Waterloo developer’s STEAM proposal challenged
Local philanthropists say they are worried about impact of condo project on Themuseum
WATERLOO REGION — A proposed development near the Waterloo city core is drawing sharp criticism from one the region’s most recognized philanthropic couples for the impact it might have on Themuseum in Kitchener.
Hip Developments wants to build a twin tower condo at the corner of King Street North and Bridgeport Road, complete with science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) programming for youth in the community.
But in a letter to the Record, Michael Barnstijn and Louise MacCallum — major donors to Themuseum in the past — warned the condo’s STEAM initiative will create “duplicate efforts” with Themuseum’s own STEAM programming, and they also fear its size and scale is a poor fit for the area and will have a “negative and lasting impact on the uptown core.”
The condo project at 70 King St. N. would be about 3.5 kilometres north of Themuseum at 10 King St. W. in Kitchener, and in an interview with the Record, Barnstijn said the two STEAM programs would be too similar and too close together.
“Each one of these locations needs funding, and the more locations you have at some point it’ll be difficult to get funding for all of them,” he said. “We know what it takes to raise funds in the community.”
Scott Higgins, president of Hip Developments, said he isn’t interested in starting a turf war with Themuseum over STEAM programming. The idea (known as Launch) isn’t intended to act as direct competition for Themuseum and will operate on a userpay model, similar to hockey and other organized sports, and will be set up as a nonprofit.
The letter was written about a week after the Bank of Montreal announced in late May it was donating $1 million to Themuseum and had reached a sole purchaser agreement that gives Themuseum several months to raise another $2 million to buy its building next door to Themuseum.
Barnstijn and MacCallum retired from RIM (now BlackBerry) in the late 1990s and made headlines in 2000 when they donated $1 million to help launch the Waterloo Region Children’s Museum (now Themuseum), along with a $12-million donation to the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation.
In 2003, they donated another $4 million to the children’s museum.
Their letter also went on to question the amount of parking available near the Waterloo site, and said it “would appear to be a continuation of the student housing towers lining King Street.”
Barnstijn said they did not write the letter on behalf of Themuseum or its CEO, David Marskell, but as two concerned residents. He said they are no longer directly involved with Themuseum.
Marskell shares many of the same concerns with Hip’s proposal, and said it will cost the developer millions of dollars to open and operate the 40,000 square foot STEAM space. That means they’ll be “knocking on the same doors as us,” for fund-
ing, including municipal and regional governments, and it could disrupt funding for other arts and culture groups in the region.
Higgins said he reached out to Themuseum to be involved with Launch, perhaps as an extension of the museum’s branding, but Higgins said Themuseum “didn’t want to engage.”
Marskell said he met with Hip on several occasions but that the developer could not deliver a business model or feasibility study to prove their STEAM project is sustainable. “We’ve had nothing to consider,” he said. “That frightens me that it’s not available.”
Higgins wants to build two towers on the site, a former Canada Post building, including a four-storey podium and seven-storey tower on King Street (11 storeys combined) and a six-storey podium and 18-storey tower on Regina Street. It would have 321 units, 367 bedrooms and 40,000 square feet of Launch space and a restaurant.
The city would have to approve several planning amendments, including increased height and density, for the project to move ahead. That approval could come as soon as June 25 during a formal public meeting.
The building won’t be aimed at students, Higgins added, saying it’ll be marketed to new home buyers or those looking to downsize. “There’s a void right now in the high $200,000 or low $300,000 market,” he said, which is about where the units will be priced.
Higgins said increasing the availability and visibility of STEAM programming in the region could increase the size of the funding pie for everyone, rather than decrease it. He also said he’s a big supporter of Themuseum, and will be making a donation to their fundraising campaign once it launches.
Uptown Ward councillor Melissa Durrell said there are some concerns about the size and scale of the building, but the project has the potential to be a “landmark building” along the north end of King Street.
“I love the idea of having a space that will draw people in and spend the day in uptown,” she said of Launch.
It makes her sad to see this potential conflict between Hip and Themuseum, and she wants to see more collaboration throughout the region on arts and culture projects.
Durrell is hosting a public information session Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the Hauser Haus in the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex to discuss the proposed building. Representatives from Hip and local neighbourhood associations will be in attendance, she said.
Barnstijn and McCallum aren’t the only ones in the community opposed to the project.
During an informal public meeting in March, heritage advocate Kae Elgie said it is oversized and will dwarf neighbours and disrupt the historic streetscape. “It’s just not the right building for this location,” she told council.
The tower project has not yet been approved by city council. A formal public meeting will be held on June 25.
More information is available on the city website, www.waterloo.ca/en/business/70-king-st-n-.asp.