Dead Malls of Canada - Page 14

The_Architect · #**261** Posted **Jan 4, 2011, 9:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vid

Looks like a high school.

Wow I wish my high school looked like that.. mine looked like a prison. Not even exaggerating, it had the narrow parapet-looking windows on dreary brick and everything..

freeweed · #**262** Posted **Jan 4, 2011, 9:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Architect

Wow I wish my high school looked like that.. mine looked like a prison. Not even exaggerating, it had the narrow parapet-looking windows on dreary brick and everything..

No shit. My last high school had exactly 2 sets of windows. The front doors (and teacher's offices), and a small one set in one specific room on an upper floor. Essentially it was entirely windowless - we never understood why that one window was put in. This was by design as well. To keep kids "focused" or something.

vid · #**263** Posted **Jan 4, 2011, 9:50 PM**

We've got a couple new ones that have that "large glass with bricks" look:

This one uses Tyndall Stone in the wall beside the glass, so kids can explore the fossils

High school we just build:

and our new City Hall:

Mash them altogether by an architect with actual skills, use materials that aren't shit, and you've got a vacant mall in a suburb!

Look up some newer high schools in the US, you'll probably find a couple that look like that, with the curved glass facade, large windows and brick.

All the schools I've ever been to (all two of them) had pretty large windows. The elementary school I went to had the large multi-pane industrial style windows when it was built, but they were replaced with this shit, probably during that "let's hide the children in darkness" era.

Darkoshvilli · #**264** Posted **Jan 4, 2011, 11:23 PM**

My last high school

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sourc...54.09,,0,-0.48

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sourc...45.36,,0,-3.16

caltrane74 · #**265** Posted **Jan 5, 2011, 12:18 AM**

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-1...8-million.html

Hines Real Estate Investment Trust Inc. agreed to sell a Toronto office and retail complex to H&R REIT Properties Ltd. for C$344.8 million ($344.8 million).

Hines bought the property, Atrium on Bay, in 2007 for C$250 million, the Houston-based company said in a regulatory filing today. Hines said it expects the sale to be completed no later than June 30.

SpongeG · #**266** Posted **Jan 5, 2011, 12:44 AM**

I don't know if its dead dead but Royal City Centre in New Westminster used to be two levels of retail and they closed the top floor and made into office space (possibly a call centre in there)

the main anchor was Woodwards which was 3 levels - it shut down and became a Zellers and than that shut down a few years ago - I don't know what it is now but part of it is a fitness centre

there is still a safeway and a shoppers drug mart and a busy food court and small stores as its very accessible for the area its in serves them well but its not what it was - having some condo towers attached probably helps keep it going

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/9754915

Acajack · #**267** Posted **Jan 6, 2011, 3:20 PM**

Dead power centre (barely 10-15 years old) not too far from where I live in Gatineau:

I believe this was the biggest Zellers store in Canada when it opened. It is now rented by the federal government as warehouse space:
http://maps.google.fr/maps?hl=fr&q=A...,0.003479&z=19

Former Price Club/Costco right next door, now used as a huge winter storage centre for boats, etc:
http://maps.google.fr/maps?hl=fr&q=A...=12,69.75,,0,5

Costco ended up relocating to a more established part of the city, whereas Zellers closed this store and concentrated its operations in the same established area that Costco picked.

Sorry if the links are yucky.

MolsonExport · #**268** Posted **Jan 6, 2011, 5:36 PM**

15 years hence, I reckon we will see the dead power centre phenomenon repeated across the land.

Acajack · #**269** Posted **Jan 6, 2011, 5:57 PM**

Thanks to Tony for fixing my links!

MolsonExport · #**270** Posted **Jan 26, 2011, 9:42 PM**

If you need to feel depressed, here is a great video of dying malls:

• Video Link

MolsonExport · #**271** Posted **Jan 26, 2011, 9:45 PM**

Another great set:

• Video Link

Distill3d · #**272** Posted **Feb 3, 2011, 10:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I don't know if its dead dead but Royal City Centre in New Westminster used to be two levels of retail and they closed the top floor and made into office space (possibly a call centre in there)

the main anchor was Woodwards which was 3 levels - it shut down and became a Zellers and than that shut down a few years ago - I don't know what it is now but part of it is a fitness centre

there is still a safeway and a shoppers drug mart and a busy food court and small stores as its very accessible for the area its in serves them well but its not what it was - having some condo towers attached probably helps keep it going

I've been to the Royal City Center a few times. I'm thinking it must be mismanaged or something because its in a great, high traffic location in New West and should be doing better than it is. I personally would love to see it busier than it is.

