General Retail News

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by Retail-Insider

Keep in mind this will only be the second-largest Nordstrom until other locations are announced. Nordstrom wants stores at Yorkdale Shopping Centre and in Downtown Toronto, both likely over 157,000 sq ft.

Ottawa may be getting a Louis Vuitton concession. Talks have commenced, and we'll let you know when we find out more.

I see on your blog you mentioned Ottawa's Holt Renfrew might be moving.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I see on your blog you mentioned Ottawa's Holt Renfrew might be moving.

It definitely needs to move as 240 Sparks is a horrible retail location these days - practically dead after 4 pm and on weekends. Where to move to though? It would have tight competition on Rideau Street or in the Rideau Centre itself, but the amount of activity there is orders of magnitude greater.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

It definitely needs to move as 240 Sparks is a horrible retail location these days - practically dead after 4 pm and on weekends. Where to move to though? It would have tight competition on Rideau Street or in the Rideau Centre itself, but the amount of activity there is orders of magnitude greater.

It would've been nice to see Holt Renfrew fill part of the Rideau Centre expansion along Rideau Street, but that's not happening now that Nordstrom is coming to the mall. It has to be somewhere visible. I don't know where there'd be enough space. Maybe the St. Laurent expansion?

[Kitchissippi]

I personally would prefer if Holt Renfrew stayed in the Sparks Street area. Maybe they could pimp out the old Zellers store and move in there. Once the LRT in in, I would love to see Queen and Sparks develop into something more like the Bloor/Yorkville area of Toronto with higher-end street-oriented boutiques, while Rideau becomes more like Yonge/Eaton Centre

[gjhall]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

It would've been nice to see Holt Renfrew fill part of the Rideau Centre expansion along Rideau Street, but that's not happening now that Nordstrom is coming to the mall. It has to be somewhere visible. I don't know where there'd be enough space. Maybe the St. Laurent expansion?

While I think you're probably right about the Rideau Centre, maybe not, as they will be in the same mall in Sherway Gardens, Pacific Centre and eventually in Yorkdale too. In the US it is not uncommon for many luxury department stores to be in the same mall, and let's not forget, Rideau Centre is a very very very strong retail centre, #10 in North America according to retail-insider.com ... so only time will tell on that one.

Alternatively, 240 Sparks has been going through some major renovations and I believe a private management company is now doing the leasing, not PWGSC, so it may well turn around.

[KHOOLE]

Originally Posted by gjhall

While I think you're probably right about the Rideau Centre, maybe not, as they will be in the same mall in Sherway Gardens, Pacific Centre and eventually in Yorkdale too. In the US it is not uncommon for many luxury department stores to be in the same mall, and let's not forget, Rideau Centre is a very very very strong retail centre, #10 in North America according to retail-insider.com ... so only time will tell on that one.

Alternatively, 240 Sparks has been going through some major renovations and I believe a private management company is now doing the leasing, not PWGSC, so it may well turn around.

I doubt that Bank and Sparks will ever turn around, Public Works or not. The same goes for the Sparks Street Mall. As Kevin said earlier, the place is dead after 4 PM and on weekends.
Ottawa is a government town and unles you can get civil servants to work 24/7, Uptown will always be dead, with or without the DOTT.
Better put your bids on redevelopment of Rideau St eastward: people live there and the market keep things going. It was a busy street before and can very likely come back to life.

[J.OT13]

The CBD and west Downtown are gaining some population too. Certainly not as much as the Market/Rideau area, but still.

If 240 Sparks and Place de Ville connect once the subway is completed, Holt Renfrew could expand one level down. I'm not sure how all these connections (same goes for the World Exchange Plaza, Sunlife Centre, Constitution Square and any Morguard holdings around the stations) would work considering the existing underground parkades which is something TO and MTL didn't have to deal with.

On another random note, Fairweather in the Rideau Centre is closing (not that anyone cares) and H&M confirms once again that they are actively looking for a location in Ottawa.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by KHOOLE

I doubt that Bank and Sparks will ever turn around, Public Works or not. The same goes for the Sparks Street Mall. As Kevin said earlier, the place is dead after 4 PM and on weekends.
Ottawa is a government town and unles you can get civil servants to work 24/7, Uptown will always be dead, with or without the DOTT.
Better put your bids on redevelopment of Rideau St eastward: people live there and the market keep things going. It was a busy street before and can very likely come back to life.

