Bramalea City Centre

Infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name = Bramalea City Centre
location = Brampton, Ontario, Canada
address =
coordinates = coord|43.716589|N|79.723921|W|display=inline,title
opening_date = 1973
closing_date =
developer = Bramalea Limited
manager = Morguard Investments Limited
owner = Morguard Investments Limited
architect =
number_of_stores = 288
number_of_anchors = 4
floor_area = convert|85|acre|km2 sqmi
floors = 2
parking = 6385
website = [http://www.bramaleacitycentre.com bramaleacitycentre.com]

The Bramalea City Centre is an indoor shopping mall located in the city of Brampton, Ontario, Canada. With over a million square feet of retail space and more than 280 outlets, it is one of Canada's largest shopping malls. Regarded as a super regional mall, the Bramalea City Centre has a market of more than 500,000 residents and attracts 12 million visitors annually.cite web
url=http://www.vanbots.com/projects.asp?category_id=16&projID=117
publisher=Vanbots Construction
title=Bramalea City Centre] Since opening its doors to the public in the 1970s, the Bramalea City Centre has been an important retail hub for the city of Brampton, pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy. Extensive renovation and expansion have improved the mall's atmosphere. In 2005, the Bramalea City Centre was congratulated by Brampton's mayor and council for the success of these renovations.cite press release
title = The City of Brampton Congratulates Bramalea City Centre & Morguard
publisher = Morguard Investments Ltd
date = 2005-10-20
url = http://www.morguard.com/mil/mediaCentre/pressReleases.cfm?archive=1 ]

The Bramalea City Centre is located at 25 Peel Centre Drive, near the intersection of Queen Street and Dixie Road. It is just east of Highway 410. It is served by Brampton Transit, GO Transit, and York Region Transit buses.

Major retailers

*A & P (63,809 sq ft (5,928 m²))
*The Bay (131,438 sq ft (12,211 m²))
*Best Buy (31,108 sq ft (2,890 m²))
*Old Navy (21,010 sq ft (1,952 m²))
*Price Chopper (25,989 sq ft (2,414 m²))
*Sears (157,156 sq ft (14,600 m²))
*Sport Chek (22,512 sq ft (2,091 m²))
*Zellers (120,815 sq ft (11,224 m²))

History

Development

In the 1960s, when Bramalea existed as an independent town, area planners implemented a masterplan to oversee local development. Included in this masterplan was a series of residential areas, industrial development, open parks, and amongst other things, a central shopping centre.cite journal
last = Middleton
first = Julie
title = Satellite City, recalling the Bramalea days
journal = City of Brampton Sesquicentennial Commemorative Publication
pages = 39–40
publisher = Brampton Guardian
date = 2003 ] An eighty-five acre site, situated in the heart of Bramalea, was designated for mall development. Bramalea Limited, a local real estate developer, began mall construction towards the end of the decade on what was then the largest retail development in North America.cite journal
last = Douglas
first = Pam
title = History of Brampton
journal = City of Brampton Sesquicentennial Commemorative Publication
pages = 13
publisher = Brampton Guardian
date = 2003 ] Construction was completed in 1973, as the surrounding landscape experienced rapid change as the result of a population boom. The Bramalea City Centre had its grand opening on March 28, 1973,cite journal
last = Middleton
first = Julie
title = Satellite City, recalling the Bramalea days
journal = City of Brampton Sesquicentennial Commemorative Publication
pages = 39–40
publisher = Brampton Guardian
date = 2003 ] with 160 outlets—this was only four years after Brampton's first mall, Shoppers World Brampton, opened its doors in 1969.

Although Bramalea later became part of the city of Brampton during a 1974 amalgamation, the Bramalea City Centre, Brampton's largest mall, retained the name of the original community in which it was built. Mall expansion continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s under Bramalea Limited ownership and operation.

New ownership & renovation

The Bramalea City Centre was acquired by Canadian real estate firm Morguard Investments Limited in 2002.cite web
url=http://www.brampton.ca/economic-development/content_bramfacts/displayfacts.taf?bramfactid=81
publisher=Brampton Economic Development Office
title=Morguard Plans $30 Million Investment in Bramalea City Centre] In 2004 under the new ownership, the mall underwent a $26 million reconstruction to improve all common areas. The renovation, commencing in February of that year, transformed the mall into a more vibrant, aesthetically pleasing open shopping environment—adding automated kiosks, improved lighting, ceilings, floors, furnishings, increased security, and accessibility for shoppers; the renovation was completed in eight months, a majority of which was done during the night while the mall was closed.cite web
url=http://www.vanbots.com/projects.asp?category_id=16&projID=117
publisher=Vanbots Construction
title=Bramalea City Centre] Additional renovation projects were carried out in 2005 and 2006, revamping the food court, escalators, and other areas of the mall. Petroff Partnership Architects was in charge of the redesign; construction was carried out by Vanbots Construction. Morguard has spent over $30 million in mall improvements.cite web
url=http://www.brampton.ca/economic-development/content_bramfacts/displayfacts.taf?bramfactid=81
publisher=Brampton Economic Development Office
title=Morguard Plans $30 Million Investment in Bramalea City Centre]

2010 Expansion

A $102 million expansion project is currently underway at the Bramalea City Centre. The 3-year project will create convert|417292|sqft|m2 of underground parking space, add an additional convert|323415|sqft|m2 of retail area on two levels, and relocate loading docks and chiller units. Construction is expected to be complete by January 2010. Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.