Another Highrise Going Up In Kitchener’s East End

11-storey mixed-use building being built at corner of Weber and Scott streets

Another residential highrise is going up just east of the downtown.

Construction is proceeding apace on an 11-storey mixed-use highrise at the corner of Weber and Scott streets.

The project, valued at almost $19 million, is going up on a parcel made up of several lots: a long-vacant lot at 63 Scott St., right at the corner of Weber, and three lots at 51, 55 and 59 Scott St. that had each been occupied by two-storey brick homes, since demolished.

Weber Investments GP Inc. of Toronto is the developer. They did not respond to requests for comment.

The project will include 936 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor, as well as 133 residential units on the 10 storeys above. Most of the residential units are small — 112 apartments measure less than 550 square feet, while 21 units are larger than that.

The development includes 48 parking spaces — city zoning requires 42. No zoning changes or variances were required for the project to proceed.

The parcel, which measures about two-thirds of an acre (2,660 square metres) is directly across from the Waterloo Region Courthouse and 300 metres from the Frederick Street LRT station.

The vacant lot along Weber has sat empty for 15 years, since a 2004 fire tore through a three-storey house on the site that had been subdivided into apartments.

Another 11-storey apartment building is also planned in the same area, on the other side of Weber Street, where Halifax-based Killam REIT has applied for permits to build an 11-storey rental apartment at 87 Scott St. Construction on that project is expected to start by the end of 2019.

The increased development on the east side of the downtown is welcome, said Janine Oosterveld, Kitchener’s manager of site development.

“The city is pleased to see redevelopment at the east end of downtown which has been emerging both in the area of Weber and Scott Streets and along King Street East. These projects will support downtown businesses and ridership on the Ion.”