Sitara Shopping Centre (South Asian Mall) | Proposed | Scarborough

[Mace]

(Although McNicoll and Markham Road is in Scarborough.)

$60M South Asian-themed mall to be built in (Scarborough) (http://communities.canada.com/nationalpost/blogs/toronto/archive/2007/11/02/60m-south-asian-themed-mall-to-be-built-in-markham.aspx")

http://communities.canada.com/nationalpost/photos/toronto/images/139376/original.aspx

A Markham developer will next month begin building a $60-million South Asian-themed mall, in what will be the largest development of its kind in North America.

The Post's Radhika Chary reports:

“It will be like Gerrard Bazaar but on a much larger scale,” David Lam said. ‘‘For me, this is a prime location for South Asians. There are temples, mosques and other places of worship in the vicinity. Many houses are being bought by South Asians and their numbers are growing. I think there is a critical mass to make it work.’’

Mr. Lam, a seafood importer, had originally conceived a Chinese mall for the site, at McNicoll and Markham, but switched gears when the project did not take off and he saw a growing number of South Asians moving into the area. South Asians form a large portion of immigrants to Canada; emigration from India alone accounts for 12% of all immigrants to Canada.

Modelled along the lines of the Pacific Mall, the 240,000-square-feet Sitara (The Star) will house 500 retail shops, restaurants, food court, a huge banquet and convention centre, a two-storey atrium for pop concerts, several patios and a 1,000-car park facility.

“Look at the history of the Chinese community and the growth of retail stores catering to their needs. The same is happening with South Asians now. There are some projections that by 2017, one out of every six Canadians will be of South Asian origin. I believe this is just the beginning of the growth of South Asian market and maybe it is good start for me to be there,“ he said.

Mr. Lam said the GTA has no indoor shopping plaza of this scale geared to South Asian shopping needs. Until a few years ago, the sole one-stop shop for all things South Asian was the Gerrard India Bazaar, on Gerrard Street East.

Raja Mahendran, Sitara’s head of marketing and one of its sales agents, is also involved with an upcoming project targeting the same clientele called GTA Square on Middlefield and Finch.

“South Asians do not have indoor malls,’’ he said. ‘‘There are strip plazas, but they are small. GTA Square is also targeting south Asians but it is on a smaller scale [40,000 square feet] and has only shops. I think in future this [indoor malls] is going to be the trend.”

Sitara will claim part of the building currently housing Lam’s Tai Foong International Ltd. with construction expected to take two years.

Rendering of the Sitara Mall courtesy of developer David Lam

http://media.insidetoronto.com/images/ac/60/d0cacb6444e5808e71caa01de1e6.jpeg

[Mace]

Mall's website:

http://thesitara.com/

[Taller, Better]

I am really curious about this one and it could be quite interesting. I've never heard of a South Asian mall before.. are there others in North America?

[yyzhyd]

I am really curious about this one and it could be quite interesting. I've never heard of a South Asian mall before.. are there others in North America?

One could say the NYC tri-state area is one big South Asian mall. :lol:

[Taller, Better]

LOL! My only small concern is I would hate to see it suck the life out of Gerrard East.. but I doubt if that would happen. People still love an outdoor bazaar... except possibly in the winter...

[Skybean]

Sounds good... but it looks very small. I'd be interesting in visiting the place.

[yyzhyd]

LOL! My only small concern is I would hate to see it suck the life out of Gerrard East.. but I doubt if that would happen. People still love an outdoor bazaar... except possibly in the winter...

Toronto has enough South Asians to easily support the Sitara Mall and Gerrard St.
In fact there are several vibrant centres of "Indian Bazaars" in Mississauga, Brampton, Etobicoke and Scarborough, that complement the main Gerrard India Bazaar.

[Mace]

I am really curious about this one and it could be quite interesting. I've never heard of a South Asian mall before.. are there others in North America?

There's also GTA Square - the first enclosed South Asian shopping center in Canada. In Middlefield-Finch.

http://www.gtasquare.ca/

[Epi]

As long as it's nothing like that 'great china tower' or whatever it's called mall across the street from Pacific mall that will be good. That mall (called 'tower' in the name lol!) is probably the worst mall I've ever been in.

Pacific mall is pretty ugly too, but at least it has character as far as it goes.

[Lawcheehung]

Sounds good... but it looks very small. I'd be interesting in visiting the place.

that's EXACTLY what I thought as well...:nuts:

[walli]

I think this is a great idea, and I'm VERY happy that for the first time, the term Asians is not being confused with just orientals. Being only 1.5 Billion between India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangaldesh, the brown folks are not such a small minority within Asia to be left out of the term 'Asians' !!

