Mountain Plaza

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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.