Distill3d · #**273** Posted **Feb 3, 2011, 10:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickinacan

How about a mall that has never had a single tenant in its entire history?

(Source - BC Local News - LINK)

I present 104th Avenue Centre in Surrey, BC. It has been empty for 13 years, never had anyone occupy the building, and is owned by some investor in Arizona. It apparently accounts for so much of the vacancy rate in the city, that it is no longer included in the annual vacancy rate listings.

From Google Maps it looks like it could be an institution of some sort. Court House, Police HQ, or as some have said a school of some sort. It really doesn't look like its supposed to be a mall. And its in a bad location for traffic and transit.

O-tacular · #**274** Posted **Feb 3, 2011, 10:24 PM**

How's this for a lively mall?

http://twitpic.com/3w6rpo
http://twitpic.com/3w6rq8

Some guy decided to go for a stroll in his birthday suit in the Bankers' Hall mall / +15 in DT Calgary today.

Edit: Thanks to RamsayFarian for dredging up these pics.

Coldrsx · #**275** Posted **Feb 3, 2011, 11:07 PM**

Good old Heritage Mall in Edmonton... demolished a few years ago to make way for Century Park. Truly speaks volumes about a throw away society.

(http://www.archatb.com/media/imagic/...enturyPark.jpg)

(http://www.procura.ca/2006/images/re..._century_2.jpg)

CCF · #**276** Posted **Feb 4, 2011, 2:13 AM**

Ellen Dunham-Jones would be proud of that Edmonton project!

MustangJay · #**277** Posted **Mar 20, 2011, 12:07 AM**

This may come as a surprise to many but I would put Sheway Gardens mall in Etobicoke into the category of dead mall. It's myth as being a high-end shopping centre is much more myth then reality. In recent years Square One, Yorkdale, and Bloor Street have sapped much of the affluent clientele that used to frequent that mall. Many of the more expensive stores there are struggling to make money and it's only a matter of time before tenants begin to leave in droves.

SpongeG · #**278** Posted **Mar 20, 2011, 12:33 AM**

that is funny - its hardly dead - are you telling us toronto is too small for such a mall?

thats a joke

manny_santos · #**279** Posted **Mar 20, 2011, 3:12 AM**

As I just posted in the SSP Local:London forum...

I visited Oxbury Mall today...oh what a dump.

First, there was Food Basics. Parts of the ceiling are covered by blue tarps, and other parts of the ceiling are in poor condition. That supermarket is in the worst condition of any supermarket I have been to in North or Central America.

The Hallmark store in the mall has a sign up saying they're moving to Bellwood Plaza (LCBO plaza at Oxford and Gammage) at the beginning of May. As there is a Canada Post outlet in that store, that will be the end of having a post office within walking distance of Fanshawe College.

Aside from Medix School, one of the only other tenants is a little joint called Seniors Craft Store. It even had an elderly woman inside knitting! The entire east half of the mall past the diner is abandoned storefronts, plus Payless Liquidation. There used to be a Zellers there over 15 years ago.

I think this place puts both London Mall and Kitchener's Frederick Mall to shame. Too bad I didn't have my camera with me.

LeftCoaster · #**280** Posted **Mar 20, 2011, 4:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MustangJay

This may come as a surprise to many but I would put Sheway Gardens mall in Etobicoke into the category of dead mall. It's myth as being a high-end shopping centre is much more myth then reality. In recent years Square One, Yorkdale, and Bloor Street have sapped much of the affluent clientele that used to frequent that mall. Many of the more expensive stores there are struggling to make money and it's only a matter of time before tenants begin to leave in droves.

Interesting you say that.

According to the revs generated it is no where near a dead mall, and it is about to undergo a major renovation and expansion with a couple large new high end retailers...