taal said:
Interesting article highlighting the large demand for retail space in the core. It seems many retailers are interested in the huge amount of new retail space proposed ... but oxford isn't marketing it yet:
http://www.bisnow.com/real-estate-bisnow-toronto/2012/10/18/retailers-want-what-oxford-isnt-selling/
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good to know there is such demand for retail space.

However, I can't agree with this "Even for small retailers, there isn’t enough prime downtown space, and the Eaton Centre can’t grow anymore."

The core doesn't lack retail space. We just didn't make good use of it. Atrium on Bay for example, is such a huge waste of prime retail space. Walking inside, you see a Canada Post, some artwork shops, dentists office, CIBC branch, then a few small clothing store. Not to say from outside, it looks very unfriendly.

Really? This is the best Toronto can do? Eaton Center can totally expand to Atrium on Bay. It is huge with 2 floors of retail space. But anyone who shopped there at all? Can we even have a better location? Front/John doesn't have direct subway access. That world's largest bookstore on Edward can easily become a large department store for either Target or Nordstrom too.
 
... and couldn't the Toronto Life building be better used? In fact, there are a lot of potential spaces around Dundas Square that would make for prime retail opportunities.
 
Tewder said:
... and couldn't the Toronto Life building be better used? In fact, there are a lot of potential spaces around Dundas Square that would make for prime retail opportunities.
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Yes but there's a difference between potential and an actual proposal ...
Also, in some ways the area around Front is more desirable. I say this due to "path" during the week ... though I'm sure most of us know ... for those that don't the path is a zoo during the week, while there is already plenty of retail there's probably demand for more ... particularly with the south core projects which are a bit further away from where most of this retail is contained.

For those that aren't familiar, you really should check out the path during a working day ... I only did fairly recently and was amazed by how crowed it gets, and not in the same way that the bottom of the Toronto Life build get's crowed around the Dundas subway entrance yet most retail fails ... here the stores themselves are fairly busy too !

I was surprised with just how much retail is underneath our streets ... likely another eaton center worth.

Not saying I'm a fan ... could you imagine if all that retail was on the streets !


Now regarding retail in the core in general ... if you read reports many say we're under served by retail ... personally I don't agree as these reports consider the core and core alone ... they fail to take into account all the retail on side streets just outside the core (i.e. Queen / King / Church / Bloor / ...)

So I think these reports really refer to "retail for chains" ...
 
One thing I noted from that link was how the bild toronto representative seems to understand the power of developing the land around transit hubs as a way to generate income. He says that we are at least "40 years behind the rest of the world". If we weren't building suburban style stations in our current expansion, we could be reaping the rewards now, by developing our own retail, commercial and residential opportunities.
 
For those that aren't familiar, you really should check out the path during a working day ... I only did fairly recently and was amazed by how crowed it gets, and not in the same way that the bottom of the Toronto Life build get's crowed around the Dundas subway entrance yet most retail fails ... here the stores themselves are fairly busy too !

I was surprised with just how much retail is underneath our streets ... likely another eaton center worth.
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PATH would be considered the largest mall in the country if it was one complex.
 
is either Las Vegas Sands Corp or Caesars interested in this location? in last weeks Star it stated the MGM initially turned away from the convention centre site as its first choice because of traffic concerns.
 
gabe said:
is either Las Vegas Sands Corp or Caesars interested in this location? in last weeks Star it stated the MGM initially turned away from the convention centre site as its first choice because of traffic concerns.
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^ I can see that. It's not just the traffic but also parking, which is exactly why I think this is the best location for it. A casino at any other location would generate far too much vehicle traffic whereas this site has great transit access and the amount of parking they can provide is limited.

Aside from the casino, I can't wait to hear more about the two mixed-use supertalls designed by Sir Norman Foster: 2.5 million sqft of office space plus 600k of residential, sitting on top of a podium consisting of up to 2 million sqft of retail and convention space. That alone would be one of the most important developments in Toronto's history.

