Port Place Mall renovations?

[nanaimoboy]

I understand Port Place mall is going to undergo an extensive makeover. Anyone know when this will begin?

[Wyatt Earp]

It hasn't been tendered yet and therefore I'm not sure. If what I know to be correct is true, the mall will basically not exist for some time as this project takes shape.

I think it would start in April but it could be sooner.

[nanaimoboy]

I wonder if they will make it like Brooks landing is now, with all the stores on the outside and no mall to walk through any longer. I'll miss that. I hate going to Woodgrove Mall. Too big and too crowded.

[Wyatt Earp]

If the latest resembles the last of what I saw, it has a major residential component to it with a more urban or walking sort of vibe to it. Basically the right of way that is Nicol Street extends through the mall to the gab. ferry intersection on front street. So, there will be major upheval to get that but it could work very well.

Don't anticipate a brookslanding / northbrook feel or a mall like woodgrove when it is complete. It is likely the drawings at with the city so go take a look.

Cheers.

[Flugel Horn]

Here's the link to a Canwest Daily News story from this week:
http://www2.canada.com/nanaimodailyn...5-cc75b813b8ed

- read it soon, because it doesn't last long on their site.

Here's a teaser

Owners First Capital Real Estate plan to transform the shopping centre into a strip mall featuring traffic corridors linking Terminal Avenue to Esplanade Street, opening it to pedestrian traffic from the new cruise ship facility and the Vancouver Island Conference Centre.

It will be developed in phases, finished with a 26-storey highrise condominium tower overlooking the harbour, accompanied by eight- and four-storey commercial buildings. Thrifty Foods and London Drugs would stay put, but much of the existing mall will be demolished to accommodate the redesign.

[kickidee]

I do not think I am reacting to change which many of us hate. I think this sucks. I love all the little shops, and being inside a mall.
The people are helpfull and friendly there.
It is a place to be warm, it is a genuine old mall and folks go there to meet.
It is no longer fit for the tour ships and the new occupants of highrise downtown I guess.
Chunk by chunk we are hiding our charactor. We are loosing the individual and going for the glitz! Uck!
Well just so as the newcommers will not have to gaze apon our homeless and poor in one of the last hangouts.
I shall do my upmost not to have a bad day.

[mrraulduke]

I do not think I am reacting to change which many of us hate. I think this sucks. I love all the little shops, and being inside a mall.
The people are helpfull and friendly there.
It is a place to be warm, it is a genuine old mall and folks go there to meet.
It is no longer fit for the tour ships and the new occupants of highrise downtown I guess.
Chunk by chunk we are hiding our charactor. We are loosing the individual and going for the glitz! Uck!
Well just so as the newcommers will not have to gaze apon our homeless and poor in one of the last hangouts.
I shall do my upmost not to have a bad day.

There was a crappy mall at Edmonds and Kingsway that was alot like Park Place mall, A grocery store, a liqour store, and a few 'boutique' shops that not alot of people shopped at.

they tore it down, added a parkade, a new grocery store/ drug store and bank, starbucks ( yuck! ) and a bunch of other outdoor accss shops. when it was open, it was busy year round, a bunch of interesting stores opened up and it was a great little plaza. Hopefully they'll do this to port place.

[nanaimoboy]

The only stores i ever shopped in at port place mail were

1 - london drugs
2 - Thrifty's
3 - the dollar store
4 - Fields
5 - the Source

That was it. The rest of the shops in that mall didn't appeal to me and had no purpose for me. I went to shop in Purdy's one time and I thought their prices were outrageous.

I liked the feel of the mall. It was/is kind of homey. But as far as someone else saying where will the homeless go to keep warm. PP mall was not created as a homeless shelter or a drop in center for homeless or street people. I have seen security at PP mall run off street people on numerous occasions. One time I was there a fight broke out between two street people and one street person broke a piece of wood over the others head. And homeless people have been ripping off retailers at PP mall for years by shop lifting.

The other issue someone else mentioned was having to heat or air condition that huge interior walking space. Well, I guess when gas, oil and hydro power was cheap, that was fine. But things are different today. Then there is all the maintenance of that interior walking space, security, taxes, etc. It's space better put to good use as retail space rather than just a space for people to walk in.

Look at it from the perspective of the owners. You HAVE to get maximum dollar return on your investment to make it these days. I think as the mall stands right now, that is just not happening. They renovated PP mall a number of years ago and added a food court area. That food court area is practically dead. Seems not many like to go down that way. The previous renovations look like they were a complete failure.

I found a wiki article on the mall.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Place_Shopping_Centre

here's another thought. All these renovations that PP mall and other malls are doing in nanaimo show that Nanaimo has a long and bright future and people will be working here and making money here for a long time to come. These companies don't do these kinds of multi-million dollar renos in areas that are deemed to be depressed and destined collapse economically. So be happy, folks

[sheena]

To me the mall is (was) a godsend. Kind of one stop shopping - doctors office- post office- liquor store - drug store - grocery store. Need a gift - purdy's or the wonderful jewlery store there - I used to love the kitchen store that was there. Maybe the casino once in a while. The location I would think would be great for when the cruise ship terminal is built - cruisers love to shop thats for sure. I hate the fact there is no shopping this end of town and what little there is - in Harbour park mall will be gone soon - I don't think this is progress. I used to love downtown back in "the day" - but that day is gone.

[yogi bear]

To me the mall is (was) a godsend. Kind of one stop shopping - doctors office- post office- liquor store - drug store - grocery store. Need a gift - purdy's or the wonderful jewlery store there - I used to love the kitchen store that was there. Maybe the casino once in a while. The location I would think would be great for when the cruise ship terminal is built - cruisers love to shop thats for sure. I hate the fact there is no shopping this end of town and what little there is - in Harbour park mall will be gone soon - I don't think this is progress. I used to love downtown back in "the day" - but that day is gone.

Four of the abovementioned services will remain in the existing portion of the mall which is slated to be retained (London Drugs, Thriftys, Medical Arts, and liquor store) although the clinic and liquor store will move from their current locations....and a reminder that both London Drugs and Thriftys will remain open during the renovation process...

Cheers all,
Al