Toronto Aura at College Park | 271.87m | 78s | Canderel | Graziani + Corazza

[canmark]

Checked out Bed Bath & Beyond at Aura today and I've gotta say, that store is beautiful and HUGE inside. The connection to PATH is also open now. Overall, it is well done inside.

I checked it out, too. The store has that American/suburban feel, which I suppose is to be expected. Like the Marshalls at Richmond/John, the store design was not altered to suit its downtown setting. So it has a somewhat generic feeling--while in the store there is nothing to say you are in Aura or in downtown Toronto. There are a tremendous number of products available at that store, I must say, like lots of kitchen gadgets and stuff, in addition to the Bed and Bath.

The concourse level was interesting. There is a warren of tiny shops, which reminded me of some of those Chinese malls in Markham. Too small for large chain stores, I wonder what kind of retailers would open there?

There is an underground connection to College Park, although you have to go through what look like Emergency Exit doors in order to get there.

 

[Ramako]

OK. Seems silly and wasteful to have two threads about different aspects of the same project. This thread is only for the construction photos, I guess...

Many of us interested only in the architecture and planning aspects of development find discussions about price per square foot, maintenance costs and interior selections to be incredibly dry and sometimes even a little irritating. They're largely unrelated issues.

The real estate threads tend to serve purchasers who have no real interest in discussing architecture and development outside of their personal or financial interests in their unit(s).

 

[caltrane74]

some shots from a couple of days ago, almost the weekend!

More photos then

 

[Torontovibe]

The ceilings in BB&B are pretty much the same, cheap, "industrial" look as Metropolis and the lighting is florescent, so I'd give it a fail on that aspect but they do have a large range of products. I really hate unfinished ceilings that reveal all the vents and wiring. It's such a cheap and lazy way to finish a building. Why would you want to bring a Best Buy look to downtown Toronto? Keep that crap in suburban, big box malls, where it belongs.

I also checked out the basement and it reminded me of a blander Pacific Mall. It looks kinda strange for a downtown mall. I guess when they start putting up signage and merchandise, it will start to look like stores but right now, they look like small offices.

 

[whatever]

Are any of the basement retail units open yet? I'm kind of curious to see what sets up shop

 

[Mississauga Slim]

The thing I really love about this project is the unique way it combines bland, low-budget mediocrity with monumental scale. No, wait a minute, I mean that's what I hate about this project.

 

[steveve]

I took a quick look inside this afternoon, I was pretty surprised at how dead the store was (perhaps the crowds came earlier?). it looked overstaffed, dozens of workers everywhere, although all the workers were all friendly.
The lower level of Aura (concourse) is accessible, but completely empty. No signs of stores getting ready at all down there. although it's pretty spacious.

I was told there was a no camera policy of the building and the store, though that didn't prevent me from sneaking in a shot or two.
*forgive the lower quality, didn't take these with my camera

In the area outside the Bedbath Entrances, it's pretty spacious (and empty), great views of Yonge Street though, hopefully they'll add some tables or something for people to sit because it's very bare.

and the ceilings that everyone seems to care about:

 

[Torontovibe]

I have to admit, the staff here is quite friendly.

 

[caltrane74]

Quick picture by me

Basement Levels

 

[Affordable]

The ceilings in BB&B are pretty much the same, cheap, "industrial" look as Metropolis and the lighting is florescent, so I'd give it a fail on that aspect but they do have a large range of products. I really hate unfinished ceilings that reveal all the vents and wiring. It's such a cheap and lazy way to finish a building. Why would you want to bring a Best Buy look to downtown Toronto? Keep that crap in suburban, big box malls, where it belongs.

I also checked out the basement and it reminded me of a blander Pacific Mall. It looks kinda strange for a downtown mall. I guess when they start putting up signage and merchandise, it will start to look like stores but right now, they look like small offices.

Well this is Toronto, accept it, live with it and wait for another 50 years to see the change you want to see.

 

[Torontovibe]

^^ This makes the Duffrin Mall look stylish and upscale. Come to think of it, Gerrard Square looks better than this. If you guys think this is a suitable design for one of Toronto's largest new developments, you really need to question your standards. Right now, I see no attempt by the developers, to make this distinctive or stylish in any way. I'm not expecting Yorkville but I do expect more than an Honest Ed's asthetic. Come on guys, this is AURA, Canada's tallest residential tower! That pic looks like a medical office in an older, 3rd rate office tower and even a little like the run down Chinatown Centre. Will this attract crowds of middle-class shoppers?

 

[BradInToronto]

I was down on the concourse level today and took a panorama shot of the (soon to be) food court with my iPhone.

I must say I was very disappointed. The area was much smaller than I had in my head. Almost all of the retail outlets (both in the food court and in the other areas) had "for lease" signs, which probably means there won't be much down there for a while. Business will be pretty tough until people start moving in upstairs in a few years. And most of the retail spaces looked ridiculously small -- definitely "mom and pop" type stores and no major chains will be going in.

The connection from the concourse level to the parking is also now open. Aura is sharing retail parking with College Park. (If you enter the parking off of Bay, and then go down the ramp almost straight ahead, and the far back is the entrance to the Aura retail).

(Edit: Wow - that picture uploaded really tiny, even though it's a normal resolution. Clicking on it seems to blow it up to a viewable size though!)

 

[taal]

Honestly it looks better then Y&D ... that's not saying much though.

Lease signs are strange seeing how this was all sold out.

From the get go I always said I bet those places will struggle. The big box stores / restaurants will do well.

 

[000]

I took a quick look inside this afternoon, I was pretty surprised at how dead the store was (perhaps the crowds came earlier?). it looked overstaffed, dozens of workers everywhere, although all the workers were all friendly.

I think this happens to all new stores... when Longo's first opened at Maple Leaf Square, I remember finding bread in the bread aisle 3 months past expiry. I don't think that happens anymore, they're getting a lot more traffic through the store now.

 

[000]

I have to agree with some others, the cheapness is appalling. Would it hurt to put a little marble in here? This reminds me of Finch West Mall in 1995.