I agree. Forget placing any retail west of Elgin in the uptown core unless it is focused on the business community on weekdays. Sparks Street is excellent for lunchtime and pre- and post-business activities (great for restaurants), but so useless evenings and weekends.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

On another random note, Fairweather in the Rideau Centre is closing (not that anyone cares) and H&M confirms once again that they are actively looking for a location in Ottawa.

Over the past few years I've been telling my wife Fairweather is a waste of space since they tend to occupy some of the largest spaces in malls outside of department stores. I can't wait for them to close the Rideau Centre location. The one at St. Laurent is packing up too. In both malls they occupy large spaces that could otherwise be used by retailers that want to be in Ottawa but can't find the space.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

I personally would prefer if Holt Renfrew stayed in the Sparks Street area. Maybe they could pimp out the old Zellers store and move in there.

I was thinking the same thing when I walked past their today. According to the Retail Insider blog their current space is 47,000 sq. ft. and the Zellers space is 46,000 sp. ft. They'd probably wanna get bigger and not smaller. It would be nice if they could also take over the two floors above the Zellers (currently an office I think) and have a four floor space.

[trebor204]

I got a question about the Ottawa Trains Yards.

Is there any direct access (going across the tracks) from the Via Station, to the Train Yards

[J.OT13]

That was the plan, but I haven't heard anything about since.

page 2 under "train yards"

http://rpca.files.wordpress.com/2009...4-sep-2011.pdf

[J.OT13]

You can see the tunnel in these plans posted by blackjagger a while back.

[orleans_man]

Short Answer: No tunnel planned.

Long Answer:
The tunnel was/is in the plans for 425 Terminal Ave as noted. As far as I know, there is no planned construction for this particular project. Still just a concept.

The building going up is 395 Terminal Ave. (No tunnel). See link for details:

http://www.roneng.com/project_detail...0&t=0&f=1&pg=1

[Kitchissippi]

I thought the tunnel already exists, connecting all the platforms. It seems you can even see the outline of the concrete top of the tunnel on google maps unless I'm mistaken and that is just a surface walkway.

However, I doubt it was designed for general public circulation, just for passenger access to the present/past/future platforms.

[orleans_man]

Kitchissippi,

You are correct in that the tunnel does exist. (I don't believe it is in use any more). But I don't have first hand knowledge of that, maybe someone else can enlighten us.

However, I was pointing out that the 425 Terminal Ave. Office Building is NOT the building under construction, rather it is 395 Terminal Ave. that is under construction and that the 395 Terminal Ave. does not connect to the tunnel. So we will not be seeing any pedestrian access in the near future.

I believe the thinking is that when (and if) 425 Terminal Ave. is built they would then connect to the tunnel. This would provide pedestrian access to the general public between the Train Station and Trainyards shopping complex. If you look at the plans for 425, it does leave with that impression.

[phil235]

The tunnel is still in use (or at least it was the last time I took a train), as it provides the only access to trains on all tracks other than the track closest to the station. They need it any time there is more than one train there.

It is a ticketed area, so I don't know how they would deal with general circulation. It doesn't seem wide enough to put the ticket takers at the escalators going up to the platforms, but maybe that would be the plan.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by orleans_man

Short Answer: No tunnel planned.

Long Answer:
The tunnel was/is in the plans for 425 Terminal Ave as noted. As far as I know, there is no planned construction for this particular project. Still just a concept.

The building going up is 395 Terminal Ave. (No tunnel). See link for details:

http://www.roneng.com/project_detail...0&t=0&f=1&pg=1

So the building with the tunnel is this fine piece of architecture (and I'm not beign sarcastic this time);

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

render



larger render here
http://www.canderel.com/sites/defaul...inter_2011.pdf


425 Terminal Avenue - VIA Rail Station
http://www.canderel.com/news-communi...e-rail-station
Ottawa, ON

425 Terminal Avenue is part of the VIA Rail Station lands. Canderel was selected as VIA Rail’s development partner in the development of VIA’s Ottawa Station Lands. A 9 storey 240,000 sq. ft. LEED silver building is currently planned for this particular site. The site can accommodate a building as small as 100,000 sq. ft. or as large as 500,000 sq. ft. Direct connection to the VIA Rail Station and the OC Transpo Station will be provided by a climate controlled tunnel.

