Barrel Yards moving bit by bit
Posted Aug 29, 2011 04:46:32 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Development has slowed — but not stalled — on a massive hotel and high rise project in Waterloo.
Auburn Developments is transforming 13 acres of prime real estate in Waterloo’s core in what is known as the Barrel Yards project at Erb Street and Father David Bauer Drive. The development calls for condos, office towers, a retirement residence and a hotel.
That hotel, originally scheduled to open this month, is nowhere close to completion. But Ryan Mounsey, a development planner with the City of Waterloo who is heading up the Barrel Yards file, says the project remains on track.
“There is a lot of concrete being poured two levels down beneath for the parking garage structure, which a lot of people will not see,” Mounsey notes. “And what we expect over the next several weeks and months is that the hotel will continue to be constructed in a much more visible fashion, along with the parking decks.”
Domain Hotels, originally identified as the hotel operator at the Barrel Yards, has backed out of the project. That has Auburn seeking a new partner for the site but no names have been brought forward. Several calls made by 570 News to Auburn Development’s head office in London, Ontario, have not been returned.
Mounsey says changes to original timelines are almost inevitable on a project this size.
“Changing retaining walls, changing the park space design, (these things) take time,” Mounsey explains. “In terms of some of the building heights and changes to the parking garage structure, that resulted in time as (Auburn) had to tweak some of the parking layouts. And, lastly, the developer asked to add a storey on the hotel.”
Mounsey says each of the changes triggers another internal review from the city to determine feasibility. He describes the project as both “complex and fascinating” while noting that it could take up to eight years to complete.
When it’s done, however, Waterloo’s core will have a brand new look.
“A couple years from now, Waterloo will certainly look like a much bigger city. And we look forward to seeing it evolve,” says Mounsey.
Auburn Developments is expected to provide the city with a progress update on the project in the next few months.
