Canadian Retail Thread

[GlassCity]

^That's a pretty insane proposal for Saskatoon. Not in a bad way necessarily, just hard to believe!

Is Saskatoon's downtown pretty well built out? I would hate for 50 floors of demand to end up on site if there are a lot of surface parking lots to fill in.

[SaskScraper]

^^^ There've been several proposals for ~30 to ~40 storey developments in Saskatoon in the past couple years i.e. Saskatoon Library, City Centre Twin Towers, 3rd Ave United Church redevelopment.



The Midtown Plaza project just looks like the most logical one to precede considering that the Plaza has been a big success over past half a century, looks like Cushman & Wakefield Developers have been planning on Sears exit from the Mall to redevelop for some time now with this developments unveiling this past Fall.

The biggest risk for changes to this plan, as shown below, may be with the potential successor to SaskTel Centre Coliseum with a plan for another NHL sized arena, this time downtown, and possibly in one of redevelopment zones for Midtown Plaza's North or South above ground parking lots.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskat...rena-1.3732690


http://www.cwcanadaassetservices.com/development/midtown-plaza-redevelopment/


For a primer on recent Saskatoon developments:

The RiverLanding triple tower project is currently being built next to the Remai Modern Art Gallery, The #1 condo tower part of project was more than 80% sold out first weekend condo office opened suggesting demand for quality downtown condos is high.



http://www.urbancapital.ca/no1riverlanding-saskatoon/https://www.saskatoon.ca/business-de...wn-master-plan

The same developer for the condo portion of this project also has plans for a similar condo high-rise across the river on south bank and another parcel of land zoned for a 25 storey building across Idlywld freeway from Riverlanding is set for sale by the city this year...

As far as land available for development downtown in Saskatoon, the city does have a lot of downtown surface parking lots, but a lot of the land has already been staked out. North Downtown Railway area border on the north with SaskPolyTech and on the south with the new Saskatoon Police Station (see largest building in center of right picture above) and is similar to Edmonton's city centre airport development plan.

In the last few months, other projects, albeit low rise, have been set for construction in downtown Saskatoon for 2018.


https://twitter.com/CCLC_SK/status/885230509575380992 http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local...-begin-in-2018


Meanwhile, across the river from downtown, The University of Saskatchewan, Continuing work on the $1/4 Billion Children's Hospital & having recently completed construction of it's Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites Hotel this past Fall, now have plans for more developments in College Quarter on U of S Campus.


https://www.ihg.com/staybridge/hotel...sb/hoteldetail https://www.caubo.ca/17a-fn08_rozon_...=Collaboration


Saskatoon downtown redevelopment is stronger than ever since the city has a very large NIMBY community that objects with having projects in their residential neighbourhoods, Market Mall Condo project that would have included 440 units is on hold largely because of nearby residents objections,

Escala in Broadway district reduced project height from 10 to 7 storeys etc,
so most development in Saskatoon is still in north end like Aerogreen Business Park or in new suburban residential, retail & office parks such as Brighton developments.


http://www.meridiandevelopment.ca/escala http://brightoncommunity.ca/

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

^That's a pretty insane proposal for Saskatoon. Not in a bad way necessarily, just hard to believe!

Is Saskatoon's downtown pretty well built out? I would hate for 50 floors of demand to end up on site if there are a lot of surface parking lots to fill in.

I don't know the context of where this is proposed in Saskatoon but, it's a pretty mediocre vision despite some attention getting tall towers. I understand a large block is need for the convention centre but, do something with the mall. Also, the 50 storey mixed use tower fighting with the convention centre for a little corner of the block while the mall next door has tihs massive, autocentric entrance right accross the street is pretty funny.

This is a joke compared to River Landing. That's something to proudly show off to the Canadian section.

[casper]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

I don't know the context of where this is proposed in Saskatoon but, it's a pretty mediocre vision despite some attention getting tall towers. I understand a large block is need for the convention centre but, do something with the mall. Also, the 50 storey mixed use tower fighting with the convention centre for a little corner of the block while the mall next door has tihs massive, autocentric entrance right accross the street is pretty funny.

This is a joke compared to River Landing. That's something to proudly show off to the Canadian section.

Midtown is a weird build two story shopping will with underground parking runs its length, it is the downtown core of the city. It was originally built as the main train station for Saskatoon, with a large number of tracks/platforms. All underground. At some point in history trains fell out of use in Canada. The station was converted into a Shopping Centre. The area that use to house the railway tracks were converted into underground parking. The main anchor tenants are the downtown Sears store and the downtown Bay Stores.

The is also a small office tower (around 11 floors).

Next door and connected (though last time I was there they had the connecting doors closed off) is the downtown convention centre and performing arts centre. The convention centre is owned by the city not the shopping centre developer.

When I lived in Saskatoon (and I still think its the case today) Midtown was the most expensive privately owned commercial property in the city. It is where the higher end major national retail brands would normally setup shop.

I think they are trying to work with the existing building. This is not a grass -field development.

[WhipperSnapper]

Appreciate you posting that tidbit. If I'm understanding this correctly, the convention centre and shoehorned tower have nothing to do with Midtown Plaza. Makes more sense now. Still an unfortunate situation for a prospective new tallest.

[casper]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

Appreciate you posting that tidbit. If I'm understanding this correctly, the convention centre and shoehorned tower have nothing to do with Midtown Plaza. Makes more sense now. Still an unfortunate situation for a prospective new tallest.

Yes, if you look at the photo form previous posters, the two story sloped roof is the old train station facade. Just behind it the white 11 story office tower (previously called the CN tower when that was the main tenant) is pre-existing.

Yes, the convention center is connected but not part of Midtown plaza.

