Raise the Hammer

The following is pulled from 2008 Downtown
Trends and Indicators, a 28-page Kitchener EcDev prospectus from a few years back:

• 2,049 residents in downtown core or 19,249 residents in downtown neighbourhoods (including core).
• 1,207 new residential units since 2001; 90 new residential units in 2008.
• 1,213 new residential units currently being proposed for future development.
• $86,124,400 in residential construction values since 2001.
• 11,967 employees in urban core.
• 220 new employees in 2008.
• 3,370 students in the downtown core
• Another 613 students when Health Sciences Campus is fully operational in 2010.
• Increase in spaces for McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine students from 45 to 63.
• Approval of key development initiatives including the Charles/Benton parking garage, King Street streetscaping, and final selection of Centre Block developer Andrin Limited.
• Announcement of consolidated provincial courthouse to be built in Market District.
• Began redevelopment of Lang Tannery by private developer Cadan Inc.
• Kitchener city council earmarked $500,000 from its Economic
Development Investment Fund to be put toward specialized equipment and technical resources to operate a digital media convergence centre in the core.

http://www.kitchener.ca/en/insidecityhall/resources/Downtown_trends_indicators.Pdf

And just for a bit of contrast in tone and focus, here's a taste of Hamilton EcDev's 19-page Downtown Hamilton Profile:

• 8,512 residents in 2006 [Downtown Hamilton Secondary Plan Area]
• Ward 2 up 5% [1,950 residents] from 1986 to 2006
• 64% of Downtown residents aged 15 and over have incomes below $20,000 per year, compared to 43% for the City
• Average household income is below the City average of $70,000
• Over 20,000 people work Downtown
• One quarter in Public Administration
• One quarter of Downtown workers earn $60,000+
• One quarter of Downtown residents (aged 25-64) have been to university
• 31% of Downtown workers have been to university

http://www.investinhamilton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DowntownProfile.pdf


In Kitchener, as in Hamilton, money has also been a significant catalyst. But unlike Hamilton’s Lister Block investment ($7m provincial grant, $30m municipal lease over 20 years), Kitchener’s Centre Block investment ($13m) sparked a private sector windfall ($95m investment).

http://www.benjaminbach.com/kitchener-waterloo/centre-block-to-bring-95-million-development-to-kitchener-downtown/