St. Laurent Shopping Centre - Page 14

Harley613 · #**261** Posted **Jun 23, 2019, 2:53 AM**

I went down the old Sears pickup ramp today and peered into the garage door windows of the old Sears distribution centre today. Very eerie. The main part if the warehouse is completely empty, all the shelves are removed. There are still many rows of shelves on the Western annex of the warehouse. There is no way to see the old home central warehouse from the windows. I had my first job there back in the 90's. It was a hive of activity with dozens of employees running around back then. I wonder what this massive space will be used for in the future, or whether it will remain empty until the mall is gone.

J.OT13 · #**262** Posted **Jun 23, 2019, 12:39 PM**

Where's the pick-up ramp?

YOWflier · #**263** Posted **Jun 23, 2019, 12:53 PM**

https://maps.app.goo.gl/7e4oCwjhxjp9Pka86

I went down there years ago to pick up a Toys R Us purchase. Eerie is right. Great place to shoot a movie scene.

acottawa · #**264** Posted **Jun 23, 2019, 12:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Where's the pick-up ramp?

https://goo.gl/maps/Munf2Ra9NoukWzi69

acottawa · #**265** Posted **Jun 23, 2019, 12:55 PM**

Too slow I guess.

J.OT13 · #**266** Posted **Jun 23, 2019, 12:57 PM**

Thanks! Not sure I remember seeing that ramp.

J.OT13 · #**267** Posted **Jun 27, 2019, 3:55 PM**

Jayday23's post on the LeBreton Flats thread got me thinking. Morguard is in the midst of a major redevelopment of the Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre in Edmonton. There are a whole lot of similarities between Bonnie Doon and St-Laurent.

Both are owned by the same developer, of course.
Both lost Sears.
Both are in cities of a million heavily dependent on government.
Both are in similar locations (mid-century suburban/inner-urban area, close to downtown).
Both are (will be) served by rail.

Edmonton edges out Ottawa in terms of growth and economic diversity, though it has more boom and bust cycles. St-Laurent has a leg up on Bonnie Doon with a subway station as opposed to "classic" lrt trams.

Here's an article on Bonnie Doon's redevelopment:

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...pment-gets-green-light-from-city-council

Truenorth00 · #**268** Posted **Jun 29, 2019, 5:07 PM**

The whole St.Laurent Mall area has so much potential and so much opportunity for the mall owner if they were willing to invest. 10 minutes from downtown, highway exit, one stop from VIA Rail on the LRT, and the LRT station itself. It'd be a 20-30 year project admittedly. But the potential is there. And the rewards would be huge. It should be a huge commercial/residential node.

Right now, the mall even lacks basics like a grocery store (because there's several down the street....but still hard to believe there's not one inside).

J.OT13 · #**269** Posted **Jun 29, 2019, 7:15 PM**

Grocery stores came and went. I think the mall had a Steinbergs or Dominion early on. The space changed hands to a Market Fresh. That spot is now occupied by Omer DeSerres Art Supplies.

But ya, the mall's location has huge potential and I hope Morguard comes up with a high quality project. They've done some good things downtown, let's hope they can do the same with St-Laurent.

acottawa · #**270** Posted **Jun 29, 2019, 11:22 PM**

I don’t know anything about Edmonton, but Bonnie Doon seems to be in a residential area, making residential development reasonably desirable. St Laurent is surrounded by highways, arterial and light industrial land use.

Harley613 · #**271** Posted **Jun 30, 2019, 12:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by acottawa

I don’t know anything about Edmonton, but Bonnie Doon seems to be in a residential area, making residential development reasonably desirable. St Laurent is surrounded by highways, arterial and light industrial land use.

...and residential

Acajack · #**272** Posted **Jun 30, 2019, 12:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harley613

...and residential

Not exactly prestige residential though.

acottawa · #**273** Posted **Jun 30, 2019, 1:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Not exactly prestige residential though.

Or easily accessible either.

DEWLine · #**274** Posted **Oct 14, 2019, 3:56 AM**

Looks like DeSerres is doing pretty well with that space.

J.OT13 · #**275** Posted **Oct 14, 2019, 1:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEWLine

Looks like DeSerres is doing pretty well with that space.

That was our go-too when we were studying architecture at La Cité Collégiale.

mykl · #**276** Posted **Oct 18, 2019, 3:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEWLine

Looks like DeSerres is doing pretty well with that space.

I was the merchandiser there for 5 years. Its actually one of the largest and most profitable locations in the chain!

DEWLine · #**277** Posted **Nov 10, 2019, 12:47 AM**

Could the feds and/or the province make use of the former Sears floor-space?

Jamaican-Phoenix · #**278** Posted **Nov 10, 2019, 5:40 PM**

I mean, not just St. Laurent mall but all of St. Laurent Blvd. is actually prime real estate for a "Vancouverization" effort. Lots of space for towers, ground level retail, and transit. Same goes for Merivale.

CityTech · #**279** Posted **Nov 10, 2019, 6:22 PM**

One thing I would suggest as part of the TMP is to consider an urban tramway network (Finch West or Eglinton East style) for streets like St. Laurent and Merivale.

acottawa · #**280** Posted **Nov 11, 2019, 6:16 AM**

The St. Laurent corridor lacks the real estate prices for Vancouverization. Detached houses and freehold townhomes along the corridor are still relatively affordable.

As a first step they should:

1) Create a normal street entrance for the LRT station that doesn't involve jaywalking across a highway on ramp or weaving through a creepy parking lot.

2) get rid of the high-speed right turn lanes.