WELLINGTON SQUARE
York and Wellington Streets
London, Ontario
As odd as it may seem, Canada's very first fully-enclosed shopping centre was not located in (or near) Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver or even Winnipeg. A 5.3-acre site in the downtown area of London, Ontario was, in fact, the location of the nation's earliest interior mall.
In addition to being Canada's first climate-controlled retail hub, WELLINGTON SQUARE was the first of many North American "Urban Renewal" mall projects. These were an attempt to reestablish downtown areas as hubs of commerce, as they had been before a post-war exodus to the suburbs.
Planning for an innovative centre city shopping centre was underway by July 1958. Toronto-based T. Eaton Company, Limited (Eaton's) announced plans for a new downtown London store. Seattle's John Graham, Junior was enlisted to design said store and an adjacent retail complex. This would be developed by Montreal-based Webb & Knapp (Canada), Limited.
An official grand opening was held on August 11, 1960. William Zeckendorf, Senior, President of Webb & Knapp, cut a ceremonial ribbon. Also in attendance were the Right Honourable Ray Lawson (Lieutenant Governor of Ontario 1946-1952), as well as several Webb & Knapp officials and local VIPs.
In its original state, WELLINGTON SQUARE encompassed approximately 420,000 leasable square feet. It was heralded by the New York Times as "The pattern for Urban Renewal." The 11 million dollar facility was built over a subterranean parking deck. There were two retail levels; Mall (street level) and Lower (basement). A 5-floor (248,000 square foot) Eaton's anchored the shopping venue, which housed an initial twenty-three stores and services. There would eventually be forty-seven.
Charter tenants included Burrough's Furniture, Reitman's ladies' wear, Grafton & Company men's wear, Callyer Shoes, McKittrick's Camera, United Cigar Stores, Laura Secord Candy Shops, the Wellington Restaurant and an F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10. A (10,000 square foot) Holt-Renfrew was dedicated on March 1, 1961.
Suburban retail centres were eventually built in the environs of London. The more significant of these were WESTMOUNT CENTRE (1971) {3.2 miles southwest, in London}, WHITE OAKS MALL (1973) {3.6 miles southeast, in London} and MASONVILLE PLACE (1985) {3.2 miles northwest, also in London}.
WELLINGTON SQUARE had been renamed LONDON EATON SQUARE as part of an early 1980's face lift. In 1986, Ottawa's Robert Campeau, a Canadian real estate developer and financier, acquired the shopping facility. A major expansion and remodeling got underway.
The 5.3-acre block directly north of the existing complex was acquired and structures demolished. A 2-level mall was built, which extended across King Street and connected with a second level that had been added to the circa-1960 complex.
The new shopping hub, officially known as GALLERIA LONDON, encompassed approximately 900,000 leasable square feet and contained 120 stores and services. Its North Mall was anchored by a 3-level (176,000 square foot) The Bay. Inline store space was leased to tony tenants such as Ralph Lauren, Harry Rosen, Eddie Bauer, Roots and Laura Ashley.
The 175 million dollar GALLERIA LONDON was dedicated with a lavish black tie gala, held on August 16, 1989. The Cineplex Odeon Galleria Marketplace Cinemas, on the Second Level of the South Mall structure, showed first features on August 17, 1989. By this time, developer Robert Campeau was in dire financial straits. He had embarked on an unprecedented series of hostile takeovers of the two major United States department store holding companies; Allied Stores and Federated Stores.
Allied Stores, which operated Boston's Jordan Marsh, Seattle's The Bon Marche, San Antonio's Joske's and Paramus, New Jersey's Stern's, had been acquired in 1987. Federated Stores, whose divisions included New York City's Abraham & Straus and Bloomingdale's, as well as Columbus, Ohio's Lazarus, Boston's Filene's and Atlanta's Rich's, came under the Campeau corporate umbrella in 1988.
Soon, debt incurred as a result of these mergers, accompanied by a downturn in the U.S. economy, toppled the Campeau corporate empire. 250 profitable department stores had been bankrupted. Toronto's mega-millioned Reichmann Family came to Campeau's aid and were financially ruined in the process.
Amongst all the commercial carnage, GALLERIA LONDON proved to be only moderately successful, if that. The centre was in decline by the early 1990s, had a resurgence in the mid-'90s and was in a second downward spiral by the late '90s. Eaton's, yet another troubled retail corporation, shuttered its GALLERIA LONDON location in February 1999. The Bay pulled out of the mall in March 2001.
Suburban retail centres were eventually built in the environs of London. The more significant of these were WESTMOUNT CENTRE (1971) {3.2 miles southwest, in London}, WHITE OAKS MALL (1973) {3.6 miles southeast, in London} and MASONVILLE PLACE (1985) {3.2 miles northwest, also in London}.
WELLINGTON SQUARE had been renamed LONDON EATON SQUARE as part of an early 1980's face lift. In 1986, Ottawa's Robert Campeau, a Canadian real estate developer and financier, acquired the shopping facility. A major expansion and remodeling got underway.
The 5.3-acre block directly north of the existing complex was acquired and structures demolished. A 2-level mall was built, which extended across King Street and connected with a second level that had been added to the circa-1960 complex.
