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

Some of the stores in the former bottom level of Sears have started opening or are close to opening
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Do they plan on renovating the bottom floor (where ebgames is located) if I recall that's the only part of the mall they never renovated ?
 
I agree, the hallway is very narrow, lack proper lighting and those pillars in the middle of the walk way make it seem more crowded than it should be.
 
It will feel wider when it becomes wider: there are still hoardings sticking into it hiding storefronts.

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Yes, I am not sure why the hallway here had to be so plain and boring. I realize that they want a little neutrality so the stores can show themselves off, but the ceiling could have been a bit more interesting (the lighting could have been arranged in an interesting way or perhaps some quiet artwork).

With the main mall, the glass roof serves as an interesting offset to the neutrality of the rest of the colours and architecture. In the hallways/mall underneath the old Eatons store, there is nothing approaching interesting architecture and little to suggest that this is a flagship mall.
 
junctionist said:
It's the basement. The quality of the space is lower. The rents are probably lower, too. There are columns almost randomly placed in the corridor.
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Most of the Eaton Centre mall is, arguably, "the basement". Rents are lower only in a relative sense - this is not inexpensive retails space. Aklay is dead correct - there is no excuse for how uninspired this is. Designed by bean-counters, not retailers. Could be a mall in Newmarket. Wouldn't have taken much to give this space more of a sense of place, to make it more interesting and inviting. Currently looks like a tunnel to a bus station. It literally makes the old Eaton's space look good. It will never be inspiring space, given the relatively low ceilings and columns, but that's no excuse to completely throw in the towel (which is what they appear to have done). Brick and mortar retail will face larger competitive pressures over time, and lazy mall owners who design dull space with dull tenanting will have a harder time. (Honestly, the appeal of mall space that could be anywhere, full of tenants that are everywhere, will hold less and less allure - why would anyone travel to shop here? It's the opposite of what Yorkdale is doing.)
 
You're right that it should be better finished so it doesn't decline, but it's probably most likely to succeed by offering different quality spaces for different retailers. That way, it will always attract a diverse group of shoppers. The basement was always dull. It won't be another Yorkdale because there's only so much luxury merchandise that can be sold.
 
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