Lansdowne Park Redevelopment Phase 1 | Completed

[alecz_dad]

Well, I'd say Roots is a lock, since they've closed their store on Bank Street at Third.

Hollowing out the highstreet to feed the mall.

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

I think the article only confirmed the outfits that have signed a lease. The others could be pending.

[kevinbottawa]

Wasn't it Glebe residents that asked for tenants like electronics stores that aren't readily available in the area? Wasn't it the BIA that asked for a cap on clothing stores?

Originally Posted by alecz_dad

+1 Unimpressed.

I guess what the retail makeup looks like is a Trinity Developments suburban shopping centre, well, because Trinity Developments is in charge of the retail portion at Lansdowne. And I don't think they know how to do anything else.

The early PR invoked Granville Island and Winnipeg's The Forks. But the reality is that Lansdowne has more to do with South Keys than anything else.

Not quite clear how they're pleasing Glebe residents. If I want a Petsmart or Source, there are plenty such things nearby.

Just more evidence that this is a horribly missed opportunity, and that the true agenda at Lansdowne had little to do with football, and everything to do with delivering prime City-owned land to private development interests for $1 a year. Well done, Roger and the Boys!

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Originally Posted by alecz_dad

Well, I'd say Roots is a lock, since they've closed their store on Bank Street at Third.

Hollowing out the highstreet to feed the mall.

Roots also just closed their store at Place d'Orleans. They might not be doing very well in the Ottawa market.

[JackBauer24]

I'd say Roots is not doing too well in Canada. Since they lost the Canadian Olympic gear contract to HBC, they seem to be on a decline.

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

Roots also just closed their store at Place d'Orleans. They might not be doing very well in the Ottawa market.

[gjhall]

There have been some posts on Retail Insider about Roots lately, it looks like they're doing some retooling right across their retail operations in Canada ... expansions as well as closures.

[JFFournier]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

Wasn't it Glebe residents that asked for tenants like electronics stores that aren't readily available in the area? Wasn't it the BIA that asked for a cap on clothing stores?

Not sure about the electronics store, but you're right on the clothing options.

[JFFournier]

Originally Posted by alecz_dad

Just more evidence that this is a horribly missed opportunity, and that the true agenda at Lansdowne had little to do with football, and everything to do with delivering prime City-owned land to private development interests for $1 a year. Well done, Roger and the Boys!

Oh well. I guess you and your like-minded friends can share the blame.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

Wasn't it Glebe residents that asked for tenants like electronics stores that aren't readily available in the area? Wasn't it the BIA that asked for a cap on clothing stores?

Don't bother muddying the rhetorical waters with facts.

The problem with these allusions to Granville Island and the Forks (which, to my recollection were invoked more by residents than anyone at OSEG) is that those types of developments do very little for the immediate neighbourhood. They are a tourist draw, primarily in the summer months, but they don't bring a lot of value to nearby residents. I don't think that most Glebites would actually be happier with something like that in their midst - those are just words to me.

This retail mix, while less exciting, is more likely to service local residents and keep the area busy on a regular basis. I don't like chain stores any more than the next guy, but I'm far more likely to walk down to Lansdowne for some wine or a movie than I am to visit Dave's All-Natural Hempseed Wakeboards.

[gjhall]

Originally Posted by phil235

Dave's All-Natural Hempseed Wakeboards.

Gluten Free? Locally Sourced?

[phil235]

Originally Posted by gjhall

Gluten Free? Locally Sourced?

Clearly all of the above.

[eemy]

I only buy free-range wakeboards.

[rocketphish]

Lansdowne’s leftover 20 per cent

February 27, 2014. 9:01 pm • Section: City Hall
Posted by: David Reevely

I’ll begin with my customary disclaimer, issued each time the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group releases the name of another tenant at the redeveloped Lansdowne Park: They’ve said all along that the most interesting, local, unique tenants will pretty definitely be announced at the end. Local entrepreneurs who have one or two locations, or maybe none at all but have some related business and are moving into retail, are the most cautious about their plans. They want to know exactly what sort of a neighbourhood they’re opening in. Their plans are the shortest-term. They have the least ready cash to throw around. They really don’t want their competitors to know what they’re up to, and they don’t want to commit to something early and then have to back out.

