Shopping Malls in Canada

Shopping Mall in Canada In 1960, visionary urbanist Victor Gruen wrote, Shopping centres can fill an existing void. They can provide the needed place and opportunity for participation in modern community life that the ancient Greek Agora, the Medieval Market Place, and our own Town Squares provided in the past.Shopping Mall in Canada  Gruen’s dream was to see shopping malls evolve into dynamic, mixed-use hubs featuring homes, schools, offices, shops, and medical centers

a modern focal point for community life. However, the reality of American malls diverged dramatically from this vision. By the time of his death in 1980, Gruen was disheartened by the state of U.S. malls,Shopping Mall in Canada  which had become monotonous retail islands surrounded by vast parking lots. This decline continued, with Credit Suisse predicting in 2017 that up to a quarter of U.S. malls could close 

Across the border, Canada presents a starkly different narrative. The 2018 Canadian Shopping Centre Study reported robust growth, with 17 of the top 20 malls experiencing an increase in sales per square foot compared  Shopping Mall in Canada  Toronto’s Eaton Centre, the busiest shopping mall in North America, attracts more visitors annually than both Walt Disney World and Shopping Mall in Canada  Times Square. Retail analyst Craig Patterson attributes this success to the significant investments by landlords in recent years, which have transformed these centers into thriving hubs of activity.

A key difference between the U.S. and Canadian retail landscapes lies in the more restrained development of retail space in Canada. Urban planner Brent Toderian, former Chief Planner for Vancouver and founding president of the Council for Canadian Urbanism, Shopping Mall in Canada  notes that American cities allowed an excess of retail space, leading to a saturation of malls and subsequent failures. In contrast, Canadian urban planners have embraced a forward-thinking approach, revitalizing successful malls to enhance their value before they decline.

Canada’s proactive strategy involves transforming malls into mixed-use developments, in line with Gruen’s original vision. These transformations leverage the existing infrastructure of malls, which are well Shopping Mall in Canada connected and have substantial land footprints, making them ideal for residential and commercial integration. The concept of "Greyfields to Goldfields, initially a U.S. strategy for redeveloping failing malls, has been adapted in  Shopping Mall in Canada  Canada to proactively enhance thriving malls, thus avoiding the pitfalls of decline.

One of the most ambitious projects is the redevelopment of Vancouver’s Oakridge Centre into a mini city, complete with residential towers, green spaces, and community infrastructure such as a recreation center, daycare, and library .Shopping Mall in Canada  This project, costing billions of dollars, exemplifies the potential of mall transformations to create vibrant, self-contained communities. Patterson predicts that similar developments  Shopping Mall in Canada  will proliferate in regions like British Columbia’s lower mainland, driven by high demand and rising housing costs.

While there are concerns that these meticulously planned spaces might initially feel artificial and could impact urban cores and high streets, they are seen as strategic moves by both landlords and cities. Shopping Mall in Canada Patterson suggests looking to China, where rapid urban growth has led to shopping centers serving as the primary downtown areas, Shopping Mall in Canada offering a glimpse into a potential future for Canadian cities.

Specific examples of successful mall transformations include Fort Station Mall in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, which has evolved from an overgrown parking lot to a vibrant site featuring a medical center, preschool, and Shopping Mall in Canada  gymnastics center, with residential developments on the horizon. In Toronto, Cadillac Fairview is investing $80 million in redeveloping CF Fairview Mall, including repurposing the former Sears store space for new uses.

Ultimately, the evolution of Canadian malls highlights the potential for suburban transformation, creating integrated urban spaces that mix residential, commercial, and community functions. Shopping Mall in Canada This modern approach not only revitalizes the shopping mall concept but also aligns with Gruen’s original vision, adapting it to contemporary urban needs and ensuring the sustainability and vibrancy of these community hubs.