Fairview Park Mall - Grand Market District

[Coke6pk]

Drove by today.... it appears Walmart is indeed getting an exterior facelift.

Coke

[jeffster]

Drove by today.... it appears Walmart is indeed getting an exterior facelift.

Coke

Surprised that the heritage folks aren't out screaming bloody murder. That Wal*Mart is original and retro. Reminds me of the times I spent in Kentucky.

[ac3r]

What was in the Walmart before it was Walmart? I passed it this past weekend and saw the changes to the façade they were doing, but could not remember what it used to be.

[panamaniac]

What was in the Walmart before it was Walmart? I passed it this past weekend and saw the changes to the façade they were doing, but could not remember what it used to be.

When that wing was built, it was a Woolco, iirc.

[KevinL]

What was in the Walmart before it was Walmart? I passed it this past weekend and saw the changes to the façade they were doing, but could not remember what it used to be.

When that wing was built, it was a Woolco, iirc.

Correct! Many of Canada's first Walmarts were former Woolcos.

[tomh009]

What was in the Walmart before it was Walmart? I passed it this past weekend and saw the changes to the façade they were doing, but could not remember what it used to be.

When that wing was built, it was a Woolco, iirc.

I don't think they did any significant exterior renos when Walmart moved in, did they? I'm thinking it's mostly the original Woolco exterior.

Not that there is much exterior design anyway, it's just a one-storey box with windows.

[panamaniac]

When that wing was built, it was a Woolco, iirc.

I don't think they did any significant exterior renos when Walmart moved in, did they? I'm thinking it's mostly the original Woolco exterior.

Not that there is much exterior design anyway, it's just a one-storey box with windows.

It was certainly never in the same league as the exterior of the former Sears building.

[jeffster]

When that wing was built, it was a Woolco, iirc.

I don't think they did any significant exterior renos when Walmart moved in, did they? I'm thinking it's mostly the original Woolco exterior.

Not that there is much exterior design anyway, it's just a one-storey box with windows.

That's what the beautiful thing about this Wal*Mart -- its heritage value to the old Woolco store should not be forgotten. How will we remember $1.44 days now?

[DK519]

They've got the tarps off the faux smoke stack.

   

[ac3r]

The smokestack is the tackiest thing ever. I wonder if it's going to be connected to their HVAC systems to blow out exhaust, or if it's just supposed to look like an old smokestack.

[GarthDanlor]

I think the fake water tower definitely gives the chimney a run for the money in the tacky department.  I just assumed that the chimney was completely ornamental.  Wonder if it does have any legit functionality?

I do think the renovated building looks better than it did with the old Sears facade, historical designation or not.  Though, I'm not sure that keeping the original concrete on the one side works very well. Just looks disconnected & out-of-place to me.

[ac3r]

I forgot about the water tower. That's just as bad indeed.

I love the old Sears façade, but it certainly looks awkward with the fake red brick they went with for this project. I would have rather seen them keep the old façade and somehow improve that. I think placing frit glass over the side that faces Fairway Road and keeping the sides exposed as they are now could have looked a lot better. That would have allowed them to preserve the entire façade while making it look a lot more contemporary. Instead, the architects went with this really lame fake historical factory look that completely clashes with the modernism of the rest of the mall (Walmart, The Bay, the old Sears façade). Example of the sort of nice effect frit glass mixed with illuminated concrete behind could have looked:

[Acitta]

Renovated Kitchener Walmart set for grand opening

[Bytor]

https://old.reddit.com/r/kitchener/comme...strict_is/

“The reason why I think this is because I can’t find a single official mention of phase 2 on CF’s website, the Grand Market District website is longer accessible, Collider Group which was assisting CF in leasing and finding tenants no longer mentions it on their website, the signs saying the CF are leasing office space are longer up, and CF’s corporate webpage for Fairview Park lists the cost of redevelopment at 33 million instead of the 70+ million original proposal. All of this is evidence gives me the feeling that CF cancelled phase 2 and that once the Sears building redevelopment is complete that’s all that will be done. That’s what I think after looking through all this stuff, what do you guys think?”

[jeffster]

https://old.reddit.com/r/kitchener/comme...strict_is/

“The reason why I think this is because I can’t find a single official mention of phase 2 on CF’s website, the Grand Market District website is longer accessible, Collider Group which was assisting CF in leasing and finding tenants no longer mentions it on their website, the signs saying the CF are leasing office space are longer up, and CF’s corporate webpage for Fairview Park lists the cost of redevelopment at 33 million instead of the 70+ million original proposal. All of this is evidence gives me the feeling that CF cancelled phase 2 and that once the Sears building redevelopment is complete that’s all that will be done. That’s what I think after looking through all this stuff, what do you guys think?”

Could be that plans have changed, and CF and Collier Group are not players anymore. Just browsing the internets, I found different designs than the ones that CF had, and other than the parking garage, it seems to be more condos and apartments everywhere.

Things change.