Vaughan Mills
Encyclopedia
Vaughan Mills is a large shopping centre
in Canada
located at the southeast corner of Highway 400 and Rutherford Road, in Vaughan
, Ontario
about 32 km north of Downtown Toronto
. The mall is located adjacent to Canada's Wonderland. Vaughan Mills opened on November 4, 2004, and was the first regional enclosed shopping complex in the Greater Toronto Area
since the Erin Mills Town Centre
opened in 1990. It has almost 1.2 million square feet (110,000 m²) of retail space.
The shopping centre was designed and built by Ivanhoe Cambridge
and The Mills Corporation
; the latter owning a portfolio of malls across the United States
. JPRA served as the design architect for the center, with Bregman + Hamann Architects as the project architect. Like its American counterparts, Vaughan Mills incorporates a "race track
" layout to maximize the exposure of the mall tenants. The complex has over 200 retail stores, restaurants, and entertainment outlets. Fifteen anchor retailers are present, including Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World
, H&M
, The Children's Place
, and Urban Behaviour. Entertainment located on the site include Lucky Strike Lanes
and NASCAR
Speedpark.
In August 2006, The Mills Corporation announced it was selling the stake in the Vaughan Mills to partner Ivanhoe Cambridge
and completed at the end of the month.
Vaughan Mills currently stands at the 15th largest mall in Canada.
When Vaughan Mills was originally conceived in 1999, it was meant to be a slightly larger complex at 1.4 million square feet (130,000 m²), with up to 18 anchor retailers and a combined 240 stores and services. The shopping centre intended to be a stepping stone for American retailers wanting to enter the Canadian market. In September 1999, Bed Bath & Beyond
and Sun & Ski Sports
were among the six American retailers that were announced as Vaughan Mills' first anchor tenants. An ESPN
X Games
Skatepark
was also planned as the main entertainment venue on the site. The mall originally had a projected opening date of Fall 2001.
However, an economic recession
in 2000 forced planners to scale down on the size of Vaughan Mills. Furthermore, many American retailers left the project, leaving existing Canadian companies to fill the void. The project suffered numerous delays and construction finally began in June 2003.
At its opening, Vaughan Mills suffered from a relatively low number of parking spots with just over 6,300 spaces. Canada's Wonderland, a former Paramount theme park, was closed for the season and it provided temporary parking for staff and customers. Despite this early setback, the mall has been a rousing success and it welcomed its 2 millionth visitor less than 2 months after its opening.
Currently, Vaughan Mills only closes its doors 2 days a year, those being Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
has plans for three more Mills-style locations in Canada
.
CrossIron Mills
, located just outside of Calgary
, Alberta
, opened on August 19, 2009. It features a number of the same retailers featured in the Vaughan Mills mall, including Bass Pro Shops; the CrossIron Mills location opened in the spring of 2009, several months ahead of the main mall. The construction, leasing, and opening of the mall has paralleled Vaughan Mills to a degree, as it, too, has occurred during an economic recession. CrossIron Mills has a larger footprint than Vaughan Mills, but lacks, at present, any direct access to local transit services.
The other locations being considered include:
Canada's largest shopping malls
The following is a list of Canada's largest enclosed shopping malls, ranked by reported total retail floor space, or gross leasable area . In cases where malls have equal area, they are further ranked by number of stores.-See also:...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
located at the southeast corner of Highway 400 and Rutherford Road, in Vaughan
Vaughan
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
about 32 km north of Downtown Toronto
Downtown Toronto
Downtown Toronto is the central business district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately bounded by Bloor Street to the north, Lake Ontario to the south, the Don River to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west...
. The mall is located adjacent to Canada's Wonderland. Vaughan Mills opened on November 4, 2004, and was the first regional enclosed shopping complex in the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
since the Erin Mills Town Centre
Erin Mills Town Centre
The Erin Mills Town Centre is a shopping mall located in the Erin Mills area of Mississauga, Ontario Canada, at the corner of Erin Mills Parkway and Eglinton Avenue West. The mall is owned and managed by Cadillac Fairview. It opened in 1989. There was once a Cineplex Odeon movie theater but the...
opened in 1990. It has almost 1.2 million square feet (110,000 m²) of retail space.
