The Uptown Retirement Community
Hello, and welcome to the WRX Property Group website and blog. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been looking into a range of retirement communities across Kitchener-Waterloo.
We’re nearing the end of our current series, though, and today we’ll be covering our penultimate Kitchener-Waterloo retirement community: the Uptown, which is located in eastern Waterloo.
For your convenience, we’re also going to wrap things up with an overview of the retirement communities we’ve covered so far later this week. Let’s take a look at the Uptown.
Unlike other retirement communities we’ve covered, the Uptown is still under construction. The elegant Presentation Centre will hopefully be opening soon, though (you can take a look at it, and check to see its progress, here).
And thrillingly, with the Uptown’s fairly active YouTube channel, you can actually monitor the progress of the construction process: check it out here.
Videos on the account include aerial shots of the construction, as well as more artful panoramas of iconic Waterloo locations that are close enough for the Uptown’s future residents to visit whenever they want.
At several of the places, the Uptown has helpfully included estimated time of travel to or from the retirement community.
For example, they estimate the Region of Waterloo International Airport is 20 minutes away, and Grey Silo Golf Club is just 6 minutes away (you’re never too far from either taking off or teeing off).
Indeed, the video highlights just how great a city Waterloo is, and how lovely a location the Uptown has found for itself. Speaking of…
Location
The Uptown is located at 215 Lexington Road, in the northeast quadrant of the City of Waterloo (between the neighbourhoods of Lincoln Village and Colonial Acres). It’s quite close to the intersection of Lexington Road and Davenport Road, which is an important intersection, indeed.
Following Lexington to the west leads to a wide variety of restaurants and shops (the spacious, family-friendly Dearborn Restaurant is mere minutes away, for examples), and when Lexington Road turns into Columbia Street East, the shopping and dining opportunities multiply.
Indeed, the bustling hub of the Weber Street North / King Street North / Columbia Street intersection has an incredible variety of restaurants, cafés, services, and shops (both large ones like Chapters and a Wholesale Club, and smaller ones, too).
If that’s not enough, though, the Uptown residents need only travel north along Davenport Road (which is essentially right by their front door) for a few minutes to reach Conestoga Mall.
Conestoga Mall is the largest mall in Waterloo, and it’s got ample parking, a welcoming and diverse food court, plenty of shops and seating areas, and even a museum (the City of Waterloo Museum, which is free to visit, and open Tuesday to Friday).
Also by Conestoga Mall are a grocery store (Zehrs), a movie theatre (Galaxy Cinemas), and even more shops and restaurants just to the north.
The Uptown has quite a few parks and trails nearby, including one right behind the facility, the Hillside Trails, and the spacious, delightful Anndale Park to the north. But one of the best parts of the Uptown is how close it is to the Conestoga Parkway (Highway 85).
The Conestoga Parkway connects the disparate parts of Kitchener-Waterloo, and it consists of three distinct highway segments (Highway 85, Highway 7, and Highway 8).
You can follow it south all the way to Cambridge and Highway 401, which then leads on to other cities throughout Southern Ontario.
Finally, there are quite a few public transit options near the Uptown, including two bus routes that pass it directly (the 12 and the 31), and numerous lines accessible at Conestoga Mall. Once the LRT is running, there will be a stop at Conestoga Mall, too, meaning the Uptown is well-connected to different parts of Kitchener-Waterloo via the speedy ION train cars.
Accommodations
There are three primary levels of care offered in the Uptown, each tailored for specific needs. First is the Independent Living option, which is designed for individuals and couples who don’t require much additional care and are keen to live in a condo-like environment.
Next up is the Assisted Living package (Comfort Suites), which features simpler accommodations and both 24 hour nurse care and personal assistance. Finally, the Maximum Care package is for residents who are in need of the most care.
One of the Uptown’s assets is that if and when individuals need a different care package, they are able to do so seamlessly, and within the same overall facility. Indeed, couples in which one individual requires additional care are still both able to live in the Uptown.
There are a variety of great common areas for all residents to enjoy, including the Garden Terrace and the Grand Lobby. A great opportunity to be aware of is the Life Lease, which secures you a place to live, while protecting your money and investing in Kitchener-Waterloo real estate.
Life Leases are available at the Uptown, including their unique offer of a sliding scale of ownership (from full ownership to full rental, with a 50/50 option in the middle). You can read the Uptown’s guide to Life Leases here, and you can check out WRX’s article on what a Life Lease is here.
The Uptown’s residential options are among Kitchener-Waterloo’s finest retirement accommodations. In terms of Independent Living suites, there are three varieties: first is the Independent Collection, which has three models that range in size from 675 square feet to 1268 square feet.
The Garden Terrace Collection Suites offers one model currently (2 bedroom + 2 bath), and it features a beautiful, prominent terrace. Its overall size is 1223 square feet. Finally, the Penthouse Collection Suites consist of five models, ranging in size from 881 square feet up to 1312 square feet.
Across the board, these suites are elegant, refined, and expertly designed; they feature everything from granite counter tops to high-quality appliances.
The Comfort Suites come in two models, currently: Assisted Living Double Occupancy (500 square feet) and Assisted Living Single Occupancy (340 square feet).
Services include 24-hour nursing care, medication administration, full meals, programs designed to encourage physical, social, and cognitive health, and much more.
Conclusion
If you’d like to find out more about the Uptown development, you can find all of their contact information here, as well as a form you can fill out with any questions. Additionally, their Facebook account is here.
And finally, if you’ve got any questions about real estate, Life Leases, or perhaps selling a home in Kitchener-Waterloo, please feel free to contact WRX Property Group – we’d be happy to help.
Written by Will Kummer