50 replies to this topic

[amor de cosmos]

Besides Town & Country what malls in the core badly need to be redeveloped/revitalized? If TLC had a show called "Flip That Mall" what would be the prime candidates?

[gumgum]

Fairfield Mall. Badly overcrowded parking lot. A prime candidate because of its success.
Doubt it will happen though. The owner lives in the southern States and could care less about redevelopment.

[B.Bridge]

Oh you mean Fairfield "Village", which somehow recently and quietly acquired this new handle. (It was a "plaza" before.) I would think a "village" would need some residential component but apparently not. Anyway, there is some revitalization happening now - they are bringing it kicking and screaming out of the 1980's and stamping it with a fresh new 1990's "Calgary" look.

Every few years this Thrifties store (#1) goes through an attempted expansion, and each time they discover there is really no room, so they give up and put everything back. It is a predictable and calming cycle.

The parking lot is full because most elder drivers there are taking up two stalls. This doesn't concern them - they are generally most satisfied and pleased with themselves because they haven't had to walk the one or two blocks from their homes, and they are all quite relieved to find they have indeed ended up at Thrifties.

[gumgum]

There was some talk about Thifty's building up to 2 stories. There was some consultation with residents and they decided it would be too controversial. Don't know the details.

Fairfield Village needs to lose the surface parking lot - put it underground. Put some mixed use where the current lot exists - res above, retail ground at level.
Really, the whole thing should be blown up and started again, but that's just not a realistic hope.

[G-Man]

Apparently that parking lot has one of the highest ICBC claims for anywhere in Victoria.

[D.L.]

wow, I was just in there yesterday. glad I got out alive.

In regards to mall revitalization, the Canadian Tire at University Heights, which incidentally is Canada's smallest Canadian Tire, could really use a new pave job on their parking lot.

[aastra]

Interesting. I'm pretty sure the Canadian Tire on Chestnut Street in Kitsilano was smaller by a fair bit, but then I'm also pretty sure the Canadian Tire on Esquimalt Road was even smaller still.

Small Canadian Tire stores are a dying breed.

Edit: These folks in Nipigon, ON are making the claim:

...although it's the smallest Canadian Tire store in square footage...

http://www.superiors...1-2006page7.pdf

[victorian fan]

Saanich Centre at Quadra & McKenzie could use an update.

[D.L.]

some girl working at the checkout told me that once

[Holden West]

I nominate everything on or near Burnside Rd.

[B.Bridge]

But Burnside is great - it's like our own little Kingsway.

[Holden West]

There are little pockets of greatness along Burnside--those vintage two-storey apartments with ground floor retail that look a lot like Vancouver of old. It could even look better than Kingsway one day.

A good first step would be to demolish the plaza containing the Salvation Army Thrift Store.

[amor de cosmos]

I nominate everything on or near Burnside Rd.

I was just thinking of everything across Burnside from Tillicum Mall (where Mr Tubbs is or used to be). Some big impressive buildings would be good there since Tillicum/Burnside is a big impressive intersection. It's also a fairly low area so there probably wouldn't be any Camosack Manor sort of issues there.

[gumgum]

Burnside's too whitebread to ever be Kingsway.

[Holden West]

I was just thinking of everything across Burnside from Tillicum Mall (where Mr Tubbs is or used to be). Some big impressive buildings would be good there since Tillicum/Burnside is a big impressive intersection. It's also a fairly low area so there probably wouldn't be any Camosack Manor sort of issues there.

You mean that little shopping centre between the Shell station and the bingo hall? That's a nasty old plaza. Great place for redevelopment.

[amor de cosmos]

You mean that little shopping centre between the Shell station and the bingo hall? That's a nasty old plaza. Great place for redevelopment.

That's what I meant... besides the Shell station, I think there are 3 other addresses in that wedge-shaped area between the townhouses to the north & the Burnside/Tillicum intersection to the south. A handful of big-city highrises would be good there, sandwiched between Tillicum & Burnside, especially if Tillicum Mall is getting some across the road.

[Galvanized]

Yes, that place is long overdue. They should put a road right through it and connect Tillicum mall to Tillicum rd where that flashing light is.

[aastra]

Good idea. They could create a reasonable village atmosphere on that site.

[amor de cosmos]

Yes, that place is long overdue.

I think any mall that is so dead it's managed to keep a low profile would be a good choice. What about Cordova Bay Plaza? Mattick's Farm is all fixed up & the part of Cordova Bay Rd to the south, closer to Sunnymede has been repaved etc but that Cordova Bay Plaza looks the same as always. & the giant empty parking lot fronting Cordova Bay Rd is really ugly too.

[G-Man]

^ There has been a plan in place to redo Cordova Bay Plaza for 15 years but nothing will happen until the massive amount of spilled fuel underground there is cleaned up and no one will take responsibility.