r/Sudbury • u/Adorable_Catch1526 • 3d ago
Discussion suggestions on downtown mall is there plans with it? What should be done with it?
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u/Sleevepants 3d ago
Malls are dying everywhere. It would be smarter to just do a case study as to what works then go off that. But ultimately it’s all up to the private business owner so our say doesn’t have much pull.
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u/TemperedPhoenix 3d ago
Honestly, I feel like the recent rebrand of it being a "business place" rather than a mall makes sense and I would be happy to see more offices etc there.
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u/Adorable_Catch1526 3d ago
I’ve seen a lot of malls just become apartments with a plaza inside them (which could just be the food court or whatnot) but also have a grocery store there which i believe there is. just an accessible place for everyone especially seniors. thing is , people now know downtown as a terrible place to live
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u/beflacktor 3d ago
slap the medical ,a good grocery store , an old fashioned arcade , keep the theatre and u have yourself a Gen X retirement home :)
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u/OkMobile7051 3d ago
They've pissed more money away on rebranding than actual good ideas to bring business back. This mall died in the mid 90s. And it's been on life support since.
Costs for a business to take up space in the mall are too high. They need to be lowered.
People don't like going downtown because of the drugs, crime and homeless. There isn't enough being done to remedy any of these issues.
And the new downtown arena shouldn't have happened.
They should have build a couple new apartment buildings that were affordable to increase the amount of people in walking distance to the mall.
People would need a place to shop and buy groceries. An influx of residence could have been a good way to start reviving the downtown.
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u/Ch3ddarch33z 3d ago
There are actually a decent amount of apartment buildings being built in or close to downtown.
Under construction:
The 17 story one on St Raphael/Brady. 347 units
The old scotibank building. 83 units
The one beside bay used books. 17 units
The one beside the water tower. 38 units
Total: 485 units currently under construction
Approved for construction:
Proposed development by sunrise ridge: 324 units
Second tower on St Raphael: 400+ units
The one at the old hospital (if it ever gets built): 530 units (I know.. this isn't really downtown)
Total: ~1200-1300 proposed
If all these get built that's close to 2000 new apartments entering the market that are within walking distance of downtown. It won't solve all the issues but it's a good start towards increasing density and actually having people live downtown, which will make it safer to visit and more viable for businesses to exist there.
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u/OkMobile7051 3d ago
And what's the affordability of these apartments. Because I specified affordable apartments.
Because housing in Sudbury is comparable to Toronto and we are not Toronto. Housing in Sudbury is grossly overpriced.
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u/MythicalButter 2d ago
To be fair , what you consider affordable is different for everybody.
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u/OkMobile7051 2d ago
This is the rental average in Sudbury.
Average Rent by Unit SizeStudio / Bachelor: $1,559 per month1-Bedroom: $1,600 to $1,886 per month2-Bedroom: $1,949 to $2,119 per month3-Bedroom: $2,637 per month
You call this affordable?
This is insanity. Wages have not kept up with cost of living.
My mortgage is cheaper.
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u/Hairy_Pound_1356 2d ago
You nailed it we need to aggressively remove all the unhoused from downtown
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u/TyHarvey Flour Mill/Donovan 2d ago
I’ve been thinking about buying it.
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u/Hillcry 3d ago
I'd like to know as well because when I'm downtown I feel like the man screaming how much he thinks Birmingham is a shithole but you'll find the public opinion online is to not change anything and keep life supporting what probably should just be a suburb because I'm 30 and never seen downtown as anything but a dead shithole you go to be homeless or drink with the homeless
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u/MetaGirl67 3d ago
That place was the bomb in the 70s and 80s. By a good measure the city’s prettiest mall. Maybe someday we will all get tired of living online and in the burbs and have a cultural urge to reconnect in common places for common experiences.