On a recent visit to Square One Shopping Centre, in Mississauga, Ontario, we stopped by to check out the ongoing construction for the new Holt Renfrew outlet on the south side of the mall. Although Square One has been undergoing massive renovations and expansion over the last several years, which has resulted in new food courts, new store areas, and a large expansion on the north side (soon to host Quebec City-based department store La Maison Simons), it is the south side where some of the most anticipated construction is taking place.

Photo: theawesomeSC4sim, urbantoronto.com — *Photo: theawesomeSC4sim, urbantoronto.com*

*Holt Renfrew Square One Construction. Photo: Randy Selzer*

On the extreme southwest end of the mall, an approximate 120,000 square foot addition is being built to house a new Holt Renfrew location. Architects for this Square One Holt Renfrew expansion are Janson Goldstein LLP, who are based out of New York. You can see from the renderings and today’s construction photos, that there will be an interesting “scalloped” effect on the glass facade, a nice added touch in keeping with the luxury branding of Holts.

Square One Expansion. Photo: Randy Selzer — *Square One Expansion. Photo: Randy Selzer*

The new Holt Renfrew is expected to open in the spring of 2016, and will undoubtedly be a flagship for the luxury Canadian retailer, being part of its strategy to counter the entry of Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom, into the Canadian retail scene. Square One itself has been rebranding itself in a big way over the last several years, with luxury retailers gradually squeezing out many of the lower priced stores. The mall itself is looking pretty good these days – brighter, cleaner, and with many new additions. It’s pretty clear that Oxford Properties, the managers of Square One, have spent a lot of time and money doing all the recent renovations, and the results are a definite step towards an “upscale” shopping experience. The addition of Holt Renfrew will be another major addition to this upscale rebranding.

Glass Facade at Holt Renfrew Mississauga. Photo: Randy Selzer — *Glass Facade at Holt Renfrew Mississauga. Photo: Randy Selzer*

We will keep you posted with updates on the many changes taking place at Square One Shopping Centre. It’s such a central fact of life for those of us living in the city centre area of Mississauga. And for people who love shopping at Holt Renfrew, it looks like you will soon be able to get their Missoni teddy bears, and much more, at Square One.

Holt Renfrew at Square One Mississauga. Photo: Randy Selzer — *Holt Renfrew at Square One Mississauga. Photo: Randy Selzer*

As mentioned, Oxford Properties manages Square One, and they are overseeing the ongoing development. Municipal address for the mall is 100 City Centre Drive, Mississauga, ON. L5B 2C9.

Randy Selzer is an award-winning realtor with substantial experience serving customers in Mississauga and Oakville. When not busy selling houses, he enjoys writing about life in Mississauga. Randy can be reached at rselzer@sutton.com or 416-433-3556.

You can also read his blog here: http://randyselzer.wordpress.com

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: June 8, 2015