Herongate Square

Herongate Square is an unenclosed shopping centre at the intersection of Walkley Road and Heron Road in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It serves the Heron Gate area and is the successor to Herongate Mall, an indoor shopping mall that opened to the public on August 12, 1981. The original centre was developed to serve residents of surrounding housing developments, including the Minto Heron Gate project, and was planned around a local catchment area estimated at approximately 82,000 potential customers. When it opened, Herongate Mall contained approximately 195,000 square feet of indoor retail space, more than 40 businesses and services, and about 1,100 parking spaces across a site of more than 16 acres. Its principal anchors were a Dominion supermarket and a Zellers department store. The Dominion store became an A&P location after 1985. The centre's tenant mix included food retail, clothing, personal services, restaurants and other neighbourhood-oriented businesses. During the 1990s, the mall added a Rockin' Johnny's Diner and a Zellers location, reinforcing its role as a conventional suburban community mall. The property experienced decline during the 2000s as tenants closed, changed names or were replaced. The former Zellers space became a Sears Canada outlet in the early part of the decade and was later divided between Convergys and an independent furniture retailer. Rockin' Johnny's was replaced by an independently operated restaurant known as the South Side Bar and Grill. The centre also faced criticism over maintenance, sanitation, pest and plumbing problems, with some tenants reporting substantial business losses. Ottawa public-health and fire officials investigated complaints including blocked exits and ceiling water damage. A major redevelopment followed the change in ownership to Trinity Financial in 2011. Trinity purchased the property from Transglobe Property Management for a reported $18 million and proposed replacing the enclosed mall with a collection of smaller standalone buildings and expanded surface parking. Demolition began in June 2012. Food Basics was identified as the principal legacy tenant to remain, while much of the original mall was removed. The former indoor centre was substantially demolished by late 2013, with Food Basics receiving a new entrance from the west parking area. The redeveloped property adopted the Herongate Square identity and began operating as an open-air retail centre. New or relocated tenants included Scotiabank, Subway, a barber and Pharma Plus. Scotiabank moved from its former in-mall branch to a standalone building on Heron Road in 2013, and Dollarama reopened at the site in February 2015 after an extended closure. The centre is owned by Trinity Financial and remains a neighbourhood shopping destination rather than a national consumer brand or publicly traded company.

Herongate Square began as Herongate Mall, an enclosed suburban shopping centre in Ottawa's Heron Gate neighbourhood. The mall opened on Wednesday, August 12, 1981, at the intersection of Walkley Road and Heron Road. It was developed to serve nearby residential communities, including the Minto Heron Gate development, and was planned around a local market of roughly 82,000 potential customers. The original property covered more than 16 acres and included about 1,100 parking spaces. The 1981 centre contained approximately 195,000 square feet of indoor space and more than 40 stores and services. Its initial anchors were a Dominion supermarket and a Zellers department store. Dominion later became an A&P supermarket after 1985. The tenant mix was intended to provide everyday neighbourhood services, including food, clothing, bakery products, hairdressing and other personal services. The shopping centre's opening also prompted local traffic concerns. Residents worried that commercial activity would increase traffic on Jefferson Avenue, leading the City of Ottawa to conduct a traffic survey in the autumn of 1981. During the 1990s, Herongate Mall continued to attract recognizable suburban tenants. Rockin' Johnny's Diner opened a location, and Zellers operated at the centre. The property changed ownership over time. It was initially associated with Marathon Realty, the property-development arm of Canadian Pacific Limited, which also owned or was associated with other Canadian shopping centres. Oxford Properties subsequently owned the property, followed by Transglobe Property Management in 2007. The mall's condition and commercial performance weakened during the 2000s. Several stores closed or changed operators. The former Zellers space became a Sears Canada outlet in the early 2000s, then was divided between a Convergys operation and an independent furniture store later in the decade. Rockin' Johnny's was replaced by the South Side Bar and Grill under independent operation. Seasonal activities also changed; a Santa Claus installation was reportedly discontinued after vandalism at the property. By 2010, community organizations and tenants were publicly criticizing the property's maintenance. Complaints included deteriorating and unsanitary conditions, pest and rodent issues, plumbing problems, blocked exits and water damage to ceilings. Ottawa public-health and fire officials visited the mall in connection with some of these concerns. Tenants reported that declining conditions had hurt their businesses, while the centre entered a period of uncertainty over its future. The ownership transition to Trinity Development in 2011 initiated a fundamental change. Trinity acquired the mall from Transglobe Property Management for a reported $18 million. Rather than refurbishing the enclosed mall as a traditional indoor centre, Trinity proposed a redevelopment with approximately 16 smaller buildings arranged around parking areas. In April 2012, Trinity stated that Food Basics would be the only major component of the legacy mall to remain. Demolition began in June 2012, and the original enclosed structure was largely removed by late 2013. Food Basics received a new entrance oriented toward the west parking lot, which occupied part of the former mall footprint. The redeveloped property was presented as Herongate Square, an open-air retail centre. Standalone buildings accommodated a mixture of returning and new tenants, including Scotiabank, Subway, a barber and Pharma Plus. Scotiabank closed its former in-mall branch in 2013 and moved to a newly built standalone location on Heron Road. Dollarama later reopened at the redeveloped centre in February 2015 after an extended closure. Trinity Financial is identified as the current owner. Herongate Square continues to function primarily as a local shopping and services destination, with public transit access provided by OC Transpo routes serving the surrounding area.

