Sparks Street

[citydwlr]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Feds owns it, Brookfield (owners of Place de Ville and Jean Edmonds Towers) manages it. All 4 entrances to the lobby area are open to the public along with 3 Brasseurs' entrance. A few empty retail fronts, like the old Holt Renfew, are closed for obvious reasons.

I'm surprised Brookfield hasn't tried to fill the former Holt Renfrew space with a grocery store... I could see a Loblaws drawing more traffic down in that end of Sparks, especially if they offer ready-made meals for the local businesses.

I've also wanted to see some sort of entertainment venue around there, or in the Place de Ville Podium, like The Rec Room or something like The Ballroom (or equally, Brooklyn Bowl).

[acottawa]

I used to work in 240 Sparks. The building has some cool features, but the layout is a mess. I am not surprised the former Holt's is unfilled.

[MichelKazan]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

I was just wondering today who was responsible for 240 Sparks, and especially the ongoing clustereff of figuring out which entrance is actually functional on any given day.

Only the Queen Street entrance is open 24 hours.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by citydwlr

I'm surprised Brookfield hasn't tried to fill the former Holt Renfrew space with a grocery store... I could see a Loblaws drawing more traffic down in that end of Sparks, especially if they offer ready-made meals for the local businesses.

I've also wanted to see some sort of entertainment venue around there, or in the Place de Ville Podium, like The Rec Room or something like The Ballroom (or equally, Brooklyn Bowl).

I used to dream of an entertainment venue like The Rec Room or Dave & Busters in the CBD to attract people after hours and on weekends, but now I wonder if it would actually be successful. Perhaps if it was mixed use like the building opposite the Eaton Centre with the movie theatre, stores and restaurants.

A grocery store would be good for the old Holt Renfrew. Maybe it's taking long to find a tenant that's big enough to take the two floors. A chain restaurant like Moxie's could work.

[J.OT13]

Anyone of those multi-faceted entertainment venues would be cool on that end of Sparks and bring a whole lot of people evenings and weekend. Plugged into to Lyon station to boot.

I feel grocery stores would be more attracted to a location west of Lyon, closer to the residential area.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by MichelKazan

Only the Queen Street entrance is open 24 hours.

That's awesome. The WEP is locked down after what, 6 p.m?

[MichelKazan]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I used to dream of an entertainment venue like The Rec Room or Dave & Busters in the CBD to attract people after hours and on weekends, but now I wonder if it would actually be successful. Perhaps if it was mixed use like the building opposite the Eaton Centre with the movie theatre, stores and restaurants.

A grocery store would be good for the old Holt Renfrew. Maybe it's taking long to find a tenant that's big enough to take the two floors. A chain restaurant like Moxie's could work.

The second floor of Holt Renfrew appears to now be occupied by a government offices (not sure which department).

Originally Posted by J.OT13

That's awesome. The WEP is locked down after what, 6 p.m?

Think it stays open a bit later than that. Though, there's a small door on the O'Connor side next to Shoppers, which stays unlocked 24/7 for parking garage access only.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Feds owns it, Brookfield (owners of Place de Ville and Jean Edmonds Towers) manages it. All 4 entrances to the lobby area are open to the public along with 3 Brasseurs' entrance. A few empty retail fronts, like the old Holt Renfew, are closed for obvious reasons.

The Bank and Sparks Street entrance has had issues for weeks.

[McKellarDweller]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

That's awesome. The WEP is locked down after what, 6 p.m?

When I was walking near there in an evening one time before the Sobeys started beer, some visitors with New York plates stopped me to ask where they could buy beer nearby. I had to give them directions to places several blocks outside the CBD. It was embarrassing.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by McKellarDweller

When I was walking near there in an evening one time before the Sobeys started beer, some visitors with New York plates stopped me to ask where they could buy beer nearby. I had to give them directions to places several blocks outside the CBD. It was embarrassing.

If they were in a car wouldn't the Somerset or Rideau beer stores be easier anyway?

