St. Laurent Shopping Centre

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by DogsWithJobs

I saw that they have demolished the parking garage between the mall and Coventry. Is something going to be built there or was the parking garage just at the end of its life?

The Sears garage is gone?? I had no idea. That garage was crumbling to the ground on it's own.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by DogsWithJobs

I saw that they have demolished the parking garage between the mall and Coventry. Is something going to be built there or was the parking garage just at the end of its life?

Originally Posted by Harley613

The Sears garage is gone?? I had no idea. That garage was crumbling to the ground on it's own.

Been maybe a couple months. Pile of debris might still be there.

No proposal for that lot. The place was held up by jack-posts for many years (while still letting people park underneath, but I don't think on top).

[harls]

They probably didn't want to have one of those Laurier ave. parking garage fiascos on their hands.

[ponyboycurtis]

I want to say the parking garage was closed other than the ground level for probably close to 10 years now? if not 10 then a good 5-7 for sure.

[OttawaSkyriseLover]

Originally Posted by DogsWithJobs

I saw that they have demolished the parking garage between the mall and Coventry. Is something going to be built there or was the parking garage just at the end of its life?

Is this the area you're talking abiout?

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=261651

If you go down the thread a bit it seems that there is a future plan to have Coventry completely full of highrises.

[MichelKazan]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

I want to say the parking garage was closed other than the ground level for probably close to 10 years now? if not 10 then a good 5-7 for sure.

It's been at least since Sears closed. Whenever that was.

[J.OT13]

Looking at Good Streetview, jackposts only appeared after May 2021. I was sure it had been longer. Upper levels closed somewhere between August 2017 and October 2020.

Sears closed January 8 2018.

Kind of funny looking at GeoOttawa. Only see one car up there in 2011, two cars in 2007, maybe a dozen in 2002, not a one in 1991. That parking structure was never needed other than maybe December for about a decade.

[DogsWithJobs]

Originally Posted by OttawaSkyriseLover

Is this the area you're talking abiout?

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=261651

If you go down the thread a bit it seems that there is a future plan to have Coventry completely full of highrises.

Ah I see. In the master plan it would be the area labelled block 7. It falls outside the area of phase 1 so probably nothing will go there for the foreseeable future.

[AuxTown]

The problem with St. Laurent will never be St. Laurent. The issue is that east end shoppers will always be split between two regional(ish) shopping centres, St Laurent and Place d'Orleans. As a result, neither will ever live up to their potential...at least not in the near term. Both have had nice looking renos recently but foot traffic always seems low, sadly.

[OttawaSkyriseLover]

Originally Posted by AuxTown

The problem with St. Laurent will never be St. Laurent. The issue is that east end shoppers will always be split between two regional(ish) shopping centres, St Laurent and Place d'Orleans. As a result, neither will ever live up to their potential...at least not in the near term. Both have had nice looking renos recently but foot traffic always seems low, sadly.

Orleans is quite far away from St. Laurent. I don't think they compete for customers at all. If there was any competition it would be between St. Laurent and Gloucester as they're much closer together. I think generally though malls are not as popular as they used to be since online shopping came around. They've gotta pivot from retail into experiences. Imagine an escape room or a real movie theatre or a rock climbing area? That would surely increase foot traffic.

[Kitchissippi]

St Laurent is kind of poorly integrated into the surrounding communities. Overbrook and Cyrville are more of strip mall/Big Box kind of clientele which is why the shopping areas nearby are relatively busier. It's too bad the mall didn't get Decathlon and Adonis as tenants, that would have given the mall some unique appeal. Maybe if they got T&T to go into the former Toys Я Us it might pump some life into the mall

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by OttawaSkyriseLover

Orleans is quite far away from St. Laurent. I don't think they compete for customers at all. If there was any competition it would be between St. Laurent and Gloucester as they're much closer together. I think generally though malls are not as popular as they used to be since online shopping came around. They've gotta pivot from retail into experiences. Imagine an escape room or a real movie theatre or a rock climbing area? That would surely increase foot traffic.

Gloucester Centre doesn't really compete with St. Laurent. Gloucester is very local, serving more for daily needs (groceries, pharmacy, Walmart), while St. Laurent is more shopping (clothes, shoes, arts and crafts, music...)

Originally Posted by AuxTown

The problem with St. Laurent will never be St. Laurent. The issue is that east end shoppers will always be split between two regional(ish) shopping centres, St Laurent and Place d'Orleans. As a result, neither will ever live up to their potential...at least not in the near term. Both have had nice looking renos recently but foot traffic always seems low, sadly.

I agree, there's more overlap with St. Laurent and Place d'Orleans. They are both regional malls with a lot of the same stores. I'd say St. Laurent is a step above. I'd wager most people in the old east end choose St. Laurent, and most in Orleans choose Place d'Orleans, but the slightly better variety of stores can sometimes tip the scales to St. Laurent.