It reminds me of Foster's proposal for a twin tower development in Paris and for the World Trade Center site

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http://www.retail-insider.com/

Nordstrom, Simons,Target or Walmart in New Downtown Toronto Mall?

We have received word that Oxford Properties' proposed new Downtown Toronto shopping centre is already being eyed by retailers such as Nordstrom, La Maison Simons, Target and Walmart. A new 1million square foot shopping centre is being proposed by Oxford (along with convention/office/residential/hotel space and possibly a casino) which may rival The Toronto Eaton Centre for patrons and possibly exceed its size. The mall would be located on a mult-use, 11 acre site beside the Rogers Centre and the CN Tower.

Nordstrom, Simons, Walmart and Target are actively seeking downtown Toronto space and have expressed frustations at lack of retail availability. The Toronto Eaton Centre is space-limited, and Sears doesn't seem willing to give-in to Cadillac Fairview's offer to buy-out its lease for a new flagship Nordstrom store (or for Simons, also eying a chunk of Sears' space). We reported earlier that Nordstrom is seeking 225-270,000 square feet, while Simons wants 100,000+ square feet in Downtown Toronto.

The Toronto Eaton Centre's non-anchor square footage is 582,000 square feet (Sears, Canadian Tire and Best Buy add another 1.035million square feet). The proposed Oxford Place would be around 1 million square feet, making it possibly 'grander' than Toronto's Eaton Centre's non-anchor retail portion. More importantly Oxford Place could become home to substantial anchor-tenants, ranging from lower-end big box retailers to large luxury retailers, depending on what the landlord deems marketable.

Oxford is in the preliminary planning stages of its new project, and we've been told that it is being pressured to bring forward its planning application to Toronto City Hall 'asap' by potential tenants desperately seeking large downtown retail spaces. We will keep you updated on what might become a very exciting Canadian retail development.
 
Those are some pretty big anchor tenants. Maybe this can be done without the casino after all. Maybe not all of it, but big names anchoring the mall could get the ball rolling for the towers.
 
I do not want to see a Walmart in downtown and I will fight this proposal if that's what is stated to be going in.
 
What if it contained Nordstrom, Simons, Target and Walmart, making it a mall of mostly department stores?

In any case, I agree that this project doesn't really need the casino to work if it's essentially creating a new downtown shopping mall. Assuming it will have better PATH connections than the existing convention centre (direct access from the north, etc.), this will in some ways be a better location than the Eaton Centre in that it's closer to union station, a number of major tourist attractions and the entertainment district.
 
Regardless of WalMart or not, what the heck is with this "mall" anyway? A mall is the most anti-urban expression of all, mustn't forget we're talking downtown real estate here. Somewhere along the line, a "revitalized" Front St. presence is promised, and I for one can't figure out how a mall will help achieve that. I think this thing is starting to stink, aside from attractive skyscrapers.
 
Gphorce said:
I do not want to see a Walmart in downtown and I will fight this proposal if that's what is stated to be going in.
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As much as I hate Wal-Mart....the Oxford site is being handled by a starchitect and located in the downtown core so I doubt that it would be your typical Wal-Mart. In the unlikely event that a Wal-Mart is even built here (which i really find hard to believe) there would be no possibility of a surface parking or a bland banal walmart warehouse structure.
 
TonyV said:
Regardless of WalMart or not, what the heck is with this "mall" anyway? A mall is the most anti-urban expression of all, mustn't forget we're talking downtown real estate here. Somewhere along the line, a "revitalized" Front St. presence is promised, and I for one can't figure out how a mall will help achieve that. I think this thing is starting to stink, aside from attractive skyscrapers.
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When the Eaton Centre and the Atrium on Bay added more mall-style retail/restaurants along Dundas between Yonge and Bay, I think most would agree it added to the vibrancy of the area (the Ryerson business school also helped a lot of course). I don't see the issue with mall-style retail, especially when it's in a large, mixed-use development. It's certainly more efficient than simply having a row of individual stores along front. Also, it will save downtowners from having to drive to Etobicoke to access these same stores (let's be honest, this is very common).
 
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