[McKellarDweller]

Originally Posted by acottawa

If they were in a car wouldn't the Somerset or Rideau beer stores be easier anyway?

Regardless of that, people staying in CBD hotels or apartments shouldn't need a car or have to walk 20 minutes to buy some beer in any decently-sized city at 8PM.

[YOWhopeful]

How about reviving the Place de Ville Cinema at 300 Sparks. I believe the theatre space is still there, above the LRT entrance...
It doesn’t have to compete with Landsdowne as it could show movies that come out 2-4 weeks after their launch in theatres.
I phoned the city once to suggest this...they apathetically took note.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by YOWhopeful

How about reviving the Place de Ville Cinema at 300 Sparks. I believe the theatre space is still there, above the LRT entrance...
It doesn’t have to compete with Landsdowne as it could show movies that come out 2-4 weeks after their launch in theatres.
I phoned the city once to suggest this...they apathetically took note.

It is also embarrassing that this city cannot support a movie theatre right downtown. Especially considering that a generation ago, almost all the movie theatres were in the central part of the city.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

A grocery store would be good for the old Holt Renfrew. Maybe it's taking long to find a tenant that's big enough to take the two floors. A chain restaurant like Moxie's could work.

Weren't there rumours of a grocery store opening up at Slater/Bay? Could have sworn I remember something about a new store in a condo podium or somewhere near Lyon Station.

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

It is also embarrassing that this city cannot support a movie theatre right downtown. Especially considering that a generation ago, almost all the movie theatres were in the central part of the city.

I don't mind doing the trek to Lansdowne for movies. Something immediately downtown (between Laurier and Somerset somewhere) would be neat but is years away from likelihood.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

It is also embarrassing that this city cannot support a movie theatre right downtown. Especially considering that a generation ago, almost all the movie theatres were in the central part of the city.

It's kind of a trend. Look at how many theatres there were in downtown Montreal and Toronto 20 years ago. Only a fraction remain.

The biggest culprit is the lack of competition. If competition was robust, another chain could easily set up downtown to compete with Lansdowne.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by phil235

It's kind of a trend. Look at how many theatres there were in downtown Montreal and Toronto 20 years ago. Only a fraction remain.

The biggest culprit is the lack of competition. If competition was robust, another chain could easily set up downtown to compete with Lansdowne.

It would be hard to see downtown the size of Ottawa's supporting two large theatres two km apart. They cinema business has had modest or no growth in recent years.

The city gave OSEG land on very favourable terms. It would have been hard for a downtown theatre to compete with those terms or even acquire a suitable site. Also, I think there are geographic restrictions on movies.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Weren't there rumours of a grocery store opening up at Slater/Bay? Could have sworn I remember something about a new store in a condo podium or somewhere near Lyon Station.

I think there was supposed to be one in the Broccolini project where the old Alterna branch was but I think they sold that site (if I'm not mistaken).

[kevinbottawa]

I wonder how the building up of Lebreton Flats, the new central library and Zibi will affect Sparks Street as more people will be walking to the library, Lebreton Flats and Zibi from the CBD and Byward Market. I imagine it will be the preferred walking route to those destinations for a lot of people.

A while back was the NCC talking about a staircase from the open field at the end of Sparks Street down to Lebreton Flats?

[m0nkyman]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

A while back was the NCC talking about a staircase from the open field at the end of Sparks Street down to Lebreton Flats?

I'm hoping for a pedestrian bridge to the library, thus getting rid of the need to walk up and down the hill.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by acottawa

It would be hard to see downtown the size of Ottawa's supporting two large theatres two km apart. They cinema business has had modest or no growth in recent years.

The city gave OSEG land on very favourable terms. It would have been hard for a downtown theatre to compete with those terms or even acquire a suitable site. Also, I think there are geographic restrictions on movies.

You would definitely have to draw from a wider area, but I could see a theatre in and around the Market being a draw. Hop on the LRT, grab dinner in the Market and see a movie.

Not sure about the geographic restrictions. Maybe those have tightened since the times when there were 10 theatres downtown.