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Dez Capital Corporation has submitted a proposal to the City of Kitchener to bring a 28-storey mixed-use tower at 924 tgrough 944 King Street West, adding to the high-rise growth along the ION LRT corridor in the centre of Kitchener and Waterloo. Designed by ABA Architects, the project would be within walking distance of Grand River Hospital station, within its Major Transit Station Area (MTSA), adding to a redevelopment boom that is reshaping Kitchener’s traditional landscape.
Comprising 920, 924 to 938, 940, and 944 King Street West, the site spans 3,147m² on the north side of King Street West, between Union Street and Pine Street, across from Grand River Hospital. Currently, it hosts low-rise commercial buildings, including a pharmacy and dental office, with 18 rental apartments above and surface parking at the rear. The area has seen increasing high-rise buildings, transitioning from low-rise residential and commercial uses to denser, transit-oriented development.
The site falls within a Strategic Growth Area designation in Kitchener’s Growing Together Initiative that encourages high-rise, mixed-use development near major transit. In March, 2024, City Council approved a zoning by-law rezoning the area with an 8-storey limit, but this has since been appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). If upheld, the developer would require further rezoning to allow the proposed 28-storey height and increased density.
GSP Group has submitted a Zoning By-law Amendment application to the City of Kitchener on behalf of the developer. Rising 99.2m, the building would contain 341 residential units, including 19 rental replacement units, in compliance with Kitchener’s Rental Replacement By-law. The proposal features a five-storey podium. At ground level, 659m² of retail space would activate King Street West. The project proposes a Floor Space Index of 11.5 times lot coverage, with a total Gross Floor Area of 36,834m².
The sixth floor would house 233m² of indoor amenities and a 434m² outdoor terrace. Three elevators would serve the tower, approximately one for every 114 units, requiring high-speed motors for adequate service. A secondary driveway off Dodd’s Lane would provide access to the single-level underground garage, housing 48 of the total 182 parking spaces, with the remainder found in the podium levels. Bicycle parking would total 350 spaces.
The site is 250m west of Grand River Hospital ION station, within its MTSA where high-density, transit-oriented development is encouraged by the Province. The ION LRT connects from northern Waterloo to southern Kitchener, with an extension to Cambridge in the planning. Multiple Grand River Transit (GRT) bus routes serve the area as well. Active transportation is supported by the Iron Horse Trail and Spur Line Trail, both within a 10-minute walk.
Multi-storey development is reshaping the King Street corridor. To the southeast, 900 King Street West is rising 25 storeys, while 864 King Street West is planned to reach 44 storeys. To the northwest, Allen Square is proposed at 10 storeys, with 207 King Street South planned to rise 30 storeys. Further southeast, closer to Central station, construction is underway on the 18-storey Bright Building, Station Park’s Duo Towers reaching 36 and 40 storeys, and the 45-storey TEK Tower. Station Park’s Building E is proposed at 50 storeys, while 417 and 300-400 King Street West call for towers as tall as 55 storeys.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you’d like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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