grey said:
They're replacing all the banisters with stainless steel and glass, just as I'd feared. It's a shame that they didn't choose to preserve the original aesthetic, because the new floor tiles are very close to the original design.
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It is disappointing, as I like the originals as well. It matches the design of the building.
 
Ed007Toronto said:
They had better redo the elevators. Never took notice until I had kids. You can wait 10 minutes to get one because they are so small and there's lots of demand from people with strollers and wheelchairs.
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The elevators are a nightmare. Only one bank goes down to the lower levels, which was an intentional 1970s decision to force people to use the escalators (and walk by more storefronts), but it doesn't work so well in the SVU-stroller era. Plus, notwithstanding all of the signage and flashing arrow signs, many customers fail to realize that some of the elevators only serve the parkade levels -- I guess people see an elevator, incorrectly assume it serves all floors, and see no need to look at the signs or arrows. So groups of people pile into elevators, strollers, shopping bags and wheelchairs in tow, only to abandon the elevator once someone says "hey, this elevator only goes up". Plus, people with big packages, strollers, etc. routinely get all confused and stand in the elevator doorways, blocking access for those trying to exit and enter. It slows everything down immensely.

I doubt that CF is going to get rid of the elevators that only serve the parkade floors (fast access to the garage is important to the office tenants), but they need to do something to improve the whole process. What that would be, I do not know.
 
grey said:
They're replacing all the banisters with stainless steel and glass, just as I'd feared. It's a shame that they didn't choose to preserve the original aesthetic, because the new floor tiles are very close to the original design.

I have a feeling that the escalators are approaching the end of their operating lifespan and this $120 million upgrade is chiefly based on replacing them, and that presented a good opportunity for other major backburner projects like the new food court layouts...
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I agree. I am very nervous about the banisters. I appreciate that they need updating, but I fear that the mall will end up with unoriginal railings more in keeping with a standard suburban mall aesthetic than with the original EC design. I guess we'll see how it plays out.

Weren't the escalators mostly replaced five years ago or so? I seem to recall that one by one, they each went out of service for a week or so, got completely dismantled and (I assumed) replaced. Aftewards, the steps all looked new.
 
I haven't been to the EC in almost 2 years. The renderings look like 'before' picture.
 
Okay, we have a few more renders of food court areas to show you:


First, two examples of new food outlet design:

FoodIdentityImage1.jpg


FoodIdentityImage4.jpg



Dining Area concept:

GHA1-DiningArea.jpg



Sitting Area concept:

GHA2-SittingAreas.jpg



and finally the Hand Wash Station concept:

GHA5-HandWashStations.jpg



Do any other malls have the hand wash stations in eating areas yet?

42
 
I have never seen a hand wash station in a food court before. That's a great idea. The more people that wash their hands, the less people that get sick. I wonder what method they'll use for drying your hands. The Dyson hand dryers maybe!
 
khristopher said:
I have never seen a hand wash station in a food court before. That's a great idea. The more people that wash their hands, the less people that get sick. I wonder what method they'll use for drying your hands. The Dyson hand dryers maybe!
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The shake your hands and wipe on your pants method :D
 
I'm very pleased to hear about the revamp! Although I haven't inspected the details yet. I worked at 1 Dundas about a half-decade ago and since that was before the Toronto Life square, the EC was my primary "lunch hangout".

- hand wash station in the food court. a nice idea. stolen from Indian restaurants obviously ;)
- food court concept reminds me of Fairview Mall's new food court, agree?

Getting a better food outlet selection in the food court will be a good idea. Could we PLEASE get Pret-A-manger, or some other similar high-quality European fast food place?

TOfan696, your pictures are dead links
 
picard102 said:
Those things are way too loud for an open space. Napkins or paper towle please.
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When Conestoga Mall in Waterloo was renovated, they introduced a new option for hand-washing: cloth towels that were put in a bin when done and washed. It lasted as long as one would predict.

If anyone can't wait to see the new bathrooms, go to the bathroom on the Galleria level near the IndigoKids entrance; it makes you forget you're even at Eaton Centre!

And I see the earlier suggestion of banishing Lush's horrible stench and raise Abercrombie and Fitch. Just as foul and in an area with heavier traffic.
 
Colour me underwhelmed - the designs I've seen so far are neither in keeping with the original spirit, NOR represents the best of contemporary work - in fact, the redo makes EC looks even more like just-another-mall.

AoD
 
In fact, the new food court is almost lifted straight from the recent remodelling of Fairview Mall (which in itself was a nice job), complete with its wood-panel canopies:
2717408070_46495b7b48.jpg


The design for individual food outlets look similar too, but I couldn't find a picture of them.
 
So with this redesign, will they do something to keep homeless people for bugging you for change when you're eating there? - Like a glass wall or something.
 
Meh, nothing cutting edge whatsoever about this. They could have done so much better.
 
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