Scarborough Town Centre mall renovations

[wyliepoon]

Scarborough Town Centre is currently undergoing renovations, in an attempt at going upscale, matching the likes of Fairview and Yorkdale.

The mall with all its ceilings taken down, steel joists and decking showing, bare concrete, and extra ceiling height provides a strange, big-box store like feel. I really love the "high ceiling"!

One unfortunate thing about the renovation is that the original fountains in the mall will be dismantled. No more hot-air balloons in front of The Bay... a feature of STC that has fascinated Scarberians for many years.

March 25 2009

What's left of the fountain in front of The Bay with the hot air balloons

 

[jks]

"State-of-the-art" skylights eh?? What could that mean? Retractable?? Clolour-chaging glass?? Just a sad attempt to make the renovation seem absolutly stuning??
Overall, it will be an improvement. I think they need to improve access to the STC SRT station. Too bad for the balloons, lol, but skylight will really help!

 

[lordmandeep]

Well there is a direct correlation in mall upgrades and number of customers...

Look at any recently renovated mall in the GTA.

Bramalea is a great example.

 

[junctionist]

So they're giving the distinctive balloons the old heave-ho? It seems like a pointless move.

 

[Dan416]

Oxford did this exact same thing first with Yorkdale and then with Square One. Those are its major malls. Oxford directly competes with Cadillac Fairview in this regard. CF's malls are Eaton Centre, Sherway, Erin Mills TC, its namesake Fairview, Markville, Promenade, etc.

 

[ProjectEnd]

For those who are unsure as to what the balloons in question looked like:

 

[junctionist]

They would rise and fall, looking better than in the photo. If people don't know what they look like, that bit of info might be of interest as well.

 

[Towered]

Of course, any designs that are actually interesting have no place in malls these days. Sherway lost all its cool elements too in the name of sterilization, err, I mean "improvements".

Those dark brown tiles in the pics used to be all over Sherway's floors too.

 

[ProjectEnd]

I love 'Mall Brown' tile! My fondest memories are of the Cornwall Center in Regina, where I spent many a wasted 90's afternoon.

 

[Dan416]

Ugh I dread that brown. I'm sure Square One had it before. So did Dixie. I am not sad to see it go. Personally I'm glad to see these mall renovations. Out-of-date malls just don't make for a pleasant experience.

 

[junctionist]

Ugh I dread that brown. I'm sure Square One had it before. So did Dixie. I am not sad to see it go. Personally I'm glad to see these mall renovations. Out-of-date malls just don't make for a pleasant experience.

I find that my shopping experience at Sherway would be more pleasant if that colourful Simpsons entrance was still intact. Tiles are one thing, but every major mall seems to have elements worth preserving.

 

[smuncky]

those pictures almost got me confused with TLS. all those exposed ducts and wires threw me off for a second.

 

[Dan416]

Square One's renovation looked just like this. Ultimately though the ceilings were higher and the mall itself is slightly less claustrophobic.

 

[JayBee]

new mall, same old hoodrats

 

[officedweller]

From the renders on the posters, looks like the rafters/girders will still be visible below the skylights - seems like a cheap renovation.