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Originally Posted by YYCguys
Lethbridge (Alberta) of the 1980s had two downtown indoor malls and one suburban indoor mall. The suburban one has since been transformed into a rather busy outdoor power centre, and one of the downtown malls (Lethbridge Centre) has been largely transformed into an office complex, but the Hudson Bay store has stayed on, along with, literally, a handful of small shops. The other downtown mall (Park Place Mall) bookends the shops in the downtown area. That’s the “go to” mall with Sears as its main anchor. It also had an Eatons at one time but it has since been remodeled to accomodate medium sized box retailers.
As I mentioned above, Lethbridge Centre, has lost most of its shops to offices and I don’t think it’s that busy. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hudson Bay relocates to the former Sears location, which would be a huge blow to Lethbridge Centre! When Lethbridge Centre was originally built, there were plans for an office tower (on the east end, which did get built) and a residential tower (on the west end, adjacent to the Hudson Bay, but never did get built). There’s lots of recently built retirement condos in the downtown area which could support a grocery store, which doesn’t exist downtown. That store could find a home either in the former Sears or Hudson Bay spaces. Perhaps a grocery store and an on-site condo tower will help revitalize Lethbridge Centre!
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I'll just clarify a few things. Lethbridge actually had five indoor malls at one time - Lethbridge Centre, Park Place, College Mall, Centre Village, and Park Meadows Mall.
Lethbridge Centre opened in 1975 with Woodward's as its anchor and has been largely taken over by Alberta Health Services, though the office tower and Bay (which replaced Woodward's) still exist and there are a few health-related businesses facing 4th Avenue. The proposed apartment tower was to be at the east end, angling from 5th Street to 5th Avenue, and a Delta Hotel was to be built facing 4th Avenue, where those health related businesses and a park lot are now. There's actually an underground parking area which was meant for the hotel.
College Mall opened in 1967 with Woolco as its anchor, which was replaced by Wal Mart and, as you stated, has been converted to a power centre, anchored by a Shoppers Drug Mart, with a hotel built on part of the property as well. Not all of the proposed buildings were constructed.
Park Place opened in 1986 and now has Winners, Michaels, and a few others where Eaton's was. No announcement has been made re: the Sears location, but a grocery store has been announced for the vacant free-standing Toys R Us location, though the chain has not been specified. Superstore was looking for a site nearby of Scenic Drive some years ago. The opening of Park Place had a horrendous effect on downtown Lethbridge, as Lethbridge Centre responded by adding a second storey top its mall. The effect was to suck a great deal of retail traffic off of downtown streets. The downtown has only recently recovered, with a number of heritage restorations and three new office buildings. The story of why Park Place was built where it was is along and complex one involving railway relocation and a timid city council.
Park Meadows was built in the late 1970s and was converted to a smallish power centre some years ago, but lost its main tenant (Safeway) when Sobey's took them over.
Centre Village has existed since 1970; Sears was originally the anchor but moved to Park Place in 1986, with Canadian Tire replacing them in Centre Village. Just over a year ago Save-On Foods moved into the space formerly occupied by Zellers from its free-standing location across the parking lot, and London Drugs moved in as well, making the interior mall area much smaller than it was.
There used to be an IGA on the 700 block of 3rd Avenue across the street from Galt Gardens. It was a very busy store, but was replaced by the CASA arts complex, which will (hopefully sooner rather than later) be joined by a new performing arts centre immediately adjacent.
It's unlikely that any condos will be built at Lethbridge Centre or indeed anywhere else in the downtown. anytime soon. Projects on 3rd Avenue at 4th Street and 4th Avenue at 8th Street were abandoned due to lack of interest, Suites at 601 (I think that's the name) on 4th Avenue at 6th Street, though completed, has no residents so far as I can tell, and another conversion of a heritage building on 5th Street just south of Park Place seems to have stumbled. Two proposed seniors' condo towers of 14 and 16 storeys were dropped from the complex at 1st Avenue and Scenic Drive, as was a proposed 11 storey seniors' condo at 3rd Avenue and Scenic.