General Retail News

[c_speed3108]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

When I was a kid (late 1990s and early 2000s), growing up in Embrun, the Blair area was where we drove to for most of our shopping. That, and the Innes/417 area. As I got older though we started going to the Innes/Tenth Line area instead.

I had a similar experience growing up in Cumberland. My parents tell me in the mid 70s groceries entailed a trip to St. Laurent. Gradually the Gloucester area opened up and then from there Orleans. Now groceries are not 10 minutes away.

The Gloucester Centre indoor mall seems to have done a pretty decent job revitalizing itself lately.

Silver City, Chapters and esp the restaurant along Ogilvy Rd seem to be doing very well.

The problem with the stores further back is that they are neither well connected to the main road or well connected to transit. Add something like trainyards as competition and you are done. Smaller and weaker location.

Really, it is a a good spot for some sort of TOD connected to the LRT station.

[TheGoods]

Originally Posted by phil235

Transit Oriented Development

Thanks!

[hwy418]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

When Blair Station was built in the early 1990s, it's likely the Gloucester Centre management refused a direct connection. I don't know the story, though.

This is exactly what happened. Same story for Billings Bridge and Bayshore. Place D'Orleans also forced the station out towards the highway.

[1overcosc]

Interesting how cultural values change. Back in the 1980s and 1990s malls wanted bus stations kept away from the mall, because of the negative stigma of transit. Now, they want transit. Tanger paid to get evening & weekend transit service to their mall earlier, in Gatineau malls paid to have their names attached to Rapibus stations, and the Rideau Centre is paying for the cost of a direct underground LRT connection.

There actually was a discussion on the Canada forum about mall attitudes towards transit, and how anti-transit mall management is still very much a thing in the United States.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

There actually was a discussion on the Canada forum about mall attitudes towards transit, and how anti-transit mall management is still very much a thing in the United States.

Canada is generally much more pro-transit than the United States, and the usage stats demonstrate this.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by Catenary

Canada is generally much more pro-transit than the United States, and the usage stats demonstrate this.

Yes, but there were many anti-transit attitudes in Canada as well in the 1980s and 1990s (which is partially why most cities saw declines in ridership then even as population grew).

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

Yes, but there were many anti-transit attitudes in Canada as well in the 1980s and 1990s (which is partially why most cities saw declines in ridership then even as population grew).

Absolutely. But while Canada has largely outgrown those attitudes, and continues to further, the US remains stuck 20 years behind us.

[DarthVader_1961]

Was at Bayshore. Somone who works there told me the Target space is niw being carved up into 6 sections. Also a possibility of JCrew and LUlu Lemon moving in. Not sure how reliable the info is.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by DarthVader_1961

Was at Bayshore. Somone who works there told me the Target space is niw being carved up into 6 sections. Also a possibility of JCrew and LUlu Lemon moving in. Not sure how reliable the info is.

If this happens it is very reminiscent of what happened after Les Ailes des la Mode took over the old grocery store. The new anchor failed, and they eventually carved it up (with Savoury's in between and maybe Marketfresh? I don't remember). I am all for carving up the Target but I really think they should invest and extend the skylights over this section. I loathe the Bayshore expansion right now, it's a deep dark cave. It doesn't fit in with the rest of the mall. The food court windows are the only natural light in the entire development.

[MoreTrains]

Originally Posted by Harley613

If this happens it is very reminiscent of what happened after Les Ailes des la Mode took over the old grocery store. The new anchor failed, and they eventually carved it up (with Savoury's in between and maybe Marketfresh? I don't remember). I am all for carving up the Target but I really think they should invest and extend the skylights over this section. I loathe the Bayshore expansion right now, it's a deep dark cave. It doesn't fit in with the rest of the mall. The food court windows are the only natural light in the entire development.

Was just about to post about carving the turkey even more for some skylights! Great minds eh Harley? lol

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by Harley613

If this happens it is very reminiscent of what happened after Les Ailes des la Mode took over the old grocery store. The new anchor failed, and they eventually carved it up (with Savoury's in between and maybe Marketfresh? I don't remember). I am all for carving up the Target but I really think they should invest and extend the skylights over this section. I loathe the Bayshore expansion right now, it's a deep dark cave. It doesn't fit in with the rest of the mall. The food court windows are the only natural light in the entire development.

