The Metro Vancouver Retail Thread

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by Changing City

I wonder if there aren't redevelopment plans coming for the Main Street Save-On store with the surface parking a little further south. If there is only a short lease left, they may not stay there.

I'll let you know next year.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Vin

Such as this one in Toronto?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkJiMCuJWGQ

Well:

The complex contains seven buildings from a team of five developers and six architects, and will function as both a self-contained community and destination housing a mix of office, rental condominium, retail, and public space, all linked by a stunning open-air retail galleria carved through the heart of the site.

That's not really a mall. It sounds more like mini road with a bunch of stores on it. Sounds like a great urban development.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

That's not really a mall. It sounds more like mini road with a bunch of stores on it. Sounds like a great urban development.

Ooo ya I visited the site recently and it looks amazing!

[Vin]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Well:

That's not really a mall. It sounds more like mini road with a bunch of stores on it. Sounds like a great urban development.

It is a mall/shopping centre with other mixed-use developments on top: something I love seeing in high-density urban centres. Call it what it is: a mall.

Yes it is an awesome development and something similar should be happening at the current Kingsgate mall site, or even that empty city lot next to the Main Street skytrain station.

[connect2source]

Levi's has opened a very impressive store in the basement of The Bay where Topman was located.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Well:

That's not really a mall. It sounds more like mini road with a bunch of stores on it. Sounds like a great urban development.

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

Ooo ya I visited the site recently and it looks amazing!

WRT The Well...
Looks amazing in the pics, but the tenant mix doesn't compare to Toronto Eaton Centre.
It's shaping up to be a food and bevrage / services complex (big food hall in the basement) with a few token hard/soft goods retailers like Shoppers Drug Mart, Indigo and Adidas.
The tenant mix seems to be quite similar to the new part at Amazing Brentwood.
The second level at The Well looks like it will be a dead zone for shopping with services businesses taking up the space.
You can also see the problem of having so many towers above the mall -
the cores and services for the towers interrupt the continuity of the retail along the mall corridors.
So I think Amazing Brentwood has a much better retail plan than The Well.

Here's the retail brochure as of Sept 8, 2022:
https://urbanretailtoronto.com/code/wp-c...ll-Generic-Brochure-September-8-2022.pdf

I guess that follows current retail trends.

[officedweller]

Daiso opens in Burnaby at Metrotown mall this Saturday

On Saturday, Oct. 22, the second Metro Vancouver Daiso will open at Metropolis at Metrotown.
...
In Richmond, another Daiso is set to open at Lansdowne Centre, though an opening date has not yet been announced.

https://www.burnabynow.com/local-busines...rotown-mall-in-burnaby-this-fall-5785506


https://twitter.com/daisocanada?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Daiso returns to Richmond
https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/daiso-returns-to-richmond-5777188

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Vin

Yes it is an awesome development and something similar should be happening at the current Kingsgate mall site, or even that empty city lot next to the Main Street skytrain station.

??? Those lots aren't comparable at all, especially the Main St. parking lot.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

??? Those lots aren't comparable at all, especially the Main St. parking lot.

More like people running both cities aren't comparable.

[SpongeG]

Thinka is opening a store at Park Royal on the second floor across from Mavi. Lao Feng Xiang Jewelry has its hoarding down and what can be seen of the inside looks completed but is not yet opened. Vinfast is still not opened.

[SpongeG]

I was at Metropolis on Thursday afternoon, there was a long constant lineup to get into Diaso, they had a guy at the door letting in people only when people left. Seems to be a very popular addition.

