CF Toronto Eaton Centre, a major shopping complex in Toronto, Canada, is being refurbished by real estate firm Cadillac Fairview (CF), with an investment of C$77m ($60.8m). It is one of the flagship retail centres of CF in Canada.
Being implemented in two phases, the renovation started at the south end of the mall, in January 2022. Work on the second phase, covering the north end, is expected to begin in March 2023.
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CF Toronto Eaton Centre is claimed to be one of the biggest urban shopping centres in North America. It was also one of the world’s busiest retail centres in the pre-Covid-19 pandemic times, attracting more than 50 million visitors a year.
The company’s investment in the retail asset over the last 12 years was estimated to be C$1.6bn ($1.26bn). The investment was used to undertake several revitalisation projects including the addition of an adjacent office tower and a pedestrian bridge, and the installation of new flooring and hand railings.
A Hudson’s Bay department store, which is also owned by CF, is located adjacent to the shopping facility, and is linked to it by a bridge.
Location of CF Toronto Eaton Centre
CF Toronto Eaton Centre is located on 220 Yonge Street in Ontario, Canada. It is bounded by Dundas Street West on the north, Yonge Street on the east, Queen Street West on the south, and James Street and Trinity Square on the west.
The shopping centre is served by the Queen and Dundas subway stations on the Yonge line of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It can also be reached by streetcar and GO Transit services.
CF Toronto Eaton Centre revitalisation details
Of the C$77m ($60.8m) investment on the ongoing renovation, C$60m ($47.4m) will be used to refurbish the 900ft galleria skylight roof of the retail complex, from Queen Street at the south end of the mall, to the Nordstrom store at the north end. The remaining C$17m ($13.4m) will be used to enhance shoppers’ movement and accessibility at the shopping centre.
The refurbished skylight roof will incorporate the latest materials and technologies to enhance energy efficiency. Phase one of the renovation is being carried out between Queen Street and Centre Court.
The original galleria served as a unique feature of the shopping mall. It was modelled after Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a shopping centre in Milan, Italy.
The renovation will not affect the original grandeur of the skylight’s architecture. The shopping centre’s ‘Flight Stop’, an iconic hanging sculptural installation depicting 60 Canada geese in flight, will be temporarily removed and reinstalled upon completion of renovation works.
To improve shoppers’ movement and accessibility, three new staircases at the South Court and Urban Eatery will be constructed, and the elevators in the mall will be upgraded. A larger cab will also be installed in an existing elevator to improve accessibility for infants and persons with disabilities.
Existing facilities at CF Toronto Eaton Centre
First opened in 1977, CF Toronto Eaton Centre is a five-level shopping mall, including a concourse level.
It has a gross leasable area of 2,039,933ft² (189,515m²), housing more than 209 stores.
Some of the brands that are present at the shopping centre include Abercrombie & Fitch, Aesop, Aldo, American Eagle Outfitters, Aritzia, Aveda, Hugo Boss, Bailey Nelson, Harry Rosen, Hollister, Hot Topic, Bentley, Nordstrom, H&M, and Bikini Village.
The shopping mall also houses Guess, Garage, Browns, Call it Spring, Canada Goose, Caryl Baker Visage, Champs Sports, Dynamite, Ecco, European Boutique, Geox, Fossil, and Jack & Jones.
Food units within the shopping centre include Henndriks Restaurant and Bar, JOEY Eaton Centre, Leña Restaurante, Trattoria Mercatto, A & W, Akashiro by SUSHI Q, Sansotei Ramen, Szechuan Express, Amaya Express, Bar Verde at Nordstrom, and Big Smoke Burger.
Visitors can also choose from Bourbon Street Grill, Crepe Delicious / Froshberg Gelato, Fast Fresh Foods, Jimmy the Greek, KFC, Koryo Korean BBQ, McDonald’s, and Mucho Burrito.
The latest store openings across different categories, as of March 2021, include Foot Locker, Future Tech, Reiwatakiya, Gong Cha, FH Health, Black Owned Toronto, Moose Knuckles, Urban Customz, The Latest Scoop, and Tokyo Smoke.
Furthermore, the shopping mall features amenities such as ATMs, drinking fountains, nursing rooms, seating areas, telephones, family washrooms, and fully automated parking spaces for more than 1,411 vehicles.
Contractors involved
Zeidler Architecture, which provided the design for the existing galleria at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, was appointed to undertake the replacement of the galleria skylight.
It will deliver the project in collaboration with consulting engineers Read Jones Christoffersen (RJC). EllisDon, a construction services company based in Canada, is responsible for overseeing the construction works.
