General Retail News

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

It'll be good to see the Ogilvy building saved and being used again.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

It'll be good to see the Ogilvy building saved and being used again.

Sorry - does the article say this? I apologize if I missed it.

If so, good to see some people taking a chance on that stretch of Rideau. It's not the most pleasant place to walk around at the moment and nice that someone can look beyond the rough edges at its potential.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Sorry - does the article say this? I apologize if I missed it.

It doesn't explicitly say so, but the Ogilvy building has been in renderings and floor plans for an expanded Rideau Centre. I'm assuming that just because ownership has changed, the expansion plans/renderings haven't.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

It doesn't explicitly say so, but the Ogilvy building has been in renderings and floor plans for an expanded Rideau Centre. I'm assuming that just because ownership has changed, the expansion plans/renderings haven't.

Thanks. Good news if it happens.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

It doesn't explicitly say so, but the Ogilvy building has been in renderings and floor plans for an expanded Rideau Centre. I'm assuming that just because ownership has changed, the expansion plans/renderings haven't.

IMO, the expansion should bridge into it, use the old Ogilvy building (some department store might want that!) and have the 2nd and 3rd floors run to that building.

The existing surface parking lot, which would be covered by the 2nd and 3rd floors, should convert into a transit station and layover facility for OC Transpo buses terminating downtown.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

IMO, the expansion should bridge into it, use the old Ogilvy building (some department store might want that!) and have the 2nd and 3rd floors run to that building.

The existing surface parking lot, which would be covered by the 2nd and 3rd floors, should convert into a transit station and layover facility for OC Transpo buses terminating downtown.

Sorry, but I strongly disagree with the bolded bit. We're trying to remake Rideau into a nice street again with street interaction. The last thing we need there is a miniature repeat of the covered bus station. What SHOULD happen is ground level stores with entrances facing Rideau, and with an open display, similar to what Forever 21 has done.

[OttawaSteve]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

The existing surface parking lot, which would be covered by the 2nd and 3rd floors, should convert into a transit station and layover facility for OC Transpo buses terminating downtown.

It could be below grade, allowing for street-level retail along Rideau (is there enough space here for a ramp, bus bays, and layup facilities?)

The majority of passenger trips on buses travelling Rideau Street seem to originate at or be destined for the Rideau Centre stop, so I think such a facility makes sense in planning terms.

I wonder what percentage of those trips are walking transfers to/from buses on Mackenzie King. Ideally any off-street bus station on Rideau would have a direct connection to the LRT, and this would be on the wrong side of the mall for that. But I'm sure the Rideau Centre would be happy to see a walking transfer east-west through the first floor of the mall. The existing east-west corridor on the first floor actually seems well suited for that.

[lrt's friend]

We do not need a downtown urban transit terminal. Buses should flow through downtown and travel to terminals in the suburbs where land is less valuable and more abundantly available. The worst thing we could do is create a terminal on Rideau Street requiring buses to exit and enter Rideau Street. This would create congestion at the entrance of the terminal and create a pedestrian hostile environment. Downtown transit terminals are something for small cities and cities which have much smaller and less successful transit systems and for cities that can create large multi-modal transit complexes. We do not have the space for such a monster and without the possibility of commuter rail coming into downtown, what is the point? Flow through bus routes that connect with LRT is the most efficient way to operate.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

We do not need a downtown urban transit terminal.

We do if OC Fucking Transpo keeps splitting otherwise perfectly good city centre routes.

Buses should flow through downtown and travel to terminals in the suburbs where land is less valuable and more abundantly available.

The Rideau terminal doesn't move passengers to and from suburbs. It moves them to and from and between central neighbourhoods.

The bus mall was a fiasco, but so is the woefully inadequate transit amenities on the modern-day Rideau.

Flow through bus routes that connect with LRT is the most efficient way to operate.

Another good reason to stop splitting cite-centre routes.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

Sorry, but I strongly disagree with the bolded bit. We're trying to remake Rideau into a nice street again with street interaction. The last thing we need there is a miniature repeat of the covered bus station. What SHOULD happen is ground level stores with entrances facing Rideau, and with an open display, similar to what Forever 21 has done.

There is no reason that can't happen, along with better shelter and information for the Rideau bus transit public. The redevelopment of that stretch of Rideau should include "passive" transit-friendly shelter and other features. (Think, e.g., of the overhang of the building with Prospero Books in it on Bank and Slater, which serves as a useful shelter for passengers transferring to or catching southbound Bank St. routes.)

[WadiRum]

This announcement is from July 2011

The Rideau Centre under new owner Cadillac Fairview will see some big changes with LRT.

Ivan Boulva, vice-president of development, told council expansion plans are back on the front burner and the mall will consider more shops in the connections with the rail station.

Boulva wasn’t excluding any financial contributions to the LRT connection, but he said the company would have to clear it with its owner, the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan.

“We are delighted this project is moving ahead, continuing its path forward,” Boulva said, and he had special words for rookie Coun. Mathieu Fleury, “a breath of fresh air in the process.”
Fleury represents Rideau-Vanier ward, where the mall is located.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

There is no reason that can't happen, along with better shelter and information for the Rideau bus transit public. The redevelopment of that stretch of Rideau should include "passive" transit-friendly shelter and other features. (Think, e.g., of the overhang of the building with Prospero Books in it on Bank and Slater, which serves as a useful shelter for passengers transferring to or catching southbound Bank St. routes.)

I've always assumed that when the tunnel construction is complete, bus routes that are now on Rideau would move to the Mackenzie King Bridge, where they could take advantage of the existing station infrastructure.

I think there will be a lot fewer buses on Rideau once the tunnel is built.

[gjhall]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

I've always assumed that when the tunnel construction is complete, bus routes that are now on Rideau would move to the Mackenzie King Bridge, where they could take advantage of the existing station infrastructure.

I think there will be a lot fewer buses on Rideau once the tunnel is built.

I would hope that at least the STO system will move there. I'm not sure about the OC ones, as they are urban routes, not commuter buses.

[toaster]

American retailer Marshalls is opening its first store in the Ottawa area, at the Ottawa Trainyards. Marshalls is a Winners-type discount store, owned by TJX.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by toaster

American retailer Marshalls is opening its first store in the Ottawa area, at the Ottawa Trainyards. Marshalls is a Winners-type discount store, owned by TJX.

That is the first in all of Canada?

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

That is the first in all of Canada?

Its the second Toronto had the first.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by toaster

American retailer Marshalls is opening its first store in the Ottawa area, at the Ottawa Trainyards. Marshalls is a Winners-type discount store, owned by TJX.

Marshall's isn't just Winner-like... it, and TJ Maxx *are* the American version of Winners. They are practically identical, and it's no wonder because they are all owned by the same company, TJX (as mentioned).

[SpongeG]

the only real difference i have noticed is marshalls is cleaner and better organized and their shoe dept is much better but its exactly the same - i believe tj maxx bought out marshalls in the last decade or so and just kept it as is

I wish we could get ross despite it being like shopping in a war zone

[MountainView]

Building is all set to be merchandised with shelves and products...should be opening within a month I would guess.

[Radster]

Does anyone know what store will be opening beside the Winners in Gatineau (beside the HWY 50)? They already extended the Winners building westward, but I haven't seen any sign of a new tenant.