• 2015

  Dollarama reopens

  [1]Herongate Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Dollarama returns to the redeveloped shopping centre after an almost three-year closure.

• 2013

  Legacy mall demolition is completed

  [1]Herongate Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The original mall is substantially removed, and Food Basics receives a new west-facing entrance. Scotiabank relocates to a standalone Heron Road branch.

• 2012

  Redevelopment demolition begins

  [1]Herongate Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed mall begins to be demolished, with Food Basics designated to remain on the site.

• 2011

  Trinity acquires the property

  [1]Herongate Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Trinity Development purchases Herongate Mall from Transglobe Property Management and proposes a major open-air redevelopment.

• 2010

  Maintenance controversy becomes public

  [1]Herongate Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Tenants and community advocates criticize the property's condition, while municipal public-health and fire officials investigate complaints.

• 2007

  Transglobe Property Management ownership

  [1]Herongate Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Transglobe Property Management becomes the identified owner after a period associated with Oxford Properties.

• 2001

  Former Zellers space becomes Sears Canada

  [1]Herongate Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The former Zellers space is converted into a Sears Canada outlet before later being divided among other tenants.

• 1990

  Additional entertainment and department-store activity

  [1]Herongate Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Rockin' Johnny's Diner and a Zellers location operate at the centre during the 1990s.

• 1985

  Dominion becomes A&P

  [1]Herongate Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The original Dominion supermarket anchor changes to the A&P banner.

• 1981

  Herongate Mall opens

  [1]Herongate Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The original enclosed shopping mall opens on August 12 with approximately 195,000 square feet, more than 40 businesses and anchors including Dominion and Zellers.

Neighbourhood open-air shopping centre serving residents of Ottawa's Heron Gate area

• Grocery retail

  Food Basics

  Food Basics was identified as the principal legacy tenant retained through the redevelopment of Herongate Mall. The supermarket continued operating while the enclosed mall was demolished around it and received a new entrance from the west parking area. Its presence reflects the centre's continuing role as a provider of essential, neighbourhood-oriented grocery shopping.

• Discount retail

  Dollarama

  Dollarama operated at the original centre, closed during the redevelopment period and reopened at Herongate Square in February 2015. The store adds low-priced general merchandise to the centre's grocery, service and restaurant mix.

• Banking services

  Scotiabank

  Scotiabank was one of the businesses associated with the redevelopment. Its former in-mall branch closed in summer 2013, and the bank moved into a newly built standalone location on Heron Road northwest of the original mall footprint.

• Quick-service restaurant

  Subway

  Subway was among the food-service tenants identified in the early standalone-building phase of Herongate Square. Its presence illustrates the shift from an enclosed mall tenant mix to smaller, independently accessible retail units.

• Pharmacy retail

  Pharma Plus

  Pharma Plus was listed among the tenants occupying standalone buildings in the redeveloped centre. The pharmacy contributed an everyday health and convenience-services component to the neighbourhood retail offer.

• 2010

  Maintenance and sanitation controversy

  ACORN Canada's Ottawa branch and mall tenants criticized Transglobe Property Management over alleged deterioration, unsanitary conditions, pest and rodent problems, plumbing issues, blocked exits and ceiling water damage. Municipal public-health and fire officials visited the property in response to complaints.

  Source

Read more

• 2013

  Scotiabank relocates to a standalone branchStrategy

  Background

  The redevelopment removed the original enclosed mall configuration and created standalone retail and service buildings.

  Action taken

  Scotiabank closed its in-mall branch and moved to a new standalone location on Heron Road.

  Aftermath

  Banking services remained associated with the property area while no longer occupying an interior mall unit.

  Source

• 2012

  Conversion from enclosed mall to open-air centreStrategy

  Background

  The aging indoor mall had suffered from vacancies, tenant changes and criticism over maintenance. Trinity's master plan called for smaller buildings on the existing site.

  Action taken

  Trinity began demolishing the legacy mall and planned a total of 16 smaller standalone buildings, while retaining Food Basics as the principal surviving component.

  Aftermath

  The original mall was largely gone by late 2013, and the property operated under the Herongate Square open-air format.

  Source

• 2011

  Trinity Development acquires Herongate MallM&A

  Background

  The property had experienced tenant turnover, declining conditions and uncertainty over the future of its aging enclosed-mall format.

  Action taken

  Trinity Development purchased the mall from Transglobe Property Management for a reported $18 million and assumed responsibility for a major redevelopment plan.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition led to the replacement of the enclosed mall with a collection of smaller standalone buildings and parking areas.

  Purchase price. $18 million (2011 acquisition)

  Source

1. 1Herongate Squareen.wikipedia.org