Big chains have deep pockets, long-term strategies, a tendency to want to start building buzz early, and less (proportionately speaking) on the line with any given new location. Whole Foods will carry on if its Ottawa store goes down. The LCBO definitely will, too. A John Taylor or a Stephen Beckta, to name two prominent restaurateurs who I’m sure OSEG would be happy to have at Lansdowne but who aren’t at this point expected ever to be there, can less readily afford a failure.

The fact that really no retailers or restaurateurs have been announced yet who have a Taylor- or Beckta-esque stature doesn’t mean that people like that aren’t going to Lansdowne. There’s still 20 per cent of the space to be accounted for. Thus:

OSEG
@OSEG_Corporate

@jchianello Lansdowne will offer something for everyone. There will be more retail announcements coming soon. Stay tuned.
6:34 PM - 27 Feb 2014

And I’ll continue on with my second customary disclaimer, which is that a successful retail district needs a certain number of, er, pedestrian businesses. There’s not really any such thing as a bespoke bank machine. And you need bank machines. So if you have a TD or a BMO branch, fine, whatever.

However.

There is no way to see a tenant list on which the closest things to unique participants are a bunch of interchangeable middle-of-the-road restaurants and think that the “personality” that Lansdowne’s “urban village” is developing is anything but “bland.”

You’ll recall that Mayor Jim Watson was happy to sell Lansdowne off for condos, once upon a time. That tells you something about the standard he’s using to judge this thing. Is it better than crumbling asphalt and a stadium that’s ready to fall on the heads on unwary passersby? Unquestionably yes, it’s better than that. Is there a plausible case that in the end, the city will end up paying nothing more for Lansdowne than it would have paid for crumbling asphalt and the tumbledown stadium? Yes, there is. So the standard is met. Anything beyond that is gravy. So he can comfortably stay stuff like:

I’m pleased to see to even more retailers sign on to the exciting Lansdowne Park revitalization — this is a vote of confidence in the project and our city’s economic future,” said Mayor Jim Watson. “Whether you’re a sports fan, a shopper, a movie-goer, or simply want to gather with your family and friends, the new Lansdowne will truly offer something for everyone.

For the rest of us … an awful lot hangs on the remaining 20 per cent.

http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2014/02/27/lansdownes-leftover-20-per-cent/

[movebyleap]

What an uninspired (and uninspiring) selection of stores/fast food joints/banks/pharmacies/pet food places. Blah! I hadn't realized that this would be a big box development. I live in rural Ottawa and this reminds me of any of the gazillions of plazas out on Innes Road.

I truly feel that the whole Lansdowne project is really just a NEIGHBOURHOOD project. Unless I were a football fan (and I am not) there is absolutely nothing exciting or interesting that would entice me to come here. How can the city possibly make a big deal over this place? What is so great about it? How is it supposed to bring in people from all over the city or tourists from out of town? (Unless they are football fans - and we all know what's happened to the last few football teams in this market). What is the attraction, exactly? Very mediocre project with very little vision. Typical Ottawa.

As much as I love the Glebe with its eclectic selection of independent merchants, Lansdowne is a real letdown. Its only redeeming quality is that the area will look...prettier. In the end the buildings will probably be more appealing than the ugly parking lot that's been there for the past many decades.

And that is my rant for the night.

[bartlebooth]

Originally Posted by movebyleap

What an uninspired (and uninspiring) selection of stores/fast food joints/banks/pharmacies/pet food places. Blah! I hadn't realized that this would be a big box development. I live in rural Ottawa and this reminds me of any of the gazillions of plazas out on Innes Road.

I truly feel that the whole Lansdowne project is really just a NEIGHBOURHOOD project. Unless I were a football fan (and I am not) there is absolutely nothing exciting or interesting that would entice me to come here. How can the city possibly make a big deal over this place? What is so great about it? How is it supposed to bring in people from all over the city or tourists from out of town? (Unless they are football fans - and we all know what's happened to the last few football teams in this market). What is the attraction, exactly? Very mediocre project with very little vision. Typical Ottawa.

