Waterloo Council approves large commercial development on city’s west side

Waterloo - Waterloo city council has approved an official plan amendment and zone change that paves the way for a large mixed-use commercial development to be constructed at the intersection of Ira Needles Boulevard and University Avenue.

The proposed development is a 1.1-million-square-foot commercial complex that will straddle the borders of Waterloo and Kitchener. There are about 550,000 square feet of development proposed in each of the two cities.

It will offer office space, retail stores, entertainment opportunities and restaurants, as well as landscaped areas, pedestrian access and transit facilities. The development – proposed by INC Corp. – is planned as a modern centre with mixed-use buildings and about 250,000 square feet of office space, providing a variety of jobs on the site as well as transit-supportive development.

A retail study indicates residents living on the west side of Waterloo are underserviced in terms of commercial space and that there is demand for a large development to meet this growing need.

A comprehensive traffic report was prepared with recommendations in support of this development, including a series of short- and long-term improvements to address growth on the west side of the two cities.

The City of Waterloo and Region of Waterloo have incorporated monitoring requirements into the project to evaluate traffic over time and the need for future improvements.