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l lpluwn Waterloo is currently undergoing a makeover that will shape the future of its dynamic city core. To understand the signifâ€" icance of this development, it is useful to look at how the Uptown has evalved over the past few years. In 1990, a survey of Uptown businesses. owners commented that parking. dilapidated _ buildings, vacant stores and lack of "green areas" were issues that _ needed _ to _ be addressed. In 1992, the city council appointed an Implementaâ€" tion Committee to oversee a plan to revitalize the core by 2007 (the cny‘s 150th anniversary). The goal of the vommittee was io "create a distinctive Uptown that proâ€" vides safe. lively accessible and attractive places to live. learn. work. shop and play." The Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex is the first cog in this revitalizaâ€" tion. By 1991. a number of industrial buildings in the uptown core. such as the Sunarâ€"Hauserman. Labatt‘s, Canbar and Seagrams all closed leaving 70 per cent of Uptown Waterloo industrial land vacant. §33 Ring BORN IN SWEDEN. RAISED IN CANADA. Bâ€"K VOLVvO By Caitlin Carpenter For the Chrontcle a w iss vOlvcs C t N. Wates CERTIFIED By 1997 among the plans proposed for the 11.2 acre former Seagrams‘ site purâ€" chased by the city was one that included a hotel, town house complex, movie theâ€" atre and office towers. This plan was eventually discardâ€" ed for several reasons, including predictions of traffic congestion and conâ€" siderable noise that would negatively affect residents of Uptown Waterlo0. In 1998 the City of Waterâ€" loo offered all businesses in Uptown Waterloo $15,000 in interestâ€"free loans â€" to revamp the exteriors of their buildings. Waterloo Town Square, a 40â€"yearâ€"old mall and office tower, is put on the block, but the $16.5 milâ€" lion price tag was initially too high for prospective developers. In 1999 First Gulf Develâ€" opments of Mississauga buys Waterloo Town Square as part of its Uptown Comâ€" mons project. It also purâ€" chased the adjacent Pier (Une Imports store and begins planning, along with its city partners. to redevelâ€" op the mall. The dawn of the new milâ€" lennium proved to be a watershed vear in the Uptown Community improvement Plan with the recommended construction of retrement homes (such as Terrace on the Square and Luther Village} and other residential buildings an the vacant industrial land in the core. These proâ€" jects have now replaced most of the vacant industrial lands in the core with resiâ€" dential development. Two years later. 2002 proved to be an exciting vear as several institutions with an international scope Uptown Waterioo is currently being spruced as new development is planned for sites like the Waterioo Town Square decide to make Uptown Waterloo their home. The Perimeter Institute of Theoâ€" retical Physics took over the former Waterloo Memorial Arena site, while the Seaâ€" grams Museum is occupied by the New Economy Instiâ€" tute the Centre for Internaâ€" tional Governance. In addiâ€" tion, plans for a new park and parking garage are included on land that was previously occupied by the Seagrams‘ distillery. The remainder of the vacant Seagrams‘ dand is divided among several posâ€" sible projects. including a new Knox Presbyterian Church, two apartment buildings and the Barrel Warehouse Park. Pier One Imports was also demolished that same vear to make room for a new retail development accuâ€" pied by Bonnie Togs, the Rude Native and Runners World. Valuâ€"mart moved into Waterloo Townr Square, as a sign of the uptown mall‘s revitalization, in the lo« ation |)"‘\’l(lll\'\' acCuâ€" pied by Zehrs The manyv redevelopâ€" ment projects in Uptown Waterioo have produced a $200 million bill since 1990, which has been shouldered by public and private investors who have come to believe in Uptown Waterâ€" loa‘s ability to continue to expand into the dynamic and vibrant core. Certainly, if the developâ€" ment in the last fifteen years is any indication of how small initiatives can lead to big changes. then these investors have a right to be optimistic. Craig Beatty Development director First Gulf Developments Yet, neither the developâ€" ers nor the City of Waterloo are willing to stop here. A new twoâ€"screen theatre towned by the Princess Cinâ€" ema) will be occupying the old Alan Righy building on King Street by the end of August And there had been talk of a new condominium building on the Seagrams lands. but for present those mixedâ€" use development with quality places for people to shop, live and work." ".. our goal has always been to creats an exciting But the core continues to change with the city recentâ€" ty repaved and reconfigured the Erb Street parking lot, while First Gulf has added a lifestyle mural on the north side of Waterloo Town Square. It has also added new flooring and ceiling lights, incorporated a new facade to the east side of the mall and has renovated the north entrance to the mall. plans have been put on hold. First Gulf and the City of Waterloo have come up with a plan to jointly develop Waterloo â€" Town Square (owned by First Gulf1, as well as the surrounding parking lot fowned by the City of Waterloo}). If the plan is approved at a council meeting and pubâ€" lic hearing in September, the demolition of the older, south side of the mall and the office tower will comâ€" mence in early 2005. It will make room for an extension of Willis Way to Caroline Street, as well as several new multiâ€"floor buildings. which will accommodate retail ser vices on the ground floor and residential or office uses above. Behind these new buildings. the current park ing lot will remain intact Continued on page 4