Mountain Plaza
 

Plaza merchants get update on plans
November 17, 2007
Mark Newman
Torstar News Service
(Nov 17, 2007)
Lynda Chapple is feeling better about her computer business these days.
Chapple was one of dozens of merchants at Mountain Plaza Mall who received a hand-delivered letter Nov. 13 from Hamilton South Shopping Centres Ltd, part of the SmartCentres empire, outlining some of the redevelopment plans for the longtime shopping centre at Upper James and Fennell.
At a meeting Nov. 1, about 50 mall merchants complained they were being kept in the dark about SmartCentres' $50-million plus development plans and whether or not they were included in those plans.
"They are communicating with us now," said Chapple, who welcomed the information. "Things are looking a little nicer for tenants in the mall."
Chapple noted her lease has been extended until 2009. It was due to expire at the end of next January.
"Things look very bright for me," she said. "Right now I'm very content."
The letter from Christine Cote, land development manager at SmartCentres, reassures the tenants they will not be affected by the company's redevelopment plans for about 18 months.
"We do not expect any existing space to be affected prior to the spring of 2009," the letter states.
The letter says the company will meet with each and every tenant in the next couple of months and that by sometime in February 2008 all the businesses should have agreements in place relating to their short-term or long-term location within the mall. The letter does not indicate who or how many businesses will be part of the redevelopment.
The letter states the company has applied to the city for site plan approval and that site plan approval does not deal with the subdivision of space within the new buildings.
The letter was sent to the merchants at the request of Ward 7 councillor Scott Duvall who met with Cote Nov. 9.
"I'm happy (the merchants) are getting some answers," Duvall said. "It stops some of the rumours that were floating around."
According to the site plan submitted to the city two weeks ago, SmartCentres plans to tear down all existing buildings with the exception of the building at the north end of the 7.6 hectare site. Going up will be six new buildings, including a Wal-Mart at the south end of the plaza and a Shoppers Drug Mart and a two storey retail-office mixed-use building along Upper James near Fennell.

There's a really good Chinese restaurant in the mall currently. I forget it's name, but I think it's China-KiKi or something hahaha
Also there's a great Meat Booth just in the main entrance off Upp James.
It'll be really sad b/c I can guarantee 3/4 of the current tennants will not have a space in this new development. So long Valentino's, too.

Stores to stick around would be: Shoppers (OBVIOUSLY), WalMart *shudders*, Payless, Blockbuster, Subway, Tim's, CIBC, Bulk Barn, Beer Store (prolly a new LCBO too cuz the one up the street is SOOO small)... other than those, I don't think many other tenants will be able to stay in the new big box style :(

So the North end of the mall is being kept + 6 New Buildings.

1 will be an office retail mix, so there will be space on the lower floors from more of the stores.

There will be a Wallmart and a Shoppers, and a Beer Store so that's 4 of the 6 buildings.

I figure there will be a Tim Hortons, making 5 buildings.

Any clue for what the last new building will be?

^^ LCBO!! I don't know for sure, but I'm sure they're definately interested in getting out of their tiny, 1960's bldg up the street a bit.

Hamilton council had really better watch out.
They're seeing this big box garbage closing in on downtown with each passing month it seems.
If they have any hope of retaining the next generation of citizens and their university-degrees they had better do some good work at holding this crap out of downtown and other stable, urban neighbourhoods that are becoming very desirable among young people.
They still don't seem to have clued in that new economy jobs move to cities that offer that certain 'it' in their quality of life.
And that 'it' doesn't consist of more Dollarama's and Walmarts at every turn.

Did MPM suddenly move closer to downtown? In it's original guise as an outdoor strip center anchored by Woolco, MPM was decidely and wholey suburban--there has never been anything even remotely urban about it. I'm puzzled and amused that those who are whole-heartedly behind "new urbanism" are suddenly shedding tears over small, dark old shopping malls that have outlived their useful lives. I'm starting to wonder where this "it" city is that is devoid of big-box development and is imbued with nothing but cool hipness and intellect, where people shun all chain stores, especially Wal*Mart. Upper James is far from being an urban strip (even if the older surrounding neighborhoods are somewhat urban in character)--if they were knocking down MPM to build a Zellers, we wouldn't even be discussing it here.

I wonder if any of the new buildings will have multiple tenants in them? I'd almost be inclined to think so since the big boxers don't have multiple floors in their design.
So there could be a bunch of tenants, not just 6.