The shopping centre was designed and built by Ivanhoe Cambridge
Ivanhoe Cambridge
Ivanhoe Cambridge is a property management and development company that formed from the merger of two former companies, Ivanhoe and Cambridge, in 2001.-Ivanhoe Corporation:...
and The Mills Corporation
Mills Corporation
The Mills Corporation was a publicly traded real estate investment trust headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, United States, acquired on April 3, 2007 by an investment group composed of Simon Property Group and Farallon Capital Management. The company developed, owned, and operated major...
; the latter owning a portfolio of malls across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. JPRA served as the design architect for the center, with Bregman + Hamann Architects as the project architect. Like its American counterparts, Vaughan Mills incorporates a "race track
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
" layout to maximize the exposure of the mall tenants. The complex has over 200 retail stores, restaurants, and entertainment outlets. Fifteen anchor retailers are present, including Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World
Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is a privately held retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor recreation merchandise. Bass Pro Shops is known for a large selection of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor gear.-History:The owner, John L...
, H&M
H&M
H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish retail-clothing company, known for its fast-fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children....
, The Children's Place
The Children's Place
The Children’s Place is an American specialty retailer of children’s apparel and accessories founded in 1969. They became publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange in 1997 under the ticker symbol PLCE...
, and Urban Behaviour. Entertainment located on the site include Lucky Strike Lanes
Lucky Strike Lanes
-History:2003 was the end of an era for the iconic Hollywood Star Lanes, an institution that served Hollywood for 43 years and was home to the filming of “The Big Lebowski”. In March it was leveled to make way for a school. But just as the door to one icon closed, another opened.In April of that...
and NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Speedpark.
In August 2006, The Mills Corporation announced it was selling the stake in the Vaughan Mills to partner Ivanhoe Cambridge
Ivanhoe Cambridge
Ivanhoe Cambridge is a property management and development company that formed from the merger of two former companies, Ivanhoe and Cambridge, in 2001.-Ivanhoe Corporation:...
and completed at the end of the month.
Vaughan Mills currently stands at the 15th largest mall in Canada.
History
Bed Bath & Beyond
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. was formed in 1971 and today operates a chain of domestic merchandise retail stores across United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. They feature mostly medium-ranged, but also a limited selection of high quality, domestic merchandise: items for the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen,...
and Sun & Ski Sports
Sun & Ski Sports
-Company Information:Sun & Ski Sports, originally named Tennis & Ski Warehouse, was founded in 1980 by Barry Goldware. Based in Houston, Texas, the retailer operates 24 stores in ten states: Texas , Oklahoma , Virginia , Georgia, Maryland, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Ohio, New York, North...
were among the six American retailers that were announced as Vaughan Mills' first anchor tenants. An ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
X Games
X Games
The X Games is a commercial annual sports event, controlled and arranged by US sports broadcaster ESPN, which focuses on action sports. The inaugural X Games was held in the summer of 1995 in Rhode Island....
Skatepark
Skatepark
A skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline skating and scooters. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, spine transfers, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, pools, bowls, snake runs stairsets,...
was also planned as the main entertainment venue on the site. The mall originally had a projected opening date of Fall 2001.
However, an economic recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
in 2000 forced planners to scale down on the size of Vaughan Mills. Furthermore, many American retailers left the project, leaving existing Canadian companies to fill the void. The project suffered numerous delays and construction finally began in June 2003.
At its opening, Vaughan Mills suffered from a relatively low number of parking spots with just over 6,300 spaces. Canada's Wonderland, a former Paramount theme park, was closed for the season and it provided temporary parking for staff and customers. Despite this early setback, the mall has been a rousing success and it welcomed its 2 millionth visitor less than 2 months after its opening.
Anchors
- Bass Pro ShopsBass Pro ShopsBass Pro Shops is a privately held retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor recreation merchandise. Bass Pro Shops is known for a large selection of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor gear.-History:The owner, John L...
Outdoor World (131184 sq ft (12,187 m²)) - Winners/HomeSense (61494 sq ft (5,713 m²)
- Toys "R" Us (47042 sq ft (4,370 m²)
- NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
SpeedPark (39691 sq ft (3,687 m²)., 15134 sq ft (1,406 m²). mezzanine, 54503 sq ft (5,063 m²). total) - Designer DepotDesigner DepotDesigner Depot was a division of Canadian retailer Hudson's Bay Company . It was created in November 2004, and sold by HBC in April 2008 to the INC Group of Companies. The first location opened as part of the Vaughan Mills Mall in Vaughan, Ontario. It is a large department store that sells brand...
