Allen Square office building in Waterloo could be converted into 129 apartment units

Another underutilized office building in Waterloo region could be converted into apartment units — this one near the uptown core in Waterloo.

City councillors heard details from developers about the proposed conversion of the Allen Square building during an informal public meeting last week.

For the project, developers are asking for a zoning by-law change to build an additional three storeys to the existing 40-year-old building. 

The conversion would add changes to the exterior of the building and renovate the interior to create roughly 129 units. It would also have 152 parking spaces, 112 bicycle parking spaces and the building's ground floor would be dedicated for commercial use.

The conversion of the office building would meet the city's official plan on intensification in the area as its close to the LRT and the uptown core, said Jenn Gaudet, a senior planner with MHBC Planning in Kitchener.

The conversion would also minimize construction impacts to the nearby neighbourhood and businesses, she said.

Gaudet also noted the conversion of Allen Square won't go without its challenges, like the lack of windows and light, as well as the additional expenses to modernize the building.

"There's quite a bit of expensive modification that's required to convert to residential, so that's an additional constraint. We have to meet a new building code when we go residential," Gaudet said.

Max Kerrigan, senior planner for the city of Waterloo, said staff will take Monday's feedback and information into consideration to draft a staff report for council to consider recommendations at a later date.

"We will hold a formal public meeting at a future date, to be determined, at which point council will make a final decision on the proposed bylaw amendment," he said.

The Allen Square project is one of several office buildings in the region that are being re-purposed for residential purposes. It's a trend that is starting to take pace in Waterloo region and across Canada as more people are working remotely.

"All major cities are struggling with this surplus of vacant office space and it's not ideal if we want to create vibrant neighbourhoods," Carol Wiebe, a partner with MHBC, told council last week.

"This building in particular has struggled with leasing over the last number of years, which is probably one of the main reasons why the previous owners sold it."

Wiebe added Allen Square had struggled to retain tenants in the past, mainly because the building was outdated and it doesn't meet the need of today's workplace.