^ Yes, the middle building will have office space on the top floor.

no, I mean there might be multiple tenants on the ground floor...like a plaza type building, instead of just a stand-alone design (other than the Shoppers and Walmart buildings, of course)

Pssh, why share a box? They ain't sharing their box! jeez

I actually don't mind that mall, nor Jackson square. The thing is, because they are "ugly ducklings" of the mall world, they tend to have more independent stores. Even if the stores aren't fancy, I think it's nice to be able to go someplace and see something different alongside the usual chain crap. At least at this mall, you park once and get out and walk to all the stores. (or if you are me, you walk up the mountain with your bike, ride it there, lock it once and walk around inside). The big box developments (even the smaller scale ones) seem to shun that concept. You are supposed to drive to each store and get the closest parking spot you can find. Try to walk and you have to climb embankments, trample through half-assed gardens etc.

Anyway, I hope they keep the bulk barn. Actually that reminds me to ask for a bulk barn downtown ;-)

And people wonder why Obesity is such a problem in North America!?
"Let's sue McDonald's!!!"

Umm, there's McDonalds' in Europe too... key difference, THEY WALK TO IT!
Blame your lazy selves! (not us... the ppl who sue mcdonalds)

plus, nobody in europe eats at mcdonalds...once in a while perhaps.

No one in Europe eats at McDonalds? They must be on the verge of closing up shop over there.

according to family and friends who have visited/lived there, it's mostly for fat tourists and an occasional eat by locals (this is Paris, Rome etc...)
I don't think too many Paris residents are eating at McD's 5 times a week.

Mountain Plaza Mall merchants welcome on Concession Street

By Mark Newman
Nov 23, 2007

But space is limited along Mountain's oldest shopping district

Concession Street could be the answer for some merchants at Mountain Plaza Mall who may have to find a new home in a couple of years.

Paul Wharton, chair of the Concession Street Business Improvement Area (BIA), said the group is aware of the pending redevelopment at Mountain Plaza Mall and businesses there who may be forced to move would be welcome on Concession Street.

"I feel for the people up there, not knowing and the possibilities of being shunted from here to there while construction goes on," Mr. Wharton said. "I think there are merchants and business people up there that certainly would benefit from coming down to our community."

While the BIA is not actively pursuing the mall merchants, Mr. Wharton said he would be pleased to provide information about Concession Street if approached.

"I would prefer if they are interested, that they would approach us," Mr. Wharton said. "We don't want to poach people. We want people that want to come into our community."

Mountain Plaza Mall owner SmartCentres is looking at a $50 million plus phased-in redevelopment of the property at Fennell and Upper James over the next several years. That includes tearing down most of the existing buildings and replacing them with a new development that includes a 130,103 square-foot Wal-Mart. City planning officials are currently mulling over the site plan that was submitted nearly a month ago.

According to a letter from Christine Cote, land development manager at SmartCentres, that was sent to each of the mall merchants recently, no work is expected to begin on the site for about 18 months and that by sometime in February 2008 all the businesses should have agreements in place relating to their short-term and/or long term location within the mall.

Mountain historian Colwyn Beynon, who organized a meeting of mall merchants Nov. 1, feels some of the business owners will probably explore the Concession Street option.

"Especially some of the smaller mom and pop shops," Mr. Beynon said. "It would be worth their while (for the Concession Street BIA)to send an ambassador there."

Mr. Beynon said many of the merchants are "taking a deep breath" and waiting to see what happens in the next few months.

Mall merchants looking to move to Concession Street may find only limited space available.

Realtor Craig Knapman, a member of the BIA's economic-development committee who oversees some of the street listings, figured that as of this week there were four available spaces that he was aware of, two of them storefront locations, and probably another two or three spaces that have not been listed.

Those spaces range in size from about 6,600 square feet at $5.96 per square foot to about 800 square feet at $22 per square foot.

Mr. Knapman said space availability can change month-to-month, noting there were about 12 available spaces on the street a couple of months ago.

"The BIA's been going a good job of trying to attract business to the area," Mr. Knapman said.

He estimated about half of the Businesses on Concession Street are now medical or wellness-related services.

"I think there's still demand by the medical field for space here and I think that will always be the case, but I think that we're starting to see more retail looking at coming here," Mr. Knapman said.

Good stuff... Let's hope it works out for both the BIA and the mall merchants.

Anyone else think the downtown BIA should learn a thing-or-two from the Concession BIA??

I was just going to post the same thing DC...the downtown BIA needs to get with it.....they should try this same approach with businesses in Centre Mall, even though it's further away.

Wrong McD's in Paris are mostly for parisian, there are over 250 McD's in Paris metro, most of them are in non touristic area.
Exactly like Starbucks.

Don't be wrong, Paris is a bussiness city like N.Y or London with million people working here, it is not a city for tourist.
Tourism represent a very smal part of Paris $600 billon GDP.

wow, we have parisiens checking out our thread. wild stuff.

ya, people eat poorly just about everywhere. anyone know the fattest country on the planet? kuwait. bet you didn't know that.