Toronto Eaton Centre (Ongoing Renewal) | ?m | ?s | Cadillac Fairview | Zeidler

Would an Eataly work somewhere here? Initially I thought that the Eaton Centre was too close to Yorkville to be viable but some cities have multiple Eataly’s in their central areas, like New York. Just an idea. Also, I just realized that Jysk doesn’t have a store anywhere in the central city.
 
rdaner said:
Would an Eataly work somewhere here? Initially I thought that the Eaton Centre was too close to Yorkville to be viable but some cities have multiple Eataly’s in their central areas, like New York. Just an idea. Also, I just realized that Jysk doesn’t have a store anywhere in the central city.
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I think my idea would be close to an Eataly, but not a true Eataly because it wouldn't be just Italian. There's a Jysk somewhere in Scarborough I think, but nowhere close to downtown.
 
Random comments:
Decathlon may be looking for space, but larger items like bikes or kayaks may be hard to sell.
The Nordstrom is only 3 storeys, so vertical circulation isn't much of an issue. An escalator atrium could be built in a corner of the store to get to upper floors.
Hudson's Bay downtown Vancouver put menswear on the entire 6th (top) floor, which has higher ceilings. There's an express elevator to get there.
 
I think Decathlon is a very interesting idea. Product selection and price point match the location and the demographic. I can even see people walking out with bikes from there.

The issue with "nicer" options like Eataly is that Dundas Square is just too filthy for something that sells a semi-luxurious experience to work there. You exit from the north side of Eaton Centre, there's 40 percent chance of stepping on gum or freshly dumped tim hortons cup with liquid in it, while getting yelled at about Jesus.
 
Natika33 said:
Cinemas, performing arts spaces, bowling alleys etc would all be perfectly suited to the basement as none of them require (or would even want to have) windows. I'm now even more interested in my own idea. Lol. I would actually love to go hang out high over the city, particularly Dundas Square where I could watch all the people scurrying across the scramble. In fact, I went to Milestones TWICE to do exactly that and I don't even like Milestones. Where else in Toronto can you go hang out in a sun-filled atrium/observatory with a lounge area and food areas at a reasonable price point
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The Bay (Simpsons) had a beautiful top floor restaraunt which they closed some years ago, if you go to the store now they have awesome windows yet make no use of them. I watched the remembrance day ceremony from one. The top floor had views of Old City Hall, imagine the night time view of the upper floors of Nordstroms all those signs, the traffice the skyline - beautiful! McDonalds used to be on the south end with views of Queen Street, now they are in the basement! All you can look at is people hurrying while you are eating, no one wants to look at that. If someone had the vision you could put some great windows and stay open late. .
 
Rufus8 said:
The Bay (Simpsons) had a beautiful top floor restaraunt which they closed some years ago, if you go to the store now they have awesome windows yet make no use of them. I watched the remembrance day ceremony from one. The top floor had views of Old City Hall, imagine the night time view of the upper floors of Nordstroms all those signs, the traffice the skyline - beautiful! McDonalds used to be on the south end with views of Queen Street, now they are in the basement! All you can look at is people hurrying while you are eating, no one wants to look at that. If someone had the vision you could put some great windows and stay open late. .
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If I went on a ocean cruise ship or lake restaurant ship, I would like to use the restaurants with views. Not a restaurant in steerage with only views of the ship bulkhead. Same should be with the department store restaurants. Even people walking by on the sidewalk would be better. Especially when the snow is falling outside a window.
 
Rufus8 said:
The Bay (Simpsons) had a beautiful top floor restaraunt which they closed some years ago, if you go to the store now they have awesome windows yet make no use of them. I watched the remembrance day ceremony from one. The top floor had views of Old City Hall, imagine the night time view of the upper floors of Nordstroms all those signs, the traffice the skyline - beautiful! McDonalds used to be on the south end with views of Queen Street, now they are in the basement! All you can look at is people hurrying while you are eating, no one wants to look at that. If someone had the vision you could put some great windows and stay open late. .
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Yes, I remember. There are lots of places in TO that waste their windows and it's truly a shame. I have so many ideas for Toronto, just not the means to make them come true.
 
Rufus8 said:
I wonder if anyone would invest in a playdium style development in the Eaton's Centre. There is only 1 bowling alley downtown now, why not some other kind of adult entertainment? For the most part if you go out downtown it is either to eat or shop it would be nice to have other options.
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We had a Playdium downtown on Richmond back in the day, next to the then-Paramount (now Scotiabank) theatre. It didn't survive, at what I'm sure are cheaper PSQF than what the Eaton Centre would charge. A place like that needs to be huge to be able have enough to attract people, which is not conducive to downtown leasing prices. Barring CF taking a massive hit on leasing agreements, other similar things like bowling would also require unrealistic turnover in order to keep afloat. There's a reason why things like these thrive in the suburbs, and why most bowling alleys seem to be out in the middle of nowhere or in basements.

A movie theatre isn't likely to happen there any time. There's already one across the street, Cineplex is pretty much a monopoly now, and theatres are still suffering (see; Cineplex Pictures getting into unfair distribution deals in order to keep profits up).

A performance/event space may work if it can keep itself booked up, but that's a big if. After-hours performances might mean thousands pouring out into the empty Eaton Centre, which means separate entrances that can accommodate that number of people would likely be required. And you'd be competing with newly-refreshed Massey Hall.

Rufus8 said:
Good transit links so you don't have to drive.
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That seriously doesn't stop 905ers. The Scotiabank Arena has fantastic transit access, and yet the Gardiner/Lake Shore are a parking lot for a good two hours before/after a Leafs/Raptors game.
 
What do you think of this idea...
Adding a new residential tower to the Eaton Centre and the podium can be the existing Nordstrom section.
Just starting a unique discussion.
 
Art Tsai said:
What do you think of this idea...
Adding a new residential tower to the Eaton Centre and the podium can be the existing Nordstrom section.
Just starting a unique discussion.
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This was discussed a few posts back.

You could not put a tower where Nordstroms is without obliterating a good chunk of the mall. Not ideal.
 
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