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rdaner

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While reading this article on SSP about a redevelopment in Kitchener I noticed this mention of a similar project at Dundas and Dupont. Is this a new development? Mods, please dispose of this thread if this is a completed project.

The company bought an old rubber factory at Dupont and Dundas streets in Toronto for another project.

Developer to turn property into thriving centre
May 27, 2008
Terry Pender
RECORD STAFF

KITCHENER

Developers hope to turn one of the city's largest historic buildings -- the former Lang tannery -- into a thriving people place, with restaurants, digital and multimedia offices and studios, and research space for the life sciences.

Toronto-based Candan Inc. briefed city councillors yesterday on the $30-million project to transform the 100-year-old tannery into a high-profile bastion of the knowledge economy.

The building, bounded by Victoria, Charles, Francis and Joseph streets will be called The Tannery.

"We are very excited about it," Lana Sherman of Candan told councillors.

"Once it is completed, The Tannery will become a vibrant community where diverse users can share space and ideas."

Sherman said the existing tenants, including artisans, graphic designers, photographers and carpenters, "will interact with new users, the multimedia, the digital media, health sciences, technology, new retail and professional services."

Candan sees opportunities in old factories and has a lot of experience converting them to new uses. The company bought an old rubber factory at Dupont and Dundas streets in Toronto for another project.

"Give us an opportunity to revitalize and reuse as opposed to demolish, which is what most developers start off with, and we enjoy the opportunity to make positive change, both socially and economically," Sherman said.

"We are creating a convergence centre, where creativity and business will flourish, a place that caters to people beyond the nine-to-five."

The work is scheduled to be done in 2009.

Candan discovered the old tannery building while converting a retirement home at Church and Benton streets into condominiums.

Those condominiums at 64 Benton St. go on the market next month.

The tannery project is the second major development near the University of Waterloo's school of pharmacy at King and Victoria streets.

The City of Kitchener provided the land and gave the university $30 million to attract the Health Sciences Campus to the downtown.

That project spurred the $40-million conversion of the Kaufman boot factory into condominiums, and now the adaptive re-use of the tannery building.

"We are excited by the growth and rejuvenation we see going on all around us, and we hope to be a key component in the evolution of downtown Kitchener," Sherman said.

"Kitchener is going through one of the most extensive, bold and dynamic core revitalization processes in the country."

Parts of the building along Charles Street will be demolished. A new entrance and lobby will be built off Victoria Street. Walkways will bring pedestrians into the development, which will also feature a gallery celebrating the building's industrial heritage. A parking lot will be built at Charles and Victoria streets.

"We are being very sensitive to the heritage and history that is there," Sherman said.

Showers and storage facilities for cyclists will be added to the building. Businesses leasing space can join a car-sharing program to reduce the demand for parking.

Candan will have 350,000 square feet of space in the redeveloped buildings. It hopes to attract a variety of restaurants, new retail users, digital and multi-media offices and studios, office and research space for the life sciences, design and professional offices and service providers.

"I can see the energy that will be brought back to the building," Mayor Carl Zehr said. "I am really pleased with what I see and I wish you well."

Zehr has been one of the strongest supporters of the $110-million fund created a few years ago to create and attract strategic investments in the core.

Even a critic of the fund, Coun. John Gazzola, was impressed with Candan's plans.

"I'm really pleased to see all this," he said.
 
Wow! I hadn't heard about this yet. That sounds like an amazing development. The Kitchener one, I mean. They've been using the Lang Tannery for weird little things for years (i.e. paintball) but it's great to hear it getting reused like that. The west end of downtown is going to be pretty impressive with the new Kaufman Footwear factory condos and now this.
 
Both of them are exciting, at least to me.

It's great that my suggestion for a potential residential conversion in that thread started by that Globe and Mail writer may be realized. The rubber company, Viceroy Reliable, is vacating the part of the building they were using.
 

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