Carlingwood mall looks to demolish vacant Sears store
Matthew Kupfer | CBC News | Posted: August 21, 2018 8:57 PM | Last Updated: August 22, 2018
Mall's anchor store closed its doors in January
The Carlingwood Shopping Centre has applied for permits to demolish the former Sears store at the corner of Carling and Woodroffe avenues.
Bay Ward Coun. Mark Taylor said the mall approached his office a few days before submitting the official application and has informed its other tenants.
"They've looked at options to try to save the space, utilize it, repurpose it somehow and they have future tenants in mind that they're in discussions with," Taylor said.
"The building just isn't viable. It's very old," he said.
"It would need so much in terms of updating that they feel it's the most prudent course of action to take it down."
Taylor said the mall hasn't told him which business might replace Sears as the anchor tenant, and revealed residential units could be part of the mix as Carlingwood rebuilds.
"It's a good possibility, not necessarily in that anchor space, although maybe at other parts in the parking lot," Taylor said.
He said the mall was restricted from developing its large surface parking lot because of a previous arrangement with Sears guaranteeing the store visibility from Carling Avenue.
Taylor said the mall may not offer the same guarantee to a future tenant.
Hard to replace anchor
People who work at other stores in the Carlingwood Shopping Centre said there has been speculation about what might replace Sears after the building is torn down.
Alice Wang works at the chocolate store across from the old Sears and has seen the changes at the mall.
"Other stores have closed too and I don't know if that's just the business, but I feel like Sears brought in a lot of extra people, extra business coming in all the time," she said, adding Sears had a massive space.
"No other store would be big enough to fill the three floors of Sears."
Wang said it would be good to see another department store fill the space or a clothing store, but recognizes those businesses have been struggling.
Wang's family lives near the mall and she said she's skeptical the community needs more residential units.
Vanda Holland, who works at Unique Accessories, said she wouldn't want to see the mall replaced with condos, as has happened at other small malls.
She said Sears was a major draw of people from all ages.
"We're lacking that in the mall now so we're hoping that there's something will come in there that really contributes to bringing in the young families," Holland said.
She said tenants have also been assured by mall management that demolition and construction shouldn't be too disruptive.
Meeting next week
The City of Ottawa confirmed the application is under review.
Taylor said the demolition would be reviewed by city staff, while the proposal for new construction may require approval of the planning committee.
A spokesperson for the Carlingwood Shopping Centre declined CBC's request for an interview.
Taylor, who is not running for re-election, said he plans to meet with the mall next week.