Edmonton City Centre Mall (Renovations) | ?m | 2s | LaSalle Investment Management

[David A]

At this point I think the best chance of having this mall be somewhat successful would be to consolidate everything on the east side and tear down the west side (really there’s not much left on the west side anyways except for some banks, cell phone kiosks and Dollarama. Then there’s literally an open canvas of a whole city block adjacent to an LRT station for a developer to do whatever (please no 6 storey wood frame apartments!)

The east side is doing better and has evolved a bit to integrate more with the street, although much more could be done. The west part was really designed as a suburban mall.

Had COVID not happened and decimated downtown retail, I feel the west side may have had major redevelopment to improve it. As for tearing it down, I feel that is a poor idea.

A lot of the problems downtown have been caused by tearing things down and replacing them with something worse in the name or progress or nothing at all. Just look at the empty lot where the Tegler/BMO building is just south of the mall. We don't need another empty lot in the heart of the city.

 

[Kosy123]

I'd think adding towers on top, and renovating the west side with more glass less bunker (similar to Manulife) would be great.

It does look a bit dated inside and giving it an internal refresh would help. I'm not really a fan of demolishing it outright. I'm a bit delusional and super optimistic but I think the mall can come back especially as we get more people back in the core, from office workers to residents and students. I mean we have some retailers opening stuff already and moving to larger spaces inside so it's not a complete lost cause.

 

[TAS]

I'd think adding towers on top, and renovating the west side with more glass less bunker (similar to Manulife) would be great.

It does look a bit dated inside and giving it an internal refresh would help. I'm not really a fan of demolishing it outright. I'm a bit delusional and super optimistic but I think the mall can come back especially as we get more people back in the core, from office workers to residents and students. I mean we have some retailers opening stuff already and moving to larger spaces inside so it's not a complete lost cause.

A reno on west and southside should be a must.

If mall fills up again, is there any incentive to invest in the exterior and its bunker like facade from the street with limited entrances?

 

[crisp]

I've said long ago when I was living in Ultima, the entire West facade facing 103rd Street should have street-facing shops and restaurants. It would really round out the entire nightlife experience of the area with what's already on 103rd, 104th, and Ice District. Right now that blank wall just sucks life out of the strip.

But the entire facade does need a major reno, and doesn't look like investors are willing to take the risk. One can dream....

 

[Kosy123]

A reno on west and southside should be a must.

If mall fills up again, is there any incentive to invest in the exterior and its bunker like facade from the street with limited entrances?

I don't really think it's going to fill up unless they commit to investing to a reno. I know that's not going to happen unless there's more fundamental changes in the core that support more retail, but I'd say that City Centre renovating needs to happen for some of that change to start.

We're already seeing some bigger moves than we have since probably the Ice District broke ground (more residential coming online and construction, Ice District 2 announcement, retail spaces slowly getting filled).

I am an eternal optimist for the city and downtown especially, so I know I'm an outlier.

 

[Markyeg]

I don’t even see what there is left retail wise to open up at CC Mall that hasn’t already left, especially in the larger Bay and Sport Check spaces. And Simons won’t be coming DT, especially when there will be empty Bay spaces at Kingsway and Southgate opening up soon (if they even have intentions on expanding more).

 

[ChazYEG]

Controversial opinion, maybe, because it isn't a fancy-ish store, but I bet a Mark's would do great in the old Bay space or the old Sport Check space. Or it could also be remodeled and split up into smaller spaces, just like the old Sears space on Southgate. Or even have a RecRoom in the old bay space, for example.
There are plenty of options that could be appealing/interesting for the vacant spaces there, even the largest ones.

 

[Markyeg]

There is so much retail space that is about to come available in the next couple months that CC will struggle to compete with the other malls in YEG. A RecRoom might be busy on event nights but will be dead the rest of the week, because the rest of the time most Edmontonians will go to WEM or SEC if they want to go to the Rec Room and not pay for parking.

Same with Marks. Why go DT, when there are numerous other locations around the city that offer free parking.

 

[crisp]

Controversial opinion, maybe, because it isn't a fancy-ish store, but I bet a Mark's would do great in the old Bay space or the old Sport Check space. Or it could also be remodeled and split up into smaller spaces, just like the old Sears space on Southgate. Or even have a RecRoom in the old bay space, for example.
There are plenty of options that could be appealing/interesting for the vacant spaces there, even the largest ones.

My money is on a new downtown Toyota truck centre... I'll see myself out now...

 

[Gronk!]

Divide the Bay into smaller spaces for a food hall, street level pubs, a nightclub (maybe), a pickleball court and bike racing facilities. Demolish the Bay parkade and replace with an expanded Delta Hotel. The movie theatre can stay intact, although I'd prefer an IMAX facility in the parking lot across from COE and MNP.

 

[ChazYEG]

There is so much retail space that is about to come available in the next couple months that CC will struggle to compete with the other malls in YEG. A RecRoom might be busy on event nights but will be dead the rest of the week, because the rest of the time most Edmontonians will go to WEM or SEC if they want to go to the Rec Room and not pay for parking.

Same with Marks. Why go DT, when there are numerous other locations around the city that offer free parking.

Well, considering the growing population of DT, and the expanding LRT and the student population around, not to mention the workers DT, etc, I don't see a DT RecRoom or a Mark's competing with WEM or SEC for patrons. Honestly the free parking excuse is pretty pointless, IMO. For once, any of those stores could very easily offer free parking for patrons, to be validated at the cashier, based on consumption/purchase amounts, just like Loblaws does on ICE District. RecRoom, in particular, is a prime candidate for doing something of the sorts.

 

[Kosy123]

If anything, City Centre will probably get some small or discount retailers catering to downtown residents or transit riders over the next few years, and some retailers that are given attractive lease rates. Nothing super outstanding.

 

[The_Cat]

The Ice District is having challenges with finding tenants, even with its high profile. One plus is having the Molson Icehouse and Loblaws.

 

[ChazYEG]

The Ice District is having challenges with finding tenants, even with its high profile

I suspect it has a lot to do with the very unattractive lease rates, for the expected traffic. I believe we'll start seeing more things open up as Stationlands, Falcon and the Parks start filling up more.

 

[JNO1]

What a great time with the Chamber of Commerce yesterday at UNCEDED, for the April "Coffee with the Chamber" event. Attendees enjoyed coffee and pastries supplied by the Delta and perused the wonderful works of 10 indigenous vendors from I.Am.Collective. Thanks to all who were involved and all who attended.