Hudson's Bay Company

[urbandreamer]

I think Saks will end up with the same fate as Target. Entering the Canadian market at the end of a real estate boom. I fear we're about to enter another bad recession. I was thinking today as I walked through the EC that a Whole Foods would work well here.

 

[ILuvTO]

I'm looking at the proposed floor plan and it appears that there are several entrances between Hudson's Bay and Saks. There also appears to be walls between the stores, although it's not clear if they go all the way to the ceiling. It also appears that the store's central atrium may be cut into the basement for the new Saks food floor, creating a grand atrium for the new Saks space.

Valet parking and a 5,506 sq ft restaurant will face Richmond Street. Saks's Yonge Street frontage likely means Hudson's Bay will no longer use its 176 Yonge St. municipal address, but you never know.

A grand Queen Street entrance will welcome shoppers both into Hudson's Bay and Saks. It's a rather unusual configuration. I'm not sure if there's precedent for such a concept anywhere in the world - merging a luxury department store with something mid-market in such an open fashion.

Thanks for the information! This is very interesting. I'm curious to see how it looks in the end.

 

[officedweller]

It also appears that the store's central atrium may be cut into the basement for the new Saks food floor, creating a grand atrium for the new Saks space.

scaffolding going up at Hudsons Bay..

The entire east side of the basement of Hudson's Bay is empty now. They've even started putting up hoarding.

This is the only pic (from 2008) I can find online of the atrium area - does it still look like this?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10961326@N07/3735554541

 

[androiduk]

Application: Building Additions/Alterations Status: Not Started

Location: 401 BAY ST
TORONTO ON M5H 2Y4

Ward 28: Toronto Centre-Rosedale

Application#: 15 124365 BLD 00 BA Accepted Date: Mar 5, 2015

Project: Multiple Use/Non Residential Other(BA)

Description: Proposal to construct a new curtain wall over the existing deteriorating exterior curtain wall - Hudson Bay Company

 

[officedweller]

Application: Building Additions/Alterations Status: Not Started

Location: 401 BAY ST
TORONTO ON M5H 2Y4

Ward 28: Toronto Centre-Rosedale

Application#: 15 124365 BLD 00 BA Accepted Date: Mar 5, 2015

Project: Multiple Use/Non Residential Other(BA)

Description: Proposal to construct a new curtain wall over the existing deteriorating exterior curtain wall - Hudson Bay Company

Hmmm - I wonder if the recladding is for the whole tower or just the base?

I'm concerned about the word "over" the existing curtain wall...

http://robertmoffatt115.wordpress.com/2011/07/19/simpsons-two-in-one-tower/

 

[Skeezix]

I suspect it must be the whole tower, not just the base. I know that on the south facade, they've affixed small pieces of metal over cracks in the concrete, most of which are at the top. I assume the other facades are in similar shape.

 

[acornman]

I've been by the menswear department on the 5th floor and it is quite dead up there these days. I talked to one of the employees working there and she also echoed the same sentiment. I guess most guys don't want to make the trek up to the 5th floor to buy clothing.

 

[Retail-Insider]

Hmmm - I wonder if the recladding is for the whole tower or just the base?

I'm concerned about the word "over" the existing curtain wall...

A store planner mentioned that the lower office floors will be gutted for new retail space for Hudson's Bay. Not sure about the entire tower, though.

I discussed it a bit in this new article: http://www.retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2015/3/saks-flagship

 

[Benito]

I've been by the menswear department on the 5th floor and it is quite dead up there these days. I talked to one of the employees working there and she also echoed the same sentiment. I guess most guys don't want to make the trek up to the 5th floor to buy clothing.

I was there on the weekend, and it was busy, the whole story seemed busy. The men's department is a whole lot better than it used to be. I like that the windows are now exposed and bringing in light. The windows are in dire need of a cleaning though.

 

[Skeezix]

It's always been relatively busy when I am up there. When menswear was (at the various times) in the basement and on 1 and 2, I suspect that they had more traffic, but unclear to what degree that translated into sales. Menswear in the large downtown Vancouver store is on 6 - I suspect that Hudson's Bay knew what to expect.

They did a good job on that floor.

 

[officedweller]

It's always been relatively busy when I am up there. When menswear was (at the various times) in the basement and on 1 and 2, I suspect that they had more traffic, but unclear to what degree that translated into sales. Menswear in the large downtown Vancouver store is on 6 - I suspect that Hudson's Bay knew what to expect.

They did a good job on that floor.

Rumour has it that Vancouver's 6th floor men's wear floor will become Vancouver's Sak's Fifth Avenue (odd though, to be so high up)

 

[Skeezix]

Rumour has it that Vancouver's 6th floor men's wear floor will become Vancouver's Sak's Fifth Avenue (odd though, to be so high up)

It has high ceilings and skylights, which may explain why.

 

[canmark]

Finally got to check out the fifth floor menswear department. Very nice, much better than the old second floor. Love the windows – why on earth did they cover them up before?

I thought the east side of the second floor (which had been the shoe department, then part of the renovated menswear department, and is now womenswear) was looking a little dull. Seeing as many people are entering The Bay from the Eaton Centre bridge, I would have thought they would want to make this area a bit more impressive looking. But perhaps that’s coming in the future, as the West side of the second floor is a total construction zone.

And, speaking as a person in a wheelchair, I’m not crazy about the fact that the only elevators are on the southwest side. It would be nice if they could somehow add a (glass) elevator near the escalators by the atrium, for example. Otherwise, one is forced to go to the far end of the store every time one wants to change floors.

 

[Skeezix]

The second floor east-side will be part of the new Saks, so the fact that it looked a little dull has a lot to do with the fact that whatever is there now is temporary. They are just juggling space while the renovations are underway.

Agree with you about the elevators. Built in a different era. The new Saks might get its own elevator(s), but I doubt it.

 

[prosperegal]

The second floor east-side will be part of the new Saks, so the fact that it looked a little dull has a lot to do with the fact that whatever is there now is temporary. They are just juggling space while the renovations are underway.

Agree with you about the elevators. Built in a different era. The new Saks might get its own elevator(s), but I doubt it.

So the elevators will be in some sort of common space shared by the two stores? Is that legal?