What’s next for shiny mall that took a fall?
THE HAMILTON CITY CENTRE IS FOR SALE BUT WILL THIS UNFINISHED DREAM EVER BE MADE TO WORK?
IT’S CALLED the Hamilton City Centre. It is in Hamilton. And it’s pretty much in the centre of the city.
But if someone from somewhere else walks through these doors expecting to find the place where the heart of Hamilton beats best, they will be deeply underwhelmed.
The HCC is for sale. Again. After decades of disappointment here, will someone finally find a way to make this white elephant work?
It began with such promise 30 years ago. Eaton’s, Canada’s favourite department store chain, opened a new Hamilton flagship location. They described it as “a smart downtown high-fashion store.” And it was all of that. The core was struggling and this shiny four-floor store was a gift nearly too good to be true.
And there was more. As the new Eaton’s opened, the old one was being torn down to make way for a mall right next door — three levels, 100 stores, under a big glass dome. That mall did open, and 10 minutes later the deep recession of the early ’90s got underway.
They never did manage to fill all the stores at the mall. But they attracted some big names, like highend clothier chain Harry Rosen. That was a complete flop and within two years, Harry was gone. Others, like Eddie Bauer and The Gap hung on longer. But it grew lonely there.
In the fall of 1999, our still-shiny Eaton’s store surrendered. With it went the entire chain.
The lonely mall soon changed hands. The complex had cost at least $70 million to construct. (In today’s dollars, about $120 million.) It sold for about $3.5 million, maybe less. That must set some kind of record for retail futility.
There have been a few owners along the way. No one seems to do much. For instance, the drinking fountain by the battered washrooms near the food court has been busted for at least a decade.
In the fall of 1999, our still-shiny Eaton’s store surrendered.
“It’s not easy, man.” HAKIM YOSEPH Owner, Perfect Plate Persian Food
BUT WITH THE MALL on the market again, I went down to that lower-level court, ambitiously called the International Food Fair. I got a delicious $6 shawarma platter at Perfect Plate Persian Food.
“I’m the grandpa of the food court,” says Hakim Yoseph, 59.
He and wife Riza have been here 18 years, way longer than anyone else.
There are eight restaurant storefronts. Four are empty.
“It’s not easy, man,” Yoseph says. I eat my lunch, down where a couple of dispiriting dollar stores hang on. I watch the security guards on their rounds, and the glass-sided elevator climb to the dome. Squint a little, and this is still a pretty place.
There was talk that Brad Lamb, the Toronto-based developer who plans to build a couple of 30- or 40-storey condo towers on the CHCH-TV site, wanted to buy the mall — and that he was suing the owners when the deal fell through.
He says it was his partner on the CHCH project that wanted to buy the property. As for Lamb, he swears he’s not suing anybody over the mall.
He walked through it last year with that party who hoped he would partner up.
“It’s not unattractive or ugly,” he says. “But it’s all turned in on itself. A modern-day mall needs to turn out. It needs to face the street, with windows and light, and look exciting.”
His preferred option? “Blow it up. I’d start fresh.” Hotel, stores, offices, a few condo towers. “But that is a gigantic job, maybe $2 billion … And my boat is full.”
So, back to reality. Option two is modernize the mall, make it exciting, make it sparkle. Lamb figures the property is worth $35 million, and says if he had that kind of money not already spoken for, “I’d take a flyer. It’s good value.”
But he doesn’t, so he won’t. Salvation at this prime but problematic address is not yet at hand.
“Blow it up. I’d start fresh.” Hotel, stores, offices, a few condo towers. “But that is a gigantic job, maybe $2 billion…” BRAD LAMB Toronto-based developer