[trofirhen]

Some years back, there was a lot of talk about upgrading Alberni Street, in particular, the high-end retail part of it. It was even hailed as "Vancouver's answer to Rodeo Drive."
Well, the 'Prada telephone pole' is still there, the sidewalks are still aging and often-cracked concrete, there is no elegant street furniture, no enhanced lighting, and nothing exceptional.
This is disappointing. I had hoped that by now, new, smarter sidewalk pavers would have been installed, the once-discussed "parklets: and seating areas put in, and the lighting made more elegant.
It's rather a shame that this has not been addressed, because it has wonderful stores, yet no ambiance. Are there no plans in the pipeline to make it spiffier and more attractive? It could use it. Badly.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Some years back, there was a lot of talk about upgrading Alberni Street, in particular, the high-end retail part of it. It was even hailed as "Vancouver's answer to Rodeo Drive."
Well, the 'Prada telephone pole' is still there, the sidewalks are still aging and often-cracked concrete, there is no elegant street furniture, no enhanced lighting, and nothing exceptional.
This is disappointing. I had hoped that by now, new, smarter sidewalk pavers would have been installed, the once-discussed "parklets: and seating areas put in, and the lighting made more elegant.
It's rather a shame that this has not been addressed, because it has wonderful stores, yet no ambiance. Are there no plans in the pipeline to make it spiffier and more attractive? It could use it. Badly.

Welcome to Vancouver. There's always lots of talk about 'upgrading' things.. but it rarely happens. Anyone remember Expo/Pacific Blvd upgrade talk years ago? Nothing happened.

Ron.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

Welcome to Vancouver. There's always lots of talk about 'upgrading' things.. but it rarely happens. Anyone remember Expo/Pacific Blvd upgrade talk years ago? Nothing happened.

Ron.

Thank you for the feedback. Is the Expo/Pacific Blvd upgrade tied in with the demolition of the Georgia Viaducts? If yes, given the controversy
about that, it's maybe the reason why.
As for Alberni Street, the do-nothing attitude is pathetic, and nothing more.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Some years back, there was a lot of talk about upgrading Alberni Street, in particular, the high-end retail part of it. It was even hailed as "Vancouver's answer to Rodeo Drive."
Well, the 'Prada telephone pole' is still there, the sidewalks are still aging and often-cracked concrete, there is no elegant street furniture, no enhanced lighting, and nothing exceptional.
This is disappointing. I had hoped that by now, new, smarter sidewalk pavers would have been installed, the once-discussed "parklets: and seating areas put in, and the lighting made more elegant.
It's rather a shame that this has not been addressed, because it has wonderful stores, yet no ambiance. Are there no plans in the pipeline to make it spiffier and more attractive? It could use it. Badly.

It's my understanding that the funding is coming from CAC monies from projects further up Alberni towards Stanley Park.

[CivicBlues]

It's a shame, Alberni Street "Luxury Zone" and the state of our sidewalks for most of DT Vancouver are positively atrocious. But then that's pretty much par for course for public realm in Canadian cities.

That being said, Alberni Street from Denman west to the park is probably the nicest stretch of sidewalk in the DT peninsula, if not the City of Vancouver. I welcome any counterpoints

[GenWhy?]

So in 2020 there were no CACs for the West End, and 2021 the West End secured over $92 million in "Public Benefits" money. I can't recall how much the West End library / community centre costs, but....

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by CivicBlues

It's a shame, Alberni Street "Luxury Zone" and the state of our sidewalks for most of DT Vancouver are positively atrocious. But then that's pretty much par for course for public realm in Canadian cities.

That being said, Alberni Street from Denman west to the park is probably the nicest stretch of sidewalk in the DT peninsula, if not the City of Vancouver. I welcome any counterpoints

I dunno, the only bad section is Broughton to Bidwell. And all that is being fixed with redevelopment happening now.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

So in 2020 there were no CACs for the West End, and 2021 the West End secured over $92 million in "Public Benefits" money. I can't recall how much the West End library / community centre costs, but....

Seems like there's rules where CAC money can be applied

To help illustrate the challenge in delivering capital projects with renewal components within the West End Public Benefits Strategy, the current estimated cost of the renewed and expanded community centre and ice rink is approximately $80M. The renewal proportion for these two projects is 80% or ~$64M and must be funded with property taxes, whereas only about $16M in CACs, which are generated directly from the development in this area, are required to fund the growth component.

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/08-19-202...ementation-progress-report-rts-14615.pdf

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Seems like there's rules where CAC money can be applied

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/08-19-202...ementation-progress-report-rts-14615.pdf

Completely forgot the CAC "money" from each project includes the value of the housing they built in the building itself. So they probably have just scraped together the $16m