such builders, this seemed to be a big problem but after analyzing everything I understood that in fact there is nothing strange.
 
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