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

St Laurent is kind of poorly integrated into the surrounding communities. Overbrook and Cyrville are more of strip mall/Big Box kind of clientele which is why the shopping areas nearby are relatively busier. It's too bad the mall didn't get Decathlon and Adonis as tenants, that would have given the mall some unique appeal. Maybe if they got T&T to go into the former Toys Я Us it might pump some life into the mall

True, St. Laurent has lost a lot to nearby strip malls. Even Kiddie Kobbler moved across the street in the early 2000s for a better lease (one would assume). They've moved things around to somewhat fill the empty Sears and HBC stores, but for sure, a grocery store in Toys R Us would be a huge win, attracting people from farther afield thanks to the superior O-Train connection (Gloucester Centre has groceries, but it's quite the walk between the train and the stores, with some outdoor stretches).

I would love to see St. Laurent come up with a master plan to add housing towers around the mall with direct indoor connection, more landscaping and pedestrian paths.

[hwy418]

Originally Posted by OttawaSkyriseLover

Orleans is quite far away from St. Laurent. I don't think they compete for customers at all. If there was any competition it would be between St. Laurent and Gloucester as they're much closer together. I think generally though malls are not as popular as they used to be since online shopping came around. They've gotta pivot from retail into experiences. Imagine an escape room or a real movie theatre or a rock climbing area? That would surely increase foot traffic.

St. Laurent competes with Rideau and Train Yards. Orleans is maybe 10-15 mins by car to St. Laurent and Train Yards outside of morning peak hours. 5 more mins and you're at the Rideau Centre.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by hwy418

St. Laurent competes with Rideau and Train Yards. Orleans is maybe 10-15 mins by car to St. Laurent and Train Yards outside of morning peak hours. 5 more mins and you're at the Rideau Centre.

Right, I forgot about Train Yards. Biggest blow to St. Laurent.

I wouldn't say Rideau competes with St. Laurent as much. I can't imagine anyone in a suburban area deciding they'll go to the mall on a whim and choose Rideau if they're using a car. Rideau requires a plan in advance to shop at a specific store. Getting there and parking are a pain.

For us, if we're going to Rideau, we're making an evening of it, parking in the ByWard Market (maybe City parking that's cheaper), going to Rideau for Simons or something, bringing our purchases back to the car and then going to a restaurant.

If you don't have a car or live on the O-Train, then Rideau could be as good an option as St. Laurent.

[hwy418]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Right, I forgot about Train Yards. Biggest blow to St. Laurent.

I wouldn't say Rideau competes with St. Laurent as much. I can't imagine anyone in a suburban area deciding they'll go to the mall on a whim and choose Rideau if they're using a car. Rideau requires a plan in advance to shop at a specific store. Getting there and parking are a pain.

For us, if we're going to Rideau, we're making an evening of it, parking in the ByWard Market (maybe City parking that's cheaper), going to Rideau for Simons or something, bringing our purchases back to the car and then going to a restaurant.

If you don't have a car or live on the O-Train, then Rideau could be as good an option as St. Laurent.

I live in Orleans and shop almost exclusively at Train Yards and Rideau. I don't mind paying a few bucks to park at Rideau to avoid parking in the market (it's become too much of a hassle). On occasion, I'll take the train. I will probably choose to take the train more once the East Extension opens and I can use the park and ride.

[BanjoUnchained]

They posted a video on Instagram about the demolition

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbWUWIvpGN4/?igsh=NncxcXByMm90cDZ0

[dougvdh]

St. Laurent biggest problem isn't entirely their own making - they just happen to be anchored by three big retailers that all failed in a little over a decade: Sears, the Bay, and ToysRUs.

The two department store spaces would be incredibly hard to back fill since they aren't single level (like what a grocer would want). They might have an easier time with the Toy'R'Us space.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by hwy418

I live in Orleans and shop almost exclusively at Train Yards and Rideau. I don't mind paying a few bucks to park at Rideau to avoid parking in the market (it's become too much of a hassle). On occasion, I'll take the train. I will probably choose to take the train more once the East Extension opens and I can use the park and ride.

Out of curiosity, what do you shop for at the Rideau Centre that you can't get at Place d'Orleans, St. Laurent or Trainyards?

[ponyboycurtis]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Out of curiosity, what do you shop for at the Rideau Centre that you can't get at Place d'Orleans, St. Laurent or Trainyards?

For myself, if I goto Rideau to shop or browse around I'll find myself in Simons, Vans, Lego, that 2 floor gaming/hobby shop.

[Glenlivet Ave]

Harry Rosen, Aesop, Simon’s, Lululemon…