Rideau Centre Expansion | Completed

[OTSkyline]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Wow... ugly!

Yup... IMO video screens would;ve been way better... It would have animated the streets a bit more, added a bit of lights at night and for Cadillac/Fairview it would've meant extra dollars collected from companies to display their advertisements..

[daud]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

Yup... IMO video screens would;ve been way better... It would have animated the streets a bit more, added a bit of lights at night and for Cadillac/Fairview it would've meant extra dollars collected from companies to display their advertisements..

While I do like them, I agree, video with advertising would have been way better.

[Boxster]

That would of given it a Time Square look.

Originally Posted by daud

While I do like them, I agree, video with advertising would have been way better.

[rocketphish]

Slippery Rideau Centre floors just an illusion, manager says

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Sun
First posted: Friday, June 20, 2014 12:12 PM EDT | Updated: Friday, June 20, 2014 08:35 PM EDT

The slick renovations at the Rideau Centre have some shoppers wondering about the, seemingly, slippery new floors.

But the mall's general manager says the new white quartz floors only seem slippery when you compare it with other floor types currently in the building.

"Slippery is a perception," Cindy VanBuskirk said Friday. "Change is sometimes uncomfortable."

VanBuskirk said there are currently four types of flooring throughout the mall as workers continue the changeover.

There are the old terrazzo floors.

There are the terrazzo floors that have been stripped to receive the new tile.

There are the rough-textured tile at the entrance off the Mackenzie King Bridge.

And there is the new white quartz.

If you walk through the mall, you'll hit all four surfaces.

"Transitioning from one surface to another definitely makes the quartz tile feel slippery in comparison," VanBuskirk said.

The quartz, she said, meets all the standards when it comes to slip resistance. The tile is also used in other buildings owned by parent company Cadillac Fairview.

It's also possible that some construction dust has accumulated on the floor with the amount of work going on inside, she added, even when staff are probably "overdoing it with the cleaning on the floors."

VanBuskirk said 400,000 people pass through the property each week and she has only collected a "handful" of complaints in her file about the new quartz floor.

"I'm not understating it," she said.

The renovations inside the mall are about half-way complete.

The new dining hall and some new stores will open Aug. 1. Washroom work will soon begin.

As for the expansion component, the concrete has been poured in the underground garage and construction will soon begin at ground level.

The renovation and expansion is a $360-million project. The expansion -- home to a new Simons store -- has an opening date of August 2016. The new Nordstrom store is scheduled to open in March 2015.

"We're on time and on budget," VanBuskirk said.

[email protected] Twitter: @JonathanWilling

http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/06/20/slippery-rideau-centre-floors-just-an-illusion-manager-says

[citydwlr]

Came across a couple job postings for the forthcoming restaurant at Nordstrom's. (I wasn't sure if we would get one, to be honest - we usually get the short end of the stick when it comes to first-to-market stores here in Ottawa)

According to Retail-Insider, the Calgary location will have one on the 2nd floor:

Nordstrom's coffee concept, eBar, will serve coffee beverages, smoothies, pastries, as well as a variety of fresh grab-and-go sandwiches, salads and snacks. A restaurant concept will also open on the second floor, and we'll discuss Nordstrom's food offerings in a separate article.

Most of the restaurants in the U.S. seem to be placed at a window, looking out over something. Based on the current cut-outs in the façade, I wonder if ours will look out into the mall, or out onto the Mackenzie King bridge?

[gjhall]

Originally Posted by citydwlr

Came across a couple job postings for the forthcoming restaurant at Nordstrom's. (I wasn't sure if we would get one, to be honest - we usually get the short end of the stick when it comes to first-to-market stores here in Ottawa)

According to Retail-Insider, the Calgary location will have one on the 2nd floor:



Most of the restaurants in the U.S. seem to be placed at a window, looking out over something. Based on the current cut-outs in the façade, I wonder if ours will look out into the mall, or out onto the Mackenzie King bridge?