The new shopping hub, officially known as GALLERIA LONDON, encompassed approximately 900,000 leasable square feet and contained 120 stores and services. Its North Mall was anchored by a 3-level (176,000 square foot) The Bay. Inline store space was leased to tony tenants such as Ralph Lauren, Harry Rosen, Eddie Bauer, Roots and Laura Ashley.
The 175 million dollar GALLERIA LONDON was dedicated with a lavish black tie gala, held on August 16, 1989. The Cineplex Odeon Galleria Marketplace Cinemas, on the Second Level of the South Mall structure, showed first features on August 17, 1989. By this time, developer Robert Campeau was in dire financial straits. He had embarked on an unprecedented series of hostile takeovers of the two major United States department store holding companies; Allied Stores and Federated Stores.
Allied Stores, which operated Boston's Jordan Marsh, Seattle's The Bon Marche, San Antonio's Joske's and Paramus, New Jersey's Stern's, had been acquired in 1987. Federated Stores, whose divisions included New York City's Abraham & Straus and Bloomingdale's, as well as Columbus, Ohio's Lazarus, Boston's Filene's and Atlanta's Rich's, came under the Campeau corporate umbrella in 1988.
Soon, debt incurred as a result of these mergers, accompanied by a downturn in the U.S. economy, toppled the Campeau corporate empire. 250 profitable department stores had been bankrupted. Toronto's mega-millioned Reichmann Family came to Campeau's aid and were financially ruined in the process.
Amongst all the commercial carnage, GALLERIA LONDON proved to be only moderately successful, if that. The centre was in decline by the early 1990s, had a resurgence in the mid-'90s and was in a second downward spiral by the late '90s. Eaton's, yet another troubled retail corporation, shuttered its GALLERIA LONDON location in February 1999. The Bay pulled out of the mall in March 2001.
With two anchors vacant, and most of its inline store space sitting idle, the shopping centre was on life support. In December 2000, the complex was acquired by I.F. Property Holdings. The lower levels of the Eaton's space were repurposed as a Teletech call center, with the upper levels sectioned into leased office spaces and a campus for Fanshawe College.
The Second Level movie megaplex was rebranded, as the Rainbow Cinemas Rainbow 6, in 2001. The vacant The Bay store was acquired by the City of London, who renovated the facility into the flagship for the London Public Library. This facility opened in August 2002.
The Eaton's-Teletech space was renamed Wellington Square (a homage to the original shopping centre) in May 2004. During a subsequent renovation, the remaining retail on the mall's Upper Level was relocated to the Lower-Ground Level. The 9-bay Galleria Cafe Food Court, which had been installed in the Upper Level in the late 1990s, was also moved to the Ground Level. Shopping concourses were given a face lift, a new Atrium Entrance built, and state-of-the-art video system installed.
On May 7, 2009, a 16.5 million dollar redevelopment and repositioning of GALLERIA LONDON was officially dedicated. A new name had also been bestowed. The mixed-use office, educational and retail facility would be known, henceforth, as CITI PLAZA.
In 2016, the Rainbow 6 theater was renovated and rebranded as the Imagine Cinemas Citi Plaza. Other contemporary tenants included Ardene ladies' wear, Fairweather ladies' wear, Dollarama, Goodlife Fitness, Galleria Tuck Shop variety store & Cafe, Arby's, Fox & Fiddle pub, College Boreal, IBM and Western Continuing Studies.
Sources:
Webb & Knapp (Canada) Limited Annual Report 1959
The Second Level movie megaplex was rebranded, as the Rainbow Cinemas Rainbow 6, in 2001. The vacant The Bay store was acquired by the City of London, who renovated the facility into the flagship for the London Public Library. This facility opened in August 2002.
The Eaton's-Teletech space was renamed Wellington Square (a homage to the original shopping centre) in May 2004. During a subsequent renovation, the remaining retail on the mall's Upper Level was relocated to the Lower-Ground Level. The 9-bay Galleria Cafe Food Court, which had been installed in the Upper Level in the late 1990s, was also moved to the Ground Level. Shopping concourses were given a face lift, a new Atrium Entrance built, and state-of-the-art video system installed.
On May 7, 2009, a 16.5 million dollar redevelopment and repositioning of GALLERIA LONDON was officially dedicated. A new name had also been bestowed. The mixed-use office, educational and retail facility would be known, henceforth, as CITI PLAZA.
In 2016, the Rainbow 6 theater was renovated and rebranded as the Imagine Cinemas Citi Plaza. Other contemporary tenants included Ardene ladies' wear, Fairweather ladies' wear, Dollarama, Goodlife Fitness, Galleria Tuck Shop variety store & Cafe, Arby's, Fox & Fiddle pub, College Boreal, IBM and Western Continuing Studies.
Sources:
Webb & Knapp (Canada) Limited Annual Report 1959
Webb & Knapp (Canada) Limited Annual Report 1960
https://digital.library.mcgill.ca (McGill University Library Digital Archive / Canadian Corporate Reports)
http://www.london.ca
Canadian Architecture Archives, Libraries & Cultural Resources, University of Calgary
http://www.gallerialondon.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
http://www.citiplazalondon.com
http://movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
http://reurbanist.com / Reurbanist / "The Transformation of Galleria London"
Canadian Architecture Archives, Libraries & Cultural Resources, University of Calgary
http://www.gallerialondon.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
http://www.citiplazalondon.com
http://movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
http://reurbanist.com / Reurbanist / "The Transformation of Galleria London"
