picard102
Senior Member
Getting rid of those trees is a mistake.
- Thread starter grey
- Start date
In regards to Zeidler's involvement in the renovations, and many other details, we'll know much more on Thursday: the Star's article was an information leak, (likely with CadFair's blessing), before Cadillac Fairview intended to make a full announcement. We'll know much more soon!
42
42
adma
Superstar
Don't necessarily get *too* worked up about Zeidler or no Zeidler; after all, it's under Zeidler that other compromising alterations to the original concept have taken place, from the Yonge facades to the H&Ming away of the north atrium...basically, a "we can get away with murder as long as it's credited to Zeidler" approach...
Bayer
Senior Member
I don't think CF is concerned with info leaks, since they told all of their tenants about it a month ago!
grey
Senior Member
Yeah, most of this information has been floating around in the malls thread in the Retail forum for weeks now.
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
Save for renderings and actual floor plans...which I can't wait to see. Hopefully they can strike a balance between the need to update the mall and the recognition that in many ways the space is historical...
AoD
AoD
TOfan696
Active Member
I was at the Media Preview this Morning - I have renderings and such which I can post later
I laughed when I read the Star article that said they "had just learned". Maybe they should log in here and stay up to date.
to-enthusiast
Banned
Awesome! Don't keep us in suspense for too long.
syn
Senior Member
Toronto Eaton Centre unveils details of $120M facelift
Food court, new sculpture will be new features of landmark mall
Published On Thu Jun 17 2010
Wayne Barwise, Senior Vice President of Development for Cadillac Fairview, speaks to media about revitalization of Toronto Eaton Centre.
KEITH BEATY/TORONTO STAR
A better food court featuring real china plates.
A dramatic new lighting sculpture suspended from the iconic glass ceiling.
And a lighter brighter more airy feel throughout the mall.
These are the main elements of a $120 million facelift for the 33-year-old Toronto Eaton Centre,which attracts 52 million visitors a year.
“When we first opened the doors, it set a new standard for retail,” Wayne Barwise, vice-president of development for owner Cadillac Fairview Corp. Ltd., said in Toronto on Thursday. “Now, we’re about to do this again.”
Nearly half the budget will be spent refreshing the glass-domed upper floor, referred to as the Galleria, after the Italian mall that inspired the original architect, Eberhard Zeidler.
The rest will be spent upgrading the two food court areas, Barwise said in an interview.
The north food court, near Dundas St., will become a showcase both for local restaurateurs, such as Mercatto, and national chains such as A&W, Barwise said.
The food at all the restaurants will be served on real china, instead of plastic, paper and Styrofoam.
The south food court, near Queen St., will be served by one tenant, Richtree Inc., owners of the European-style Marché restaurant, and will cover 18,000 square feet.
In the Galleria, a stunning new light sculpture by British design firm United Visual Artists will hang suspended from the glass dome, starting above the fountain and stretching 100 feet in either direction.
No drawings were available yesterday so Barwise presented a photo of the one in London’s Covent Gardens as an example of their work.
The new sculpture will not interfere with the existing one, a flock of Canadian geese suspended at the south end of the Galleria, by Canadian artist Michael Snow, the developer said.
The renovation will include new glass and stainless steel finishes on escalators, floor railings and elevators, the company said. As well, new lighting and new flooring throughout the mall will give it a lighter, brighter feel, Barwise said.
Asked about the impact of the upgrades on tenant’s rents, Barwise declined to be specific.
“Rents change routinely. That will continue as normal,” he said.
The cost of upgrading the north food court will be partly borne by tenants, he said.
Cadillac Fairview is undertaking the upgrade in order to stay ahead of the curve, Barwise said.
“We’re the best-performing centre in Canada today in terms of sales per square footage. And it’s in the top five in North America. It’s not because the centre is not performing well,” he said. “It’s because we started out setting the bar higher and we want it to stay that way.”
The mall has recently attracted several major new tenants, he noted, citing U.S.-based lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret, shoe retailer Stuart Weitzmann, and Joey Restaurants Group.
Construction begins July 2 in the north food court and is expected to last 24 months. The mall will remain open throughout the project. The first phase will be completed within 16 months, the company said.
Toronto Councillor Kyle Rae, whose ward includes the Toronto Eaton Centre, said he welcomes the upgrade.
“The Eaton Centre needs to be cutting edge. They have to constantly refurbish, so it’s great to hear,” Rae said.
The upgrade is the biggest since the mall opened in 1977, Cadillac Fairview said.
Previous upgrades include adding individual exterior store entrances along Yonge St., and redeveloping the parking garage at Yonge and Bay Sts. to add Canadian Tire and Best Buy stores alongside a new business school for Ryerson University.
