Rideau Centre Expansion | Completed

[c_speed3108]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

One thing I hate is how Richtree stores their stuff right behind the elevator. When you get into the elevator you can see their warmers and other stuff pressed right up against the elevator window. It looks horrible.

My personal favorite is that their food prep area is directly below that ramp walkway on the floor above. To further make this work is that the walkway has an open railing.

[Harley613]

It could definitely use a refresh. My favourite Richtree is the one at BCE Place in Toronto. It would be awesome to have something like that in Ottawa.

[J.OT13]

RIDEAU CENTRE HISTORY - Part 7



http://urbsite.blogspot.ca/2014/03/rideau-centre-history-part-7-preferred.html

[OTSkyline]

I see one of the proposals wanted to build a glass ceiling all over that part of Rideau Street.. Would've been really nice if it would have been done right. Like the Gallerie Vittorio Emanuele in Milan, It. Main issue here would have been to do it right and still leave it open at both ends because closing it would just make it a "mall". But leaving it open would provide light and nice warm breeze during the summer while still protecting people from the snow and elements during winter...

[Richard Eade]

Except that a large glass mall like that was far too grandiose for the City of Ottawa so Mayor Dewar had it scaled back to the bus mall with ‘shed’-type shelters along the sidewalks. This was a HUGE mistake that cost the City tens of millions of dollars.

So now we are working on a rail tunnel and the original plan is considered too grandiose for the City so it was scaled back to the bare minimum by today’s Mayor. Has this City learned nothing from history?

[YOWflier]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

I see one of the proposals wanted to build a glass ceiling all over that part of Rideau Street.. Would've been really nice if it would have been done right. Like the Gallerie Vittorio Emanuele in Milan, It.

Another great example is Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. Loved that place.

[Boxster]

VERY VERY VERY nice!!!!!

Even the Macdonald's blends in nicely.

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

I see one of the proposals wanted to build a glass ceiling all over that part of Rideau Street.. Would've been really nice if it would have been done right. Like the Gallerie Vittorio Emanuele in Milan, It. Main issue here would have been to do it right and still leave it open at both ends because closing it would just make it a "mall". But leaving it open would provide light and nice warm breeze during the summer while still protecting people from the snow and elements during winter...

[J.OT13]

RIDEAU CENTRE HISTORY - Part 8 - More good ideas dropped in favour of cheap and easy



http://urbsite.blogspot.ca/2014/03/rideau-centre-history-part-8-sketches.html

[kevinbottawa]

I took some pics of the Rideau Centre renovations today. Every time I go they make huge strides.


This part of the Rideau Street facade is gone. Expansion coming along nicely.

*In the background, on the other side of Nicholas opposite the expansion site, where the urban clothing store used to be, a Nestle Tollhouse Cafe (http://www.nestlecafe.com/) is opening soon. Should be nice if they actually make that part of Nicholas pedestrian only. I imagine the other retail spaces along Nicholas will change hands at some point.


The facade above Forever 21 is being replaced.


The new railings are going in. The old ones are being taken out.


Exterior of Nordstrom from Mackenzie King Bridge


Former Mackenzie King Bridge entrance


Former Mackenzie King Bridge entrance

I didn't get a pic, but they're also repainting the brown frames (I think there's an actual name for them) around the skylights a greyish colour. They're also putting in some weird charcoal grey flooring outside of the future Nordstrom, in the hallway leading to the Mackenzie King Bridge. It looks like something you'd see outside. It kind of looks like this but a bit darker and cheaper:



With the small changes they've made so far, the mall is starting to feel different. I felt like I was shopping in a major city. I don't usually get that feeling in downtown Ottawa.

[J.OT13]

So they're only changing the railings bars for glass but keeping the actual 2000s wooden railing? If so, I'm glad! It will add a bit of warmth to the design revealed a few months ago.

[jslath]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

So they're only changing the railings bars for glass but keeping the actual 2000s wooden railing? If so, I'm glad! It will add a bit of warmth to the design revealed a few months ago.

By the looks of it, they'll be removing the wooden railing when they remove the bars. The wooden railing doesn't appear to be resting on the glass.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

So they're only changing the railings bars for glass but keeping the actual 2000s wooden railing? If so, I'm glad! It will add a bit of warmth to the design revealed a few months ago.

I doubt it. I imagine they'll only keep the new ones so it has the same look as the expansion.

[bartlebooth]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I doubt it. I imagine they'll only keep the new ones so it has the same look as the expansion.

The wooden railings will be removed. All of the old mill work, lighting fixtures, etc... will be removed as well. The image you have taken of the glass and steel rails are actually just a mock-up but that is what the final look will be once all the metal and wood is taken out.

[Shalaby]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

Every time I go they make huge strides

They really are kicking it into high gear. I feel like when the weather finally does get warm, Rideau is going to be well into it's new look.

[gjhall]

Richtree is now closed, Birks is closed for renovations. Stores a level below where the entrance to the expansion is going are closed too. Interior changes seem to now be in high gear.

[kevinbottawa]

In April the Victoria's Secret, Victoria's Secret PINK, and the new Sephora are opening, all the same vicinity. The central park of the mall will be even more attractive.

It's sad that other malls are beating the Rideau Centre in getting these new retailers. By the time Rideau gets H&M there will already be three in the region. Bayshore's getting everything before Rideau- Victoria's Secret, Browns, H&M, and soon Express. I guess Simons and Nordstrom will be enough to get people excited about Rideau.

[acottawa]

I have two questions, not sure if anyone knows, but...

Why are there still 2 Sources? (I would think space would be at a premium with half the mall drywalled)
What are they doing with the gym?

[gjhall]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Why are there still 2 Sources?

I have wondered this for years. Does anyone know?

[Harley613]

I'm not impressed with the section of Bayshore that has already opened. It's dark and cave like. I'm hoping the last section brings in some light and opens it up.

Rideau Centre is going to be a very exciting place to watch in the next year!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

In April the Victoria's Secret, Victoria's Secret PINK, and the new Sephora are opening, all the same vicinity. The central park of the mall will be even more attractive.

It's sad that other malls are beating the Rideau Centre in getting these new retailers. By the time Rideau gets H&M there will already be three in the region. Bayshore's getting everything before Rideau- Victoria's Secret, Browns, H&M, and soon Express. I guess Simons and Nordstrom will be enough to get people excited about Rideau.

Even Simon's will be the second one to open in the NCR. Les Promenades' will open first.

As much as I would love downtown to open new to market stores first, I'm not sad the Rideau is now lagging behind. They delayed their expansion plans multiple times over the last 15 years and never took advantage of the damn Ogilvy building, sitting there vacant or partly vacant for 20 years.