Guildford expansion back on the table

One of the most derelict malls in the region is set to get a long awaited redesign and expansion. Guildford Town Centre, originally built in 1966, first proposed a major retrofit in 2006, but was delayed due to financial restraints brought on by the economy. Now, owners Ivanhoe Cambridge have come back to the table with a revised, less ambitious, two-phased plan that will certainly revitalize the shopping centre and the rest of the community.

Phase 1 of the project includes a brand new 165,000 sq. ft. Wal-Mart SuperCentre (includes a grocery store and garden centre), accessible from one large entrance. The new building will include the iconic pyramid design featured on the rest of the Mall, as well as a massive two-level parkade. The Wal-Mart will have rooftop parking and be attached to the new parkade.

Phase II will include an eastern expansion of the mall, bringing retail closer to 152 St, including a new food court; facade renovations to the entire building, excluding The Bay and London Drugs; redesigned mall entrances; re-oriented surface parking; demolition of the building west of Sears for a new transit loop; and three new stand-alone retail units along 152 St.

The old 2006 plan had included a larger Wal-Mart, as well as a “Village Walk” type lifestyle centre between the eastern edge of the Mall and 152 St, which appears to have been cut.

The new master plan was created by Musson Cattell Mackey Architects, the same firm that designed Morgan Crossing, The Village at Park Royal, and expansions at Willowbrook and Brentwood.

The City asked the owners to incorporate elements of design from the TownShift competition, which emphasized street activation through retail frontage along 152 St. Unfortunately, due to lease constraints with The Bay, no buildings can be erected in front of that section of the Mall. Loss of surface parking was another concern for Ivanhoe Cambridge.

The current mall layout

Phase 1

Phase II