--with files from San Grewal.
Photos - Photos (3)
Food court, new sculpture will be new features of landmark mall
Published On Thu Jun 17 2010
Wayne Barwise, Senior Vice President of Development for Cadillac Fairview, speaks to media about revitalization of Toronto Eaton Centre.
KEITH BEATY/TORONTO STAR
A better food court featuring real china plates.
A dramatic new lighting sculpture suspended from the iconic glass ceiling.
And a lighter brighter more airy feel throughout the mall.
These are the main elements of a $120 million facelift for the 33-year-old Toronto Eaton Centre,which attracts 52 million visitors a year.
“When we first opened the doors, it set a new standard for retail,” Wayne Barwise, vice-president of development for owner Cadillac Fairview Corp. Ltd., said in Toronto on Thursday. “Now, we’re about to do this again.”
Nearly half the budget will be spent refreshing the glass-domed upper floor, referred to as the Galleria, after the Italian mall that inspired the original architect, Eberhard Zeidler.
The rest will be spent upgrading the two food court areas, Barwise said in an interview.
The north food court, near Dundas St., will become a showcase both for local restaurateurs, such as Mercatto, and national chains such as A&W, Barwise said.
The food at all the restaurants will be served on real china, instead of plastic, paper and Styrofoam.
The south food court, near Queen St., will be served by one tenant, Richtree Inc., owners of the European-style Marché restaurant, and will cover 18,000 square feet.
In the Galleria, a stunning new light sculpture by British design firm United Visual Artists will hang suspended from the glass dome, starting above the fountain and stretching 100 feet in either direction.
No drawings were available yesterday so Barwise presented a photo of the one in London’s Covent Gardens as an example of their work.
The new sculpture will not interfere with the existing one, a flock of Canadian geese suspended at the south end of the Galleria, by Canadian artist Michael Snow, the developer said.
The renovation will include new glass and stainless steel finishes on escalators, floor railings and elevators, the company said. As well, new lighting and new flooring throughout the mall will give it a lighter, brighter feel, Barwise said.
Asked about the impact of the upgrades on tenant’s rents, Barwise declined to be specific.
“Rents change routinely. That will continue as normal,” he said.
The cost of upgrading the north food court will be partly borne by tenants, he said.
Cadillac Fairview is undertaking the upgrade in order to stay ahead of the curve, Barwise said.
“We’re the best-performing centre in Canada today in terms of sales per square footage. And it’s in the top five in North America. It’s not because the centre is not performing well,” he said. “It’s because we started out setting the bar higher and we want it to stay that way.”
The mall has recently attracted several major new tenants, he noted, citing U.S.-based lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret, shoe retailer Stuart Weitzmann, and Joey Restaurants Group.
Construction begins July 2 in the north food court and is expected to last 24 months. The mall will remain open throughout the project. The first phase will be completed within 16 months, the company said.
Toronto Councillor Kyle Rae, whose ward includes the Toronto Eaton Centre, said he welcomes the upgrade.
“The Eaton Centre needs to be cutting edge. They have to constantly refurbish, so it’s great to hear,” Rae said.
The upgrade is the biggest since the mall opened in 1977, Cadillac Fairview said.
Previous upgrades include adding individual exterior store entrances along Yonge St., and redeveloping the parking garage at Yonge and Bay Sts. to add Canadian Tire and Best Buy stores alongside a new business school for Ryerson University.
--with files from San Grewal.
Photos - Photos (3)
Last edited:
Kitsune
Senior Member
For those that havent noticed... every single store in the North Food Court area is eithier closed, moved or closing soon. I've been wondering what there doing... but that explains it. Also, isnt there already a Marché being built where the old (and I mean really really old) movie theatre use to be? I dont know what else Richtree will put in that spot...
MetroMan
Senior Member
From TheStar.com
Jayomatic
Active Member
UVA again! Awesome. If you guys aren't familiar with their work, have a look through their work and you'll blow your mind. They are also handling Maple Leaf Square. One thing i'll really miss is the trees.
picard102
Senior Member
That's it? Kind of underwhelmed I guess.
MetroMan
Senior Member
From TheStar.com
Even though the glass will probably grow on me, something tells me they should have kept the spirit of the original bar railings but in more modern materials.
I like the new floors and hopefully they get whoever did the ceilings at Yorkdale to do the same for the Eaton Centre. They're gorgeous! I've never spent so much time looking at ceilings before.
I'm looking most forward to the food court redevelopments. From the sound of it, they're bringing in more healthy choices too and on real china no less. This could be interesting.
I think the most significant update they could do would be to continue the mall all the way to Dundas without having Sears in the way. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen because Sears' life support is that one floor that forces people coming in from Dundas to walk through their store to get to the mall.