Unfortunately putting in skylights won't be possible as the new sections contains a lot of HVAC and ventilation pipes directly above it. While I do prefer having natural light while I shop and agree that the older section of Bayshore is much more inviting, I don't hate the new section sans natural light. It does feel like a cave compared to the rest of the mall because of this effect though.

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by MountainView

Unfortunately putting in skylights won't be possible as the new sections contains a lot of HVAC and ventilation pipes directly above it. While I do prefer having natural light while I shop and agree that the older section of Bayshore is much more inviting, I don't hate the new section sans natural light. It does feel like a cave compared to the rest of the mall because of this effect though.

It's entirely possible. The HVAC has to be completely reconfigured anyways, if they are carving up one box store into several smaller stores.

[MoreTrains]

Originally Posted by Harley613

It's entirely possible. The HVAC has to be completely reconfigured anyways, if they are carving up one box store into several smaller stores.

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by Harley613

It's entirely possible. The HVAC has to be completely reconfigured anyways, if they are carving up one box store into several smaller stores.

That's something I didn't think about. Guess if they wanted to spend the money anything is possible.

[rocketphish]

Permanent patios on Elgin Street to go before city committee

Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: April 14, 2015, Last Updated: April 14, 2015 12:09 PM EDT

Just in time for the ramp up of NHL playoff celebrations on Sens Mile and the welcome return of warmer weather, the city may soon make a number of new patios on Elgin Street permanent.

The move comes nearly two years after council approved a pilot project, which allowed for patios to be installed at Hooley’s Pub, Johnny Farina, The Standard, and Town.

Additionally, patios at Fresco Bistro Italiano and Woody’s Pub, which had been operating with a conditional approval since 2012, and a patio at the Sir John A Pub, which has had ongoing approval since the early 1990s but requested an expansion of its patio, were added to the pilot project.

To evaluate whether the project was working, city staff visited the locations during pedestrian peak hours, between the hours of 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 4:40 p.m.

They found that, on occasion, pedestrians would step off the curb onto the roadway in order to accommodate oncoming foot traffic. They also found pedestrians would step into the parking lane even when a clear path of travel along the sidewalk was available.

The city also asked residents and property owners within 90 metres of the patios for feedback on the project.

A total of 24 voice-mails and 58 email submissions were received, with approximately 35 per cent indicating support for the patio installations, according to a report submitted to the transportation committee.

Of the 1,658 notices mailed out to neighbouring residents and property owners, a total of 121 comments were received, with a little over 50 per cent (62 letters) indicating support for continuation of the patios.

Others urged the city to scrap the pilot project because it cramped the narrow sidewalk, decreased accessibility and caused headaches for pedestrians, according to emails sent to the city and released to the Citizen last year.

The transportation committee will discuss the staff recommendations at its meeting on Monday.

— More to come.

[email protected]
twitter.com/mpearson78

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...city-committee

[teej1984]

Maybe the city should consider moving parking spots off the west side of Elgin in certain locations and widening the sidewalks instead of removing patios that people actually enjoy.

[MoreTrains]

Originally Posted by teej1984

Maybe the city should consider moving parking spots off Elgin the west side of Elgin in certain locations and widening the sidewalks instead of removing patios that people actually enjoy.

Wouldnt provide enough parking for car people?

[teej1984]

Not all the parking spots, per say, but a reduction of 10-15 isn't going to kill the neighbourhood! People can take transit, or walk an extra block, no?

[1overcosc]

Wherever there's a patio, the sidewalk could bump out to cover the parking lane in that spot, allowing for pedestrian traffic to move around the patio there. This would effectively eliminate the parking lane and replace it will a number of unconnected parking pads instead.

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Wherever there's a patio, the sidewalk could bump out to cover the parking lane in that spot, allowing for pedestrian traffic to move around the patio there. This would effectively eliminate the parking lane and replace it will a number of unconnected parking pads instead.

This is exactly what I was thinking. One first hand experience I can think of that does this is Downtown Barrie. Many restaurant's have patio's in the summer and the City just extends the sidewalk into the road where a street parking space or two would normally be.

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Bar...2e0f00a84b535a

Only problem I can see is Ottawa not wanting to do this because of traffic problems it could cause on Elgin during peak rush hours. Elgin should be a main street and pedestrian friendly, not a commuter route out of downtown.