Right you are, just saw this post that the Rideau Centre posted on Twitter:

http://www.613style.com/nordstrom-rideau...-restaurant-ebar-personal-stylists-more/

[QUOTE]Nordstrom’s new 157,000 square-foot Rideau Centre store will open on Friday, March 6, 2015, under the management of John Banks. The location will be Nordstrom’s second store location in Canada, following its opening in Calgary on September 19, 2014. The new store will feature a mix of apparel, shoes and accessories for women, men and children.

Finding the perfect outfit, beauty look, or undergarment for you will be easier than ever, considering Nordstrom is offering complimentary personal stylists for each department (men’s and women’s fashions, beauty, certified bra fitters, and certified shoe fitters).

Also being thrown in the mix is an alteration/tailor shop, complimentary gift boxes, and get this: mobile. check-outs!! This means that no matter where you are in the store, all you have to do is request to be checked out if you’re in too much of a rush, or are just plain too lazy to go to the checkouts at the front of the store.

The icing on the cake of the Nordstrom opening for me has to be the restaurant they’re going to have overlooking the Mackenzie King bridge! It will feature a unique menu, as most locations do, that will be announced closer to the store’s opening date.

Also on the menu for Nordstrom is their Ebar, which is sure to be a meetup hot-spot, as it features cocktails and other alcoholic beverages. And lastly, espressos and coffees; you can grab a quick pick-me up in-store to recharge yourself as you make your way through all 157,000 square feet!

The overall store will feature all of Nordstrom’s new modern design features, and a team of about 400 employees (including 30 department managers). To find out about hiring make sure to check out the company’s careers page.

[gjhall]

So I had been wondering about this, because I noticed the slip, but also thought it was probably just a mistaken perception from the very different floor types ... I can confirm this after walking through during the heavy rain this afternoon. I was wearing boots without treads and had no issue, and looking around, no one else did either.

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Slippery Rideau Centre floors just an illusion, manager says

By Jon Willing, Ottawa Sun
First posted: Friday, June 20, 2014 12:12 PM EDT | Updated: Friday, June 20, 2014 08:35 PM EDT

The slick renovations at the Rideau Centre have some shoppers wondering about the, seemingly, slippery new floors.

But the mall's general manager says the new white quartz floors only seem slippery when you compare it with other floor types currently in the building.

"Slippery is a perception," Cindy VanBuskirk said Friday. "Change is sometimes uncomfortable."

VanBuskirk said there are currently four types of flooring throughout the mall as workers continue the changeover.

There are the old terrazzo floors.

There are the terrazzo floors that have been stripped to receive the new tile.

There are the rough-textured tile at the entrance off the Mackenzie King Bridge.

And there is the new white quartz.

If you walk through the mall, you'll hit all four surfaces.

"Transitioning from one surface to another definitely makes the quartz tile feel slippery in comparison," VanBuskirk said.

The quartz, she said, meets all the standards when it comes to slip resistance. The tile is also used in other buildings owned by parent company Cadillac Fairview.

It's also possible that some construction dust has accumulated on the floor with the amount of work going on inside, she added, even when staff are probably "overdoing it with the cleaning on the floors."

VanBuskirk said 400,000 people pass through the property each week and she has only collected a "handful" of complaints in her file about the new quartz floor.

"I'm not understating it," she said.

The renovations inside the mall are about half-way complete.

The new dining hall and some new stores will open Aug. 1. Washroom work will soon begin.

As for the expansion component, the concrete has been poured in the underground garage and construction will soon begin at ground level.

The renovation and expansion is a $360-million project. The expansion -- home to a new Simons store -- has an opening date of August 2016. The new Nordstrom store is scheduled to open in March 2015.

"We're on time and on budget," VanBuskirk said.

[email protected] Twitter: @JonathanWilling

http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/06/20/slippery-rideau-centre-floors-just-an-illusion-manager-says

[OTSkyline]

Can't wait for Nordstrom! I love shopping there whenever I'm in the states! I think it will do wonders for the Rideau Centre and hopefully this new restaurant will revitalize the Mackenzie King Bridge.. That bridge is looking guetto nasty lately.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

Can't wait for Nordstrom! I love shopping there whenever I'm in the states! I think it will do wonders for the Rideau Centre and hopefully this new restaurant will revitalize the Mackenzie King Bridge.. That bridge is looking guetto nasty lately.