The VIA Rail Station is a strategic location with many features. The site has easy access to the Queensway via Riverside Drive or St. Laurent Boulevard. An OC Station is located in front of the site providing strong public transportation connections. The City of Ottawa is in the final planning stages for the construction of a light rail public transit system that will link the VIA Rail station with the downtown core, There are numerous amenities in the surrounding area, including the VIA Rail Station itslef and the “Train Yards” retail centre which is located across the street.

[Radster]

Originally Posted by phil235

The tunnel is still in use (or at least it was the last time I took a train), as it provides the only access to trains on all tracks other than the track closest to the station. They need it any time there is more than one train there.

It is a ticketed area, so I don't know how they would deal with general circulation. It doesn't seem wide enough to put the ticket takers at the escalators going up to the platforms, but maybe that would be the plan.

I can confirm too, that it is still in use. That said, can anyone shed some light as to why VIA Rail insists on having ticketed areas at their big stations (ie. Ottawa & MTL)? What is the point? All it does is create lineups & bottlenecks in the station, like at airports before boarding a plane.

Why not use a system which is used around the world? Why not allow people to come and go freely to/from the train platforms, with or without tickets (as they check your tickets on the train later anyway)?

With such a system there would be:
-no more lineups and bottlenecks inside the station, as passengers (and even whoever is dropping them off or picking them up) can wait on the platform (people take the train to avoid the perils of airports, so why create such unnecessary perils at a train station!?!?);
-better use of the station platforms, which are covered from the elements and made for waiting, not just boarding/disembarking from trains;
-people can kiss and wave their significant others' goodbye from the platform as they board the train, or greet them on the platform as they arrive;
-people can help their families/friends with carrying luggage to/from the platform;
-faster train boarding;
-this would also transform this tunnel into a public passageway, available for public flow between the underused Train Transitway stop and the Trainywards shopping mall and offices.
-possibility to add retail inside the tunnel (ie. flower shops, newstands, shoe polish, etc (like they do in Europe)....

Again, why is VIA Rail acting like an airline? They are in the process, depriving people some of the advantages that train travel has over flying.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Radster

I can confirm too, that it is still in use. That said, can anyone shed some light as to why VIA Rail insists on having ticketed areas at their big stations (ie. Ottawa & MTL)? What is the point? All it does is create lineups & bottlenecks in the station, like at airports before boarding a plane.

Why not use a system which is used around the world? Why not allow people to come and go freely to/from the train platforms, with or without tickets (as they check your tickets on the train later anyway)?

With such a system there would be:
-no more lineups and bottlenecks inside the station, as passengers (and even whoever is dropping them off or picking them up) can wait on the platform (people take the train to avoid the perils of airports, so why create such unnecessary perils at a train station!?!?);
-better use of the station platforms, which are covered from the elements and made for waiting, not just boarding/disembarking from trains;
-people can kiss and wave their significant others' goodbye from the platform as they board the train, or greet them on the platform as they arrive;
-people can help their families/friends with carrying luggage to/from the platform;
-faster train boarding;
-this would also transform this tunnel into a public passageway, available for public flow between the underused Train Transitway stop and the Trainywards shopping mall and offices.
-possibility to add retail inside the tunnel (ie. flower shops, newstands, shoe polish, etc (like they do in Europe)....

Again, why is VIA Rail acting like an airline? They are in the process, depriving people some of the advantages that train travel has over flying.

Well said.

I think that if money is so damn tight, the feds should just sell VIA rail to a private, non-airline party.

A private company would see the value in building a rail service to directly compete with the airlines by first implementing simple changes such as the ones you mentioned above and work on other customer service/satisfaction initiatives.

They might then follow this by implementing a Eurostar type system that could beat airlines in speed, comfort and price.

If we only look at Ottawa, most flights are domestic; this is a huge market to tap in too and take away from the airlines. And of course, it's the "greener choice" to travel by electrified rail as opposed to jet fueled planes.

Start with the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal triangle, and then stretch to Québec City and Windsor.

Down on the west coast, a Vancouver-Calgary-Edmonton line and then work to connect east and west.

It may sound expensive, but so was the original railway. And considering that most of the rights of way are already in place (but might need a straighter route at some points); it might not be too bad.

But of course, affordability would now be up to the private sector. I have no doubt that the Quebec City-Windsor corridor is absolutely warranted, but the west might be a little more questionable due to longer gaps between developed areas, lower population and density.