(36722 sq ft (3,412 m²)) - Home OutfittersHome OutfittersHome Outfitters is Canada's largest kitchen, bed, and bath superstore, with 69 stores across the country selling bedding, towels, housewares, and other home accessories....
(34992 sq ft (3,251 m²) - Pro Hockey Life (31708 sq ft (2,945.8 m²))
- Holt Renfrew Last CallHolt RenfrewHolt Renfrew is a chain of high-end Canadian department stores. It is comparable to Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue in the United States, and to two other upmarket chains owned by the same family, Britain's Selfridges and Ireland's Brown Thomas...
(29570 sq ft (2,747 m²)) - Lucky Strike LanesLucky Strike Lanes-History:2003 was the end of an era for the iconic Hollywood Star Lanes, an institution that served Hollywood for 43 years and was home to the filming of “The Big Lebowski”. In March it was leveled to make way for a school. But just as the door to one icon closed, another opened.In April of that...
(26367 sq ft (2,450 m²)) - Style Sense (20703 sq ft (1,923 m²)
- Tommy HilfigerTommy HilfigerThomas Jacob "Tommy" Hilfiger is an American fashion designer and founder of the premium lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger.-Early life:...
(20311 sq ft (1,887 m²)) - The Children's PlaceThe Children's PlaceThe Children’s Place is an American specialty retailer of children’s apparel and accessories founded in 1969. They became publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange in 1997 under the ticker symbol PLCE...
(20255 sq ft (1,882 m²)) - Urban Behaviour (20057 sq ft (1,863 m²)
- Forever 21Forever 21Forever 21 is an American chain of clothing retailers with branches in major cities in The United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East that offers fashion and accessories for young women and men....
(20056 sq ft (1,863 m²) - H & M (20054 sq ft (1,863 m²))
- La SenzaLa SenzaLa Senza Corporation is a Canadian fashion retailer based in Dorval, Quebec, Canada, which sells lingerie and intimate apparel. The La Senza brand is currently owned by Limited Brands.- History :...
/La Senza Girl (20054 sq ft (1,863 m²)) - Old NavyOld NavyOld Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
(20000 sq ft (1,858.1 m²)) - Joe FreshJoe FreshJoe Fresh is a fashion brand created by designer Joe Mimran for Canadian food retailer Loblaw Companies Limited. "Joe," as the label is often referred to, is promoted as stylish and affordable apparel and accessories that includes adult and children’s wear, shoes, handbags, jewellery, beauty...
(7902 sq ft (734 m²)
Outparcels
In 2005, The Mills and Ivanhoe Cambridge sold off the northern Outparcel lands to another developer, who has built up the lands.Exemptions to the Retail Business Holidays Act
Region of York passed an exemption to Ontario's Retail Business Holidays Act such that Vaughan Mills is allowed to open on the following statutory holidays: New Year's Day, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day.Currently, Vaughan Mills only closes its doors 2 days a year, those being Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Future development
Ivanhoe CambridgeIvanhoe Cambridge
Ivanhoe Cambridge is a property management and development company that formed from the merger of two former companies, Ivanhoe and Cambridge, in 2001.-Ivanhoe Corporation:...
has plans for three more Mills-style locations in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
CrossIron Mills
Crossiron Mills
CrossIron Mills is a fully enclosed shopping centre development just outside the northern city limits of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and immediately east of the hamlet of Balzac in Rocky View County. It was developed by Ivanhoe Cambridge, a major Canadian real estate company...
, located just outside of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, opened on August 19, 2009. It features a number of the same retailers featured in the Vaughan Mills mall, including Bass Pro Shops; the CrossIron Mills location opened in the spring of 2009, several months ahead of the main mall. The construction, leasing, and opening of the mall has paralleled Vaughan Mills to a degree, as it, too, has occurred during an economic recession. CrossIron Mills has a larger footprint than Vaughan Mills, but lacks, at present, any direct access to local transit services.
The other locations being considered include:
- LavalLaval, QuebecLaval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
, QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
near MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
at the intersection of Quebec Autoroute 440Quebec Autoroute 440 (Laval)Autoroute 440 is a provincial highway that runs across the city of Laval, Quebec from Autoroute 13 to Autoroute 25. It is currently long, proceeding across Île Jésus on an east-west axis...
and Quebec Autoroute 25Quebec Autoroute 25Autoroute 25 is an Autoroute in the Lanaudière region of Quebec. It is currently long....
. - VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...