Brampton firm in running for Centre Block redevelopment

Wednesday, Feb 21 2007, 01:00

The company that brought the Kaufman Lofts to the downtown has $100-million plans for the re-development of Centre Block.
City of Kitchener officials announced Monday that Andrin Limited of Brampton is the only firm in the running for the nod to re-develop the city-owned lands bounded by King, Young, Duke and Ontario streets.

The Andrin proposal calls for consructing new buildings along the edge of the block, and putting a large courtyard and park behind the structures.

There will be an 18-storey condominium building near Duke and Ontario streets, and a 12-storey condo building near King Street West.
The Mayfair building will be renovated and turned into a boutique hotel.

“We are very excited about it, and we hope the people of Kitchener are excited too,” Andrew Smith of Andrin said.
Andrin proposes to build 400 residential units including lofts, affordable condominiums, family-oriented dwellings and penthouses.
There will be retail outlets along King Street, live-work spaces along Duke and Ontario streets and a multi-level undergound parking garage with 750 spaces.

“We are very keen on the area in terms of a market for condominiums,” Smith said. Andrin is spending more than $20 million to convert the old Kaufman factory into 270 condominiums. The units sold out within months of going on sale.

The success of that project caused the company, which has extensive experience in urban, mixed-use redevelopments, to push very hard for the work on Centre Block.
“We’re ecstatic,” Smith said.