MCXavierL
Active Member
Car brained raving? It is literally the approved plan.
Bonnie Doon Mall Redevelopment | ?m | ?s
- Thread starter Daveography
- Start date
You missed the part where I said so I can walk to the lrt station easier after hours? Roads have more than one purpose.
Barnaby
Senior Member
I think these streets are planned to be super pedestrianized because of the transit stops. There is even going to be a big car free transit plaza. I'm a big car hater on this forum, but I don't see the issue with tiny streets that connect the neighbourhood to the stops.
Clearshades
Senior Member
If the area becomes fruition, no doubt functionality has to be incorporated.
According to the shopbdc instagram account, redevelopment plans are on hold.
CplKlinger
Senior Member
Did they give any more details like a reason, new timeline, etc?
David A
Senior Member
I hadn't been to Bonnie Doon for quite a while, but went there this afternoon. After reading some of the gloomy postings about it in the past, I was surprised there actually were not that many vacant spaces and it was fairly busy particularly the south half of the mall.
It has an interesting mix of stores, some local and unique stores, not the popular and often more expensive fashion chains. Many of the places looked affordable, decent and locally owned. I have a feeling this place will do better than expected particularly in these though economic times.
It has an interesting mix of stores, some local and unique stores, not the popular and often more expensive fashion chains. Many of the places looked affordable, decent and locally owned. I have a feeling this place will do better than expected particularly in these though economic times.
Barnaby
Senior Member
Mall retail seems to be doing very well these days. I don't recall Kingsway ever being this good. WEM's previously dead wing near the bay is almost full, and worth visiting. Southgate has some solid tenants like Lulu, Uniqlo, Sephora, Lego, Footlocker, The Bay.
WEM and the big 2 malls filling up is going to lead to some spillover to Bonnie Doon, and later ECC.
David A
Senior Member
Yes, there have been no major new malls built in this city in many years. Kingsway has mostly just renovated and filled existing space vacated by Target and Sears, somewhat similarly for West Ed and Southgate. Most of that space is now mostly filled and whatever is left is probably at premium rates.
Yes, many power centres have been built (most further from central areas) but they are not that appealing in the winter, where it can be too far to walk between stores in the cold and if busy, not easy to drive and find another parking spot.
So I agree there is spillover and it may increase considerably in the near future as stores find it even more difficult to get space in or expand in the bigger malls.
Yes, many power centres have been built (most further from central areas) but they are not that appealing in the winter, where it can be too far to walk between stores in the cold and if busy, not easy to drive and find another parking spot.
So I agree there is spillover and it may increase considerably in the near future as stores find it even more difficult to get space in or expand in the bigger malls.
Gronk!
Senior Member
Maybe this will help spur a TOD at Bonnie Doon Mall:
www.bnnbloomberg.ca
Morguard selling portfolio of 14 hotels across Canada for $410 million - BNN Bloomberg
Morguard Corp. says it has signed a deal to sell a portfolio of 14 hotels for $410 million as part of its plan to focus on its core real estate investments, including office, industrial, retail and multi-suite residential properties.
www.bnnbloomberg.ca
fromyeg
Active Member
Hopefully!
Droxen
New Member
Hey, it's been sometime since the last post in this thread and there's been some changes in and around the mall. While it's not the redevelopment we've all been hoping for, I think it goes to show Bonnie Doon Mall is actually very alive and well.
Outside the mall, completed some time ago, are the new mall signs:
They also added a new canopy by the north end of the Bonnie Doon LRT Stop, towards the transit plaza:
Something really neat is they realized people will always cut through the trees to get to and from the crosswalk to cross 83 St on the north side of Whyte Ave, so they paved it, which looks a lot better:
They also tore down the BMO sign and put up a small banner and when I asked a worker what they were doing, he didn't know what the plans were but that their job was repairing the wall from the damage left.behind from the sign (there were indents of the BMO sign that was taken down):
Also, they have set up all this construction fencing along the grass strip between the sidewalk/shared-use-path and mall parking lots on the east side all the way from Whyte Ave to the north end of mall property by the library. I asked the guys setting up the fences if they knew what was happening and they said they were taking out the grass and putting in planters, stones, and other landscaping. In my.opinion this will be amazing and so much better than the grass with so many dead patches. They said the fencing will be up for 10-12 weeks so this will certainly be an all-summer thing.
Lastly, and this was built ages before even the new mall signs, is this thing on the north end tucked behind MaKami, that extended the side walk significantly so there's less parking lots to cross going to the library which is nice, and it looks like one of those off-leash dog parks but I've never seen anything advertising it as such, or anyone using it, and so I can't for the life of me figure out what it is:
Outside the mall, completed some time ago, are the new mall signs:
They also added a new canopy by the north end of the Bonnie Doon LRT Stop, towards the transit plaza:
Something really neat is they realized people will always cut through the trees to get to and from the crosswalk to cross 83 St on the north side of Whyte Ave, so they paved it, which looks a lot better:
They also tore down the BMO sign and put up a small banner and when I asked a worker what they were doing, he didn't know what the plans were but that their job was repairing the wall from the damage left.behind from the sign (there were indents of the BMO sign that was taken down):
Also, they have set up all this construction fencing along the grass strip between the sidewalk/shared-use-path and mall parking lots on the east side all the way from Whyte Ave to the north end of mall property by the library. I asked the guys setting up the fences if they knew what was happening and they said they were taking out the grass and putting in planters, stones, and other landscaping. In my.opinion this will be amazing and so much better than the grass with so many dead patches. They said the fencing will be up for 10-12 weeks so this will certainly be an all-summer thing.
