Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/178323
The Centre on Barton RENDERING: AKITT, SWANSON + PEARCE ARCHITECTS INC. by Christine Peets he section of Barton Street between Ottawa Street and Kenilworth Avenue in Hamilton has undergone major changes in the past few years with the opening of the largest open-air mall in the region to replace an aging indoor shopping centre. "The Greater Hamilton Shopping Centre was opened in 1955 on the grounds of what had been a racetrack owned by Canadian horse racing mogul E.P. Taylor," says Wayne Roberts, general manager on site for developer Redcliff Realty Management Inc. "It was an open-air plaza with a centre area between four retail buildings. The storefronts had separate entrances and large overhanging canopies to protect customers from the elements." The name was later changed to The Centre Mall when it was enclosed in 1974. Other changes took place over 45 years, and when this latest redevelopment began in 2009, it was named The Centre on Barton. The 19,500-square-foot Food Pavilion, which was completed early in the redevelopment phase, has seating for more than 350 patrons. In addition to the prep and serving areas for seven food vendors, there are men's, women's and family washrooms; a nursing room; staff washrooms; and garbage and recycling loading areas. Administration and security of ices are on the second loor. Robert Spurgeon, associate with Akitt, Swanson + Pearce Architects Inc. (AS+P) says the multi-year project began in 2007 with the construction of the banks and other multitenant buildings along Barton Street, while the existing shopping centre remained operational. Dorlan Engineering Consultants Inc. provided structural work. Hammerschlag & Joffe Inc. was the electrical consultant. "The exterior form of the pavilion is a large two-storey box with extensive clear and acid-etched glazing, framing the main seating area. A folded plane wraps one side of the box and folds over and above the roof creating a three-sided glazed clerestory over the seating space," Spurgeon says. "Interior inishes have been left largely raw: polished concrete loors; exposed steel columns, beams, joists and roof deck; gypsum wallboard; and acoustic wall panels. A series of pylons clad in composite quartz frame each tenant stall. Dark cherrywood ceiling panels add warmth to the interior scheme." There are four new major retail outlets among the 80 tenants that will ill the 30 buildings on the 74-acre site. A distinctive Fashion Square complements the Food Pavilion. The change from one large mall to this complex of individual stores required coordination between the architects T The Centre on Barton p.56-57The Centre on Barton.indd 57 and developers. "AS+P was responsible for the design and construction administration of 25 buildings and the coordination of the balance," Spurgeon says, "This was really a lot of smaller projects within one larger redevelopment." Don Burton, Redcliff Realty's executive vice-president, says the project, which has a price tag in excess of $100 million, will be 85 per cent complete by the fall of 2012, and completely inished by the end of 2013. "The original mall wasn't satisfying the current market in an overall way, but there were some retailers still drawing customers," Burton says. "Many were going to the new-format stand-alone stores rather than being in malls. Those new-format stores attract new tenants and new customers. We think that will continue with the new construction, especially with the new retail stores. At the same time, we are preserving our community centre aspect, which keeps our loyal customers happy." Each of the commercial rental units has rooftop units for heating and cooling. Reg Callaghan, vice-president of The Mitchell Partnership Consulting Engineers says this was "a simple mechanical project – nothing out of the ordinary." There were some challenges, according to Andrew Anderson, project manager with EllisDon Corporation, construction manager of the redevelopment from 2007 until December 2009. (The company is not involved with the latest phase.) "Our scope of work involved the demolition of the existing Centre Mall, the construction of seven stand-alone retail buildings, including three mixed-use buildings [each approx 100,000 square feet], and the pad preparation for up to 17 additional mixed-use buildings around the perimeter of the property," Anderson says. "The project included signi icant civil work. The coordination of heavy civil construction activities with the day-to-day operation of the completed irst phase of retail businesses proved to be a dif icult task. The demolition of the existing mall required signi icant investigation and asbestos abatement." All new services (hydro, water, sewers) were installed while maintaining the existing network of services to keep portions of the mall and various commercial units in operation, Anderson notes. New roadways, as well as 3,500 parking spots and landscaped areas have been incorporated. Parking areas are divided into sections that incorporate the landscaping and the various retail operations, which takes PHOTOS: HAROLD CLARK PHOTOGRAPHY away from the 'box' feeling of just having retail outlets around the perimeter. "We are not in an isolated location, as is sometimes the case with an open-air mall of this size," says Roberts. "We are in the middle of a bustling community with mixed residential and commercial zoning, which has a trade population of more than 116,000 people. The Centre on Barton is served well by local transit. It was important to maintain Centre on Barton as a community-centred shopping district and we've done that." ■ ADDRESS 1111 1321 Barton Street East Hamilton, Ontario OWNER/DEVELOPER Redcliff Realty Management Inc. ARCHITECT Akitt, Swanson + Pearce Architects Inc. CONSTRUCTION MANAGER EllisDon Corporation STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Dorlan Engineering Consultants Inc. MECHANICAL CONSULTANT The Mitchell Partnership Consulting Engineers ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Hammerschlag & Joffe Inc. TOTAL AREA 760,000 square feet TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST $100 million + AUGUST 2012 /57 7/13/12 10:17 AM