Monday, April 9, 2012
Architecture Sears Is Leaving that Ugly and Strange Building on Robson
Posted by Charles Mudede on Mon, Apr 9, 2012 at 1:39 PM
Vancouver's Public Space Blog reports:
You may have read that Sears is closing its downtown Vancouver store, located in the block bounded by Howe, Granville and Robson. They’ve had the remainder of their lease bought out by property-owner Cadillac-Fairview for the princely sum of $170million… sort of a severance package of sorts, and one that will apparently allow the struggling retailer to focus its efforts on other stores.This move certainly has gotten people talking. No sooner did we finish reading up on the story than folks started to contact us to pass along the news.
There’s clearly lots of interest in what will happen next. The Globe and Mail, for one, speculated that US-retailer Nordstrom might take over the site. Design-critic Trevor Boddy, on CBC radio this morning, said he felt that the (dare we say “iconic”) building makes an ideal site for the Vancouver Art Gallery expansion.
César Pelli is not known for designing that bulky thing on Robson but is known for designing The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1
Urbs are like Blanche DuBois...unable to survive in the world of the strong (Suburbs/Stanley Kowalsky) they must depend on the kindness of strangers.
3
It was an Eatons orginally, I believe. Then Sears bought them out. It was never a good match for Sears.
4
Is it on topic to say "Sears can suck it"? Lately, I've found it hard to pass up any opportunity to do so.
5
It was an Eaton's, and I'm not sure how the design ever was deemed to be suited to retail. You can't see anything from the outside, and there aren't even display windows. It's in a class with the Qwest building in Seattle and 55 Water Street in New York.
6
@1, yes, an urban property being in such demand that owners are paying out fortunes to break tenant leases to sign up even more lucrative ones...that's a real sign of decay there. I love it when you keep commenting long after your meds have peaked.
7
The building is a paean to a bygone era. You might even say that when ot was built, it was one of the last of a dying breed. It will most likely be torn down, with new retail uses at the base, and some sort of highrise above it. If Nordstrom chooses to build there, the retail space will be tailor made for them, otherwise it will most lokely be an expansion of the Pacific Centre mall.
For Nordstrom yo enter the Canadian market, it would represent another large risk in their corporate history, akin to their first California stores. The Canadian market has significantly matured in the past 10-15 years, so the timing may be right. Lord knows the US economy doesn't have the expansion of upper level consumers that Nordstrom attracts.
For Nordstrom yo enter the Canadian market, it would represent another large risk in their corporate history, akin to their first California stores. The Canadian market has significantly matured in the past 10-15 years, so the timing may be right. Lord knows the US economy doesn't have the expansion of upper level consumers that Nordstrom attracts.
8
Cost per square meter is too high for them to stay there.
So long as they're somewhere along one of the many many ubiquitous light rail SkyTrain lines, though, it's not like a big deal.
So long as they're somewhere along one of the many many ubiquitous light rail SkyTrain lines, though, it's not like a big deal.
9
@8, in your world "many many ubiquitous" = 3. I understand it is difficult for you to count higher than that.
10
I've always liked that building, though it is certainly bad at the street level, especially the ramp entrances to the parking underneath. But it and the nearby provincial courthouse have a great future-city buzz to them.
11
I love Sears, but mainly because there are almost no customers, and plenty of staff, so you get help right away.
So I guess it should be no surprise that they are closing stores. Still, I'll go to the tools section at Sears over Lowe's (who thinks all Muslims are terrorists) or Home Depot (whose only employees seem to be cashiers) every time.
So I guess it should be no surprise that they are closing stores. Still, I'll go to the tools section at Sears over Lowe's (who thinks all Muslims are terrorists) or Home Depot (whose only employees seem to be cashiers) every time.
12
I remember - when I wan't as familiar with Vancouver - back when the store was an Eaton's, leaving the store through an exit on Howe and stepped, literally, into a lane of traffic. No sidewalk. No warning posted about the exit. I guess you just had to know not to leave that way.
Eaton's was a fairly nice store, but really, the only times I went there was to use its entrance into or exit from the Pacific Centre down in the basement where Eaton's food department used to be (and it was pretty nice). But I never really liked that building for some reason. Most recently, I did go into that store after it had changed over into a Sears and it was like night and day. There was no service and limited merchandise. Rather like a K-mart...which, of course, makes sense.
Eaton's was a fairly nice store, but really, the only times I went there was to use its entrance into or exit from the Pacific Centre down in the basement where Eaton's food department used to be (and it was pretty nice). But I never really liked that building for some reason. Most recently, I did go into that store after it had changed over into a Sears and it was like night and day. There was no service and limited merchandise. Rather like a K-mart...which, of course, makes sense.
Comments (12) RSS