I should add that since the underground parking was the old railway tracks it stretches for three to four blocks, including under two major streets. Currently it is just used for parking, however one could imagine a retail complex connecting multiple towers similar to the path in Toronto. I don't think the developers are planning to do anything with it other than parking.

[WhipperSnapper]

Is this tower a serious proposal or still an early concept? Is there a thread on SSP for it?

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by casper

It was a Vancouver based company from the 1940s. Went public in 1968, then they purchased Zellers and were eventually taken over by HBC.

Growing up in Vancouver in the 1970/80/90s there quite a few around the city. They competed and were very similar to Woolworth in size, format and product. Back then there were a number of Willworth stores.

In 2012 they were sold off from HBC. Today I think they are only West of the Manitoba/Ontario boarder but I could be wrong. I only know of them being in small town Saskatchewan and BC. I believe it is similar in Alberta and Manitoba.

http://www.fields.ca/about.php

The website looks like it was designed for $499.00

[casper]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

The website looks like it was designed for $499.00

Yes, they don't look like a high tech operation. Click on locations, and you will see they have at least 50 outlets.

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by casper

Yes, if you look at the photo form previous posters, the two story sloped roof is the old train station facade. Just behind it the white 11 story office tower (previously called the CN tower when that was the main tenant) is pre-existing.

Yes, the convention center is connected but not part of Midtown plaza.

I should add that since the underground parking was the old railway tracks it stretches for three to four blocks, including under two major streets. Currently it is just used for parking, however
one could imagine a retail complex connecting multiple towers similar to the path in Toronto. I don't think the developers are planning to do anything with underground other than parking.

I could see that happening too, The Cushman & Wakefield developers have plans to redo entire Saskatoon Midtown Plaza judging from their website:

A portion of the shopping centre with frontage on 1st Avenue will be transformed into a 2-storey shopping and dining destination. The existing major anchor space of a 2-level department store (Sears) will be divided amongst multiple tenants. The entire shopping centre will undergo a major refurbishment including an urban contemporary food court overlooking a new exterior plaza.

With two other proposed office tower projects on 2nd Ave only a block away from concept for the new Arts/Convention Centre on the Plaza's land, that could be a busy one city block radius in downtown Saskatoon.


https://www.google.ca/maps/@52.12559...2!8i6656?hl=en https://www.google.ca/maps/@52.12403...2!8i6656?hl=en

[WhipperSnapper]

Cushman & Wakefield are a retail services company. They manage properties and develop them but, on behalf of the clients, in this case, whoever owns Midtown Plaza. They inherited the management contract for Midtown Plaza when they bought out 20 Vic.

Just a suggestion. Just say Cushman and Wakefield. Drop the developers.

[rousseau]

Stymied by the early closing of MEC in Kitchener tonight. I didn't know that they close at 7 pm Monday to Wednesday. You don't really expect retail stores like that to close before 9 pm these days, do you? Everything else on that suburban big box strip was open. Only MEC was dark.

Turns out MEC stores across the country close at 7 pm Monday to Wednesday except for in Edmonton (both), Kelowna, Langley, North York and downtown Toronto. Wonder why?

[SpongeG]

Aren't they BC Based? Stores and malls in BC usually have those hours

m-w 9-6, t-f 9-9, s 9-6, s 9-6. Only since the arrival of stores like winners do most big box stores stay open 9-9 m-s and s 9-6 and only 3 malls in greater vancouver are open 9-9 m-s. Evening shopping in downtown vancouver almost doesn't exist.

[LeftCoaster]

The standard in Vancouver is 9 to 7 Sunday - Tuesday and 9 to 9 Wednesday to Saturday.

Some centres are different but that's the standard practice.

Would stand to reason that's why MEC's hours are the way they are.

[Loco101]

Wow, in Ontario for malls it's normally:

9 or 10am to 9pm Mon-Fri

9am to 6pm (but more and more are open until 9pm) Saturday

11am or Noon to 5pm (some 6pm) Sunday

Stores such as Walmart and grocery stores usually open before and close later than mall hours.

A number of smaller towns have malls that close at 6pm from Monday to Wednesday but not normally in places with more than 20,000 people.

[bless-u]

I wonder when will we get an Amazon Go store in Canada.

• Video Link

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Loco101

Wow, in Ontario for malls it's normally:

9 or 10am to 9pm Mon-Fri

9am to 6pm (but more and more are open until 9pm) Saturday

11am or Noon to 5pm (some 6pm) Sunday

Stores such as Walmart and grocery stores usually open before and close later than mall hours.

A number of smaller towns have malls that close at 6pm from Monday to Wednesday but not normally in places with more than 20,000 people.

In most of Quebec I think malls close early on Mon-Tue and often Wed too. Around 6 pm. Thu and Fri nights malls are open until 9.

Walmart, Canadian Tire and grocery stores tend to be open Mon-Fri until at least 9 pm.

And most everything except for grocery stores, which is to say malls, Walmart and Canadian Tire, etc. close early on Sat nights. Often at 5 pm.

[bless-u]

Here comes the next Colonel Sanders of KFC!

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Loco101

Wow, in Ontario for malls it's normally:

9 or 10am to 9pm Mon-Fri

9am to 6pm (but more and more are open until 9pm) Saturday

11am or Noon to 5pm (some 6pm) Sunday

Stores such as Walmart and grocery stores usually open before and close later than mall hours.

A number of smaller towns have malls that close at 6pm from Monday to Wednesday but not normally in places with more than 20,000 people.

yeah when i lived in ontario in the early 90's i was amazed one could go shopping on a monday evening still.

[Martin Mtl]

Ivanhoé Cambridge will invest $200 million to redevelop the downtown Montreal Eaton Centre, including merging it with the neighbouring Complexe Les Ailes shopping centre.

https://renx.ca/ivanhoe-montreal-eat...redevelopment/