James said:
Of course, if that business model at this location made obvious sense, it would've been done already.
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The thing is though, not only would any investor have to buy out any existing retail space but additionally they would incur significant costs renovating that entire space (that's if it could even be done in a way that would open up the entire space down there).

If there's no way for that to be done, there's really not anything that could be done to save Aura's basement.
 
Amare said:
The thing is though, not only would any investor have to buy out any existing retail space but additionally they would incur significant costs renovating that entire space (that's if it could even be done in a way that would open up the entire space down there).

If there's no way for that to be done, there's really not anything that could be done to save Aura's basement.
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The other major problem is that unless they get a proper PATH connection it is a dead end and the current access is ghastly. Why would anyone go there unless they were lost!
 
^ Precisely. It's not a throughfare. It's a place people mistakenly wander into before abruptly leaving due to the depressing nature of the environment.

Maybe they should turn each unit into an AirBnb or Tokyo-style capsule hotel where travelers can keep their stuff, sleep, relax, etc. 250 sqft is pretty good accomodations. They can use the common washrooms, hit up the food court for breakfast, lunch, dinner right by their fingertips, and be right in the heart of the city when they come up to rejoin civilization once again.
 
It seems like the developer wondered how to make money out of that basement level with a minimum level of risk, and figured that the best way would be to sell the units as commercial condos and wash their hands of the whole thing. It worked famously.
 
Bayer said:
It seems like the developer wondered how to make money out of that basement level with a minimum level of risk, and figured that the best way would be to sell the units as commercial condos and wash their hands of the whole thing. It worked famously.
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Yes, the odd thing is that the buyers fell for it. They were apparently promised a PATH connection but clearly not in writing and it should not have taken a genius to see that a mall with only tiny stores and poor links and thus little or no passing traffic would not do well. Such a sad Place!
 
It reminds me of Splendid China Mall at Kennedy and Steeles. There is a tiny food court there and literally no food shops open.
 
Fwiw the Aura food court does have 2 good independent places there; Kaiju and Sushi & BBbop. The mall is definitely still a dead zone though.
 
From today.
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My god that final picture shows this building from an unflattering angle. There's just so much messy detail. I'll admit from some vantage points Aura looks decent. But not from this one.
 
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