Restaurant will probably be on the second floor behind the window shown in the rendering, so it won't do much in terms of revitalization, other than adding a point of visual interest.



The subway will go a long way in making it a little less hostile. Only way to truly revitalize the bridge would be a friendlier tenant in the DND HQ building and a hotel (Registrar Office site) with retail and/or restaurant opening up to Mac.

[eemy]

What about opening up onto the rooftop garden thing on the Rideau Centre?

[Boxster]

Yes and have an outdoor restaurant and bar.....far to novel for Ottawa!!!

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

What about opening up onto the rooftop garden thing on the Rideau Centre?

[OTSkyline]

They could, however, add stairs on the outside providing direct access from Mackenzie King Bridge to the Rideau Centre rooftop (I was going to call it rooftop garden but it has some improvements to do before it can be called that).

It would add something to Mackenzie King Bridge (other than a blank wall) and I'm sure the rooftop would be used more (i'm sure a lot of people don't even know it exists).

[gjhall]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

They could, however, add stairs on the outside providing direct access from Mackenzie King Bridge to the Rideau Centre rooftop (I was going to call it rooftop garden but it has some improvements to do before it can be called that).

There are. West side of main Rideau Centre entrance, before the OCC.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

What about opening up onto the rooftop garden thing on the Rideau Centre?

No doubt the best option.

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Restaurant will probably be on the second floor behind the window shown in the rendering, so it won't do much in terms of revitalization, other than adding a point of visual interest.

It could also go facing the interior atrium/courtyard, which I would imagine provide a much better view than the traffic on the bridge and the DND building. I noticed they put a wall up in the interior "balcony" that looks like just enough space to have a line of tables. Having the restaurant visible from the mall would help increase awareness of its existence.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by gjhall

There are. West side of main Rideau Centre entrance, before the OCC.

Streetview:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.423816,-7...3m4!1e1!3m2!1sH6NpxWw2XzsB5CYuehAh9w!2e0

[J.OT13]

I saw the opening on the second floor of Nordstrom when I went through yesterday. If it were built on that side, it could provide a nice view of the interior of the mall, promote the restaurant to passerby's (as you mentioned) and have a rooftop dinning terrace.

[citydwlr]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

It could also go facing the interior atrium/courtyard, which I would imagine provide a much better view than the traffic on the bridge and the DND building. I noticed they put a wall up in the interior "balcony" that looks like just enough space to have a line of tables. Having the restaurant visible from the mall would help increase awareness of its existence.

Based on gjhall's post above (and subsequently 613style), it'll be placed at the Mack. King window. Not the "best" view in my opinion since you'll mostly see OC Transpo traffic and the DND HQ immediately in front. But, I think they should also get a glimpse of the Canal, and City Hall.

Regarding the roof top terrace, I really had no idea that it existed until a few years ago. It's not well advertised, and it's extremely under-utilized. I had hoped Cadillac Fairview would include some renovations up there as well, but I haven't really seen anything to suggest that to be the case.

Personally, I want to see a faceted (or polygonal) canopy (like the Zlote Tarasy shopping mall below) with pockets of outdoor green space up there that better integrates the Weston Hotel, and the future condo/hotel on Nicholas (or at least provide some visual interest), and further adds some additional shopping/restaurant space.


[ Zlote Tarasy: Shopping Mall in Warsaw, Poland | via e-architect.co.uk]

[Radster]

Zlote Tarasy, love that place, the canopy/curved glass roof make this shopping mall truly unique and add tons of natural light.

[OTSkyline]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Streetview:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.423816,-7...3m4!1e1!3m2!1sH6NpxWw2XzsB5CYuehAh9w!2e0

Ohh... Not exactly inviting or informative of a nice rooftop terrace. Mostly screams "BEWARE: ADVANCE AT YOUR OWN RISK"