It has been years in the making, but the Region of Waterloo has announced that they are finally prepared to move forward with construction on a new transit hub in the heart of Downtown Kitchener. The Kitchener Central Transit Hub (previously referred to as the King-Victoria Transit Hub) will provide multi-modal access to the ION LRT, GO rail and bus services, VIA rail services, intercity buses, and local GRT buses, all housed in one eye-catching building. The project has been in planning since 2016, and is finally set to begin construction in 2025.

Aerial rendering of the plaza and transit hub, image courtesy of the Region of Waterloo.

The site is located along Victoria Street, stretching two blocks between King and Weber streets along the south side of the rail corridor. The current GO platform will shift further west to better align with the LRT station at the west end of the site along King Street. Most of the land is currently vacant, save for a few commercial properties in the eastern block.

Site plan, image courtesy of the Region of Waterloo.

The development includes a main station building located in the western block at the corner of King and Victoria with a large pedestrian plaza in front. The building is designed by WZMH Architects in conjunction with Architecture 49 and WSP.

Rendering looking north across the public plaza, image courtesy of the Region of Waterloo.

The ION LRT stop is already located directly adjacent to where the main plaza will be. A pedestrian bridge hugging the rail corridor is also planned to cross King Street.

Rendering looking east from King Street, image courtesy of the Region of Waterloo.

Rendering looking northwest across the public plaza, image courtesy of the Region of Waterloo.

Further east, a bus loop is planned for GO and GRT buses to connect to the transportation hub. Walking and cycling infrastructure upgrades are also planned for the site, and the eastern side of the building will also have a parking lot and passenger vehicle pick-up and drop-off.

Rendering looking west along the bus bays, image courtesy of the Region of Waterloo.

Rendering looking west from the bus loop, image courtesy of the Region of Waterloo.

The hub includes grandiose double-height spaces and a pedestrian ramp to bring passengers from grade up to track level. The sweeping form provides a welcoming gesture into the plaza and station, creating an iconic symbol marking this important building. Inside, generous open spaces navigate the grade change and help wayfinding for passengers transiting through the station.

Interior rendering from ground level, image courtesy of the Region of Waterloo.

Rendering looking east from platform level, image courtesy of the Region of Waterloo.

Interior rendering, image courtesy of the Region of Waterloo.

Once the transit hub is complete, the Region of Waterloo will engage with a development partner to develop the remainder of the site. They are planning for a mixed-use residential and commercial development with the mention of potential affordable housing, however, there are no specifics as to the size or scale of this future project at this time.

Interior rendering from ground level, image courtesy of the Region of Waterloo.

The Kitchener Central Transit Hub is seen as a important development that will improve accessibility and connectivity of the growing region. The project will have a focus on sustainability with a target of LEED Silver certification, and seeks to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment with access to downtown.

Rendering looking north toward the transit hub, image courtesy of the Region of Waterloo.

A precise date for the start of construction has not been set yet, as work is taking place in conjunction with Metrolinx, but the Region has announced that construction will begin in 2025 with an expected completion date of 2029.

UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on the Kitchener Central Transit Hub, 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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Related Companies:

Arcadis, WZMH Architects