Lastly, and this was built ages before even the new mall signs, is this thing on the north end tucked behind MaKami, that extended the side walk significantly so there's less parking lots to cross going to the library which is nice, and it looks like one of those off-leash dog parks but I've never seen anything advertising it as such, or anyone using it, and so I can't for the life of me figure out what it is:
Droxen
New Member
Moving to inside the mall, there have been lots of changes over time. The biggest ones are as follows:
Artesanal, a store selling South American coffee, apparel, and other stuff, has gone from one bay, to two, to what looks like three. I talked to the woman running the first space they occupied and she said that that space was moving to what was the second space opened, right beside the Administration entrance, and the second space was moving down to the other side of Administration, in what used to be The Source, and the then-empty first space will be renovated for awhile and then opened up again to sell new wares, wood and metal working stuff along with others. I've never seen a mall store occupy multiple separate spaces, but that's just me, so I find it very interesting:
Another store, Night of Artists, that hosts art-walks every year that are essentially an art themed farmer's market that spans the entire length of the mall, has also expanded to a second space:
Across from the custom apparel store there has been a big renovation going on. The mall hallway was done up to cover the interior windows with historical pictures of the mall, and when I finally asked the custom apparel store people if they knew what was happening, they said a sports bar was being built. They described to me the bar/business that was there before but I am too new to the area to know its history, and they said the owner had been wanting to get it open for the playoff run this year, but it turned out that so much work was needed, they ended up doing a complete retrofit, so it's taken a lot longer than expected. There won't be an interior entrance so the one interior entrance that was there has now been turned into an emergency exit, but there is a mall exit/entrance right beside where the bar entrance will be so there won't be any annoying having to go around kind of thing:
Those are the big ones, but I'd also like to point that this antiques store that opened up in what was once the spot for the hydroponic garden towers the mall was running with the aid of volunteers (I was actually the first volunteer that helped it get started. This spot was its second spot as the first was where the first Night of Artists location is, the towers are now in a third location back up towards the north end):
Lastly, there has been the addition of a Spec Savers by the food court, Arts Sewing & Tailoring by the new sports bar entrance (it's actually the second time it is here, they closed the store down last summer I believe, but it is back again). There was a new.addition to the food court for awhile but they are now gone, and even the model train display guys are working on expanding their display with the donations they've gotten from visitors. They even had to build a bigger donation box.
So yeah, lots of stuff, sorry for how long these were. But I feel like all this just goes to show that both the locals and Edmonton in general, and Morguard, haven't forgotten about the Bonnie Doon Mall.
Artesanal, a store selling South American coffee, apparel, and other stuff, has gone from one bay, to two, to what looks like three. I talked to the woman running the first space they occupied and she said that that space was moving to what was the second space opened, right beside the Administration entrance, and the second space was moving down to the other side of Administration, in what used to be The Source, and the then-empty first space will be renovated for awhile and then opened up again to sell new wares, wood and metal working stuff along with others. I've never seen a mall store occupy multiple separate spaces, but that's just me, so I find it very interesting:
Another store, Night of Artists, that hosts art-walks every year that are essentially an art themed farmer's market that spans the entire length of the mall, has also expanded to a second space:
Across from the custom apparel store there has been a big renovation going on. The mall hallway was done up to cover the interior windows with historical pictures of the mall, and when I finally asked the custom apparel store people if they knew what was happening, they said a sports bar was being built. They described to me the bar/business that was there before but I am too new to the area to know its history, and they said the owner had been wanting to get it open for the playoff run this year, but it turned out that so much work was needed, they ended up doing a complete retrofit, so it's taken a lot longer than expected. There won't be an interior entrance so the one interior entrance that was there has now been turned into an emergency exit, but there is a mall exit/entrance right beside where the bar entrance will be so there won't be any annoying having to go around kind of thing:
Those are the big ones, but I'd also like to point that this antiques store that opened up in what was once the spot for the hydroponic garden towers the mall was running with the aid of volunteers (I was actually the first volunteer that helped it get started. This spot was its second spot as the first was where the first Night of Artists location is, the towers are now in a third location back up towards the north end):
Lastly, there has been the addition of a Spec Savers by the food court, Arts Sewing & Tailoring by the new sports bar entrance (it's actually the second time it is here, they closed the store down last summer I believe, but it is back again). There was a new.addition to the food court for awhile but they are now gone, and even the model train display guys are working on expanding their display with the donations they've gotten from visitors. They even had to build a bigger donation box.
So yeah, lots of stuff, sorry for how long these were. But I feel like all this just goes to show that both the locals and Edmonton in general, and Morguard, haven't forgotten about the Bonnie Doon Mall.
BrettB
Active Member
I could be wrong here, but this strikes me as the mall that has done the most to welcome its connection to mass transit. Other malls (WEM, Kingsway, Southgate, Mill Woods) seem to tolerate transit at their doorstep rather than embrace it.
Barnaby
Senior Member
I think if Kingsway and Southgate were to do it today, it would be different. Views have changed quite a bit since the approval of the Capital South and Metro extension planning was completed.
WEM will have great access to the mall from the new station, and I don't really know how they could have mated it to the property much better without eating up valuable land that will likely be used for future expansion.
I would expect some of the WEM parkades to be converted to retail space and towers once they reach end of life.