I was trying to think of what I could talk about in our first blog, when I remembered sitting at my desk the other day, looking out the window and seeing all the trucks driving on Taylor to and from Grant Park Pavilions. Not pick-up trucks, but large dump trucks, cement trucks, front-end loaders – machinery going to work. People working. It made me think about all the jobs the Grant Park Pavilions development is creating.
The work crews that are there now, digging and building.
- The folks who will work in the Walmart Supercentre, staging and stocking and preparing the store to open.
- The staff who will be hired to work in the store once it is open.
What a great thing for all those people and for our city.
I am so proud of this site, which took 20 years to assemble. Grant Park Pavilions will generate more property taxes and new jobs and will be built with a low carbon footprint. Along with retail, the mixed-use development will feature office and some much needed residential apartment buildings.
Grant Park Pavilions initial tenant, Walmart, is scheduled to open this coming January. Some of you will remember, back in the day, when there used to be a Walmart at Grant Park Shopping Centre. When they relocated to Empress Street it changed shopping patterns considerably. Shoppers had to travel much further to Polo Park and Kenaston areas. These days it seems like everyone is busy and the trend is only growing. People want to do things close-by. Maybe they work in the area and they want to do their shopping on their lunch hour or way home. After work dinner or drinks are much more convenient when it’s near where you live or work.
Grant Park Pavilions – Live. Shop. Work. Play. Can’t wait!
Sandy G. Shindleman, CCIM, SIOR, FRICS
President & CEO