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

G.L.17 said:
Not so much "stores" down there, but rather services. Basically the typical dry cleaners, nail salon, pet grooming (which actually does quite well I believe), cell phone and computer repair services, a barbershop, to name a few. I think there are maybe two or three shops that do sell clothes, and a jewelry shop.

Back when I walked down there in the winter months with a friend, there was a clothing shop with some good designer products, but they may have closed since than, considering how everything was on sale and how the saleswoman was willing to negotiate a price.
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It's a condo corporation. There's no one that cares how well they do.
 
G.L.17 said:
Well they really hit the mark by putting in a washroom right infront of the walkway looking onto the park. Bravo.
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Here's where it's located for reference, arrow is pointing to the ground level.

(excuse the different photo sizes, both from different cell phones)
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That's hilarious. Even if they frost the windows it's such a strange place for a washroom.
 
They need one of these in the window:

‘Scary Peeper Creeper’ Halloween decoration pulled from Home Depot
because it mimics peeping Tom


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http://business.financialpost.com/n...from-home-depot-because-it-mimics-peeping-tom
 

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The National Post has a depressing piece on the Shops @ Aura.
http://news.nationalpost.com/arts/a...gloom-as-in-the-solitude-of-the-shops-at-aura

Among the text: "Here is how Canderel continues, years after opening its doors, to describe what BlogTO has since deemed “Toronto’s worst mall”: “Welcome to The Shops at Aura: A one-of-a-kind shopping centre in the heart of downtown Toronto. The Shops at Aura boasts a wide collection of shops and services to cater to design, fashion, beauty, computer/tech, professional services, and much more, along with a food court with a unique offering of delicious food and drink options. Stroll through The Shops at Aura to uncover surprising finds from independent business owners, many of whom provide distinct custom services and products found nowhere else in Toronto.”

Certainly it’s true that this is a one-of-a-kind shopping centre. And yes, there is much that may be found nowhere else in Toronto. For instance, nowhere else will you find such desolation, such hopelessness, such gloom. At no other mall in the city, perhaps at no other mall in the world, will you find such an absence of people or places to shop.

To stroll through the Shops at Aura today is to enter a world of solitude and isolation. There is no bustle, no commotion or whirl; there’s no sense of life or activity at all, save the dreary peregrinations of the custodial staff, doubtless the only people on site who can be sure of a regular paycheque. Corridors go untravelled for hours at a time."
 
I am always sad when I go down there.

I found some listing posted.

I'm not sure how much people put in to buy the units.

There were two adjoining units in what should be a busy part of the mall. Total 700 sqft. Asking for $776,000.
Property taxes $16,000 a year.

Another small unit asking only $800 in rent. Fees 368. Property Tax 5000 or so. Getting very desperate.
 
How many more articles need to be written before something changes down there? It is an extremely depressing place to walk through and it makes me genuinely sad for the retailers who fell for the developer's sales pitch describing a shopping mecca in the heart of downtown Toronto.
 
James said:
How many more articles need to be written before something changes down there? It is an extremely depressing place to walk through and it makes me genuinely sad for the retailers who fell for the developer's sales pitch describing a shopping mecca in the heart of downtown Toronto.
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There's nothing that really can happen unless someone comes along who decides to buy each of the individual units and completely renovate the space.
 
Ramako said:
There's nothing that really can happen unless someone comes along who decides to buy each of the individual units and completely renovate the space.
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Unfortunately, due to the size (250 sqft is it?) of most of the units, it's just not conducive to any significant retailer. I agree in that you almost need an investor to buy up a whole wing and consolidate them into one. Of course, if that business model at this location made obvious sense, it would've been done already.

Sadly, I think Shops at Aura is doomed and will simply die a long, drawn out slow death.
 
James said:
Sadly, I think Shops at Aura is doomed and will simply die a long, drawn out slow death.
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Speaking of death,.... Shops at Aura should become,.... Aura Mausoleum! Seriously,.... the basement provides a nice cool environment, it's very quiet and depressing down there already,.... classy glamour, luxury, faux-marble flooring - it already looks like a mausoleum,..... with each unit about 250 square feet can probably hold about up to 50 stacked casket or 1000 urn each,... times 200 unit, that's about 10,000 caskets or 200,000 urns - its own mega-city of caskets and urns,.... all on prime downtown land! People will be dying to get in,... literally!!! ;p
 
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