As much as I love the Glebe with its eclectic selection of independent merchants, Lansdowne is a real letdown. Its only redeeming quality is that the area will look...prettier. In the end the buildings will probably be more appealing than the ugly parking lot that's been there for the past many decades.

And that is my rant for the night.

Agreed. This is an epic letdown.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Unless I were a football fan (and I am not) there is absolutely nothing exciting or interesting that would entice me to come here

I think I would extend that to sports fans rather than just football fans. There will be football, pro soccer, and hockey. Basketball could be played in the arena as well. A fitness gym will be in the arena . Skating on the adjacent canal.

TD Bank is a major sponsor of music events in Canada. They sponsor the Ottawa Jazz Festival for instance. There are a couple of stage areas in the urban park.

I think we will see TD working with OSEG to bring non-sport entertainment to Lansdowne and TD Place.

The restaurants in particular should benefit from people coming to Lansdowne for both sport and music events.

[McC]

Jazzfest is an interesting idea, I hadn't thought of that before. They'd have to carefully consider the trade of easier access for walkin fans from the Glebe, OOS and OOE (once Fifth-Clegg are finally connected) for those who go now via the Transitway and straight from the office. Presumably Jazzfest keeps a decent database profiling their current and target fans that any sophisticated marketing agency could interpret into a business case analysis...

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Originally Posted by McC

Jazzfest is an interesting idea, I hadn't thought of that before. They'd have to carefully consider the trade of easier access for walkin fans from the Glebe, OOS and OOE (once Fifth-Clegg are finally connected) for those who go now via the Transitway and straight from the office. Presumably Jazzfest keeps a decent database profiling their current and target fans that any sophisticated marketing agency could interpret into a business case analysis...

Look beyond Jazzfest as well. Td Bank has expertise in putting on music events across Canada and can and probably will bring them to TD Place.


Fom the TD Place web site

It will host concerts and performances by headline acts and entertainers the year-round. And it will all be surrounded by the restaurants, clubs, shops, services and excitement of the all-new Lansdowne community!

[m0nkyman]

The folks behind this have contacted every single decent independent retailer or restaurant from new Edinburgh to. Westboro. I know I got a letter as well as a follow up call. They genuinely want interesting independent businesses in there. The reality is that those of us who run indies aren't going to sign leases until a lot closer to the completion date.

[alecz_dad]

+1

Originally Posted by movebyleap

what an uninspired (and uninspiring) selection of stores/fast food joints/banks/pharmacies/pet food places. Blah! I hadn't realized that this would be a big box development. I live in rural ottawa and this reminds me of any of the gazillions of plazas out on innes road.

I truly feel that the whole lansdowne project is really just a neighbourhood project. Unless i were a football fan (and i am not) there is absolutely nothing exciting or interesting that would entice me to come here. How can the city possibly make a big deal over this place? What is so great about it? How is it supposed to bring in people from all over the city or tourists from out of town? (unless they are football fans - and we all know what's happened to the last few football teams in this market). What is the attraction, exactly? Very mediocre project with very little vision. Typical ottawa.

As much as i love the glebe with its eclectic selection of independent merchants, lansdowne is a real letdown. Its only redeeming quality is that the area will look...prettier. In the end the buildings will probably be more appealing than the ugly parking lot that's been there for the past many decades.

And that is my rant for the night.

[JFFournier]

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

Look beyond Jazzfest as well. Td Bank has expertise in putting on music events across Canada and can and probably will bring them to TD Place.

I seem to recall the tulip festival also being in a position to look for a new facility. their description of the ideal site sounded an awful lot like Lansdowne.

While looking for info on that, I came across this (it's from a little more than a week ago):

The former head of the Canadian Tulip Festival is spearheading a bid to bring a major international fair dubbed the “Olympics of horticulture” to Ottawa in 2017.

The International Horticultural Exhibition would take place from May to October at a series of local venues, including Lansdowne Park, Queen Juliana Park and a proposed botanical garden at Dow’s Lake.

Project director Michel Gauthier, a former executive director of the Tulip Festival, told OBJ on Thursday he believes the event could draw up to three million visitors, create nearly 5,000 jobs and generate more than $500 million in economic activity in the capital.

http://www.obj.ca/Local/Tourism/2014-02-...s-for-horticulture-celebration-in-2017/1