[401_King]

LOL! My only small concern is I would hate to see it suck the life out of Gerrard East..

compared to what it was in the 90s, gerrard st east has already died

[noob(but not really)]

^^Far from it.

[401_King]

far from what

[Waterloo_Guy]

Looks small to me too.

[*UofT*]

compared to what it was in the 90s, gerrard st east has already died

That's news to me, Infact my favourite resteraunt there is going through a massive expansion.

I don't know though if South Asian youths would frequent these indoor malls. I'd rather be at Yorkdale:lol: and I don't picture myself going to them unless it was to pick some halal food. The reason Pacific Mall is visited so often is probably because of all the novely stores in electronics and car accessories you find there. What are you going to find in these South Asian malls? Bollywood Cd's and Saree's?. They are probably better off in building an upto date south asian famous players there. Now that I could see doing well especially amongst the female South Asians. No matter how many years you spend in Canada or how many words of Urdu and Hindi you could speak, the ladies love Bollywood!!

[401_King]

gerrard st used to be the place for indian stuff. in the early 90s that area was so busy, it was legendary among us south asians. but now, its dead compared to its prime, in the past 10 years its really moved out to west toronto in places like:

airport rd, brampton, albion rd. no one i know ever goes to gerrard anymore. i do, cause i live dowtown and its the closest indian hangout spot, but my friends up in brampton and etobicoke just stay there for indian stuff instead of making the trek.

gerrard st still has activity and its doing fine but its lost a lot of what it used to be. too bad.

i think the mall will be successful.

[leaf345]

I don't know if I would call it dead, but Gerard has seen better days. Maybe its just nostalgia, but I remember it being more crowed when I was younger. Nowadays there doesn't seem to be as much street traffic and many of the restaurants seem relatively empty. Actually, theres one particular restaurant (Lahore Tikka House I think) that seems to be hyper popular, and is probably sucking business from its neighbours. I'm not a big fan of any of the restaurants though, as the quality of food is far better in some of the newer indian restaurants opened in the suburbs. Oh well.

As for this development, bleh. Just a themed mall.

[InTheBeach]

gerrard st used to be the place for indian stuff. in the early 90s that area was so busy, it was legendary among us south asians. but now, its dead compared to its prime, in the past 10 years its really moved out to west toronto in places like:

airport rd, brampton, albion rd. no one i know ever goes to gerrard anymore. i do, cause i live dowtown and its the closest indian hangout spot, but my friends up in brampton and etobicoke just stay there for indian stuff instead of making the trek.

gerrard st still has activity and its doing fine but its lost a lot of what it used to be. too bad.

i think the mall will be successful.

From what I am told, it was even better in the 70's.

[noob(but not really)]

far from what

dead

[401_King]

oh. in comparison to what it was, its dead.

[noob(but not really)]

Maybe you just don't go down there anymore, as you're on the 401 all the time.

[401_King]

i go there every 2 weeks for bbqed corn, actually.

[Mollywood]

oh. in comparison to what it was, its dead.

But it has a much more authentic vibe than any cheap, tacky mall will ever have. (Just like Chinatown) I'd take The Gerrard Indian Bazar any day.

[cruzin4u]

I don't know though if South Asian youths would frequent these indoor malls. I'd rather be at Yorkdale:lol: and I don't picture myself going to them unless it was to pick some halal food. The reason Pacific Mall is visited so often is probably because of all the novely stores in electronics and car accessories you find there. What are you going to find in these South Asian malls? Bollywood Cd's and Saree's?. They are probably better off in building an upto date south asian famous players there. Now that I could see doing well especially amongst the female South Asians. No matter how many years you spend in Canada or how many words of Urdu and Hindi you could speak, the ladies love Bollywood!!

That is a good point. My best friend is East Indian and I don't think he would step inside such a mall either, other than to buy food products, which are readily found at many South Asian stores located throughout the city.

I too am curious to know what you will find at such a mall, esp. with the proposed 500 stores. Honestly, it just sounds like a big flea market, much like Dr. Fleas.

My best friend's father told me that you would never see such a mall in Toronto because, unlike the Chinese, South Asians (East Indians, Pakistani's etc..) do not help one another. I guess he was wrong.

[yyzhyd]

My best friend's father told me that you would never see such a mall in Toronto because, unlike the Chinese, South Asians (East Indians, Pakistani's etc..) do not help one another. I guess he was wrong.

I highly doubt your friend's father is some authority on South Asians, even if he happens to be one. I wouldn't have taken his opinion as anything more than just a narrow viewpoint and generalization of a group.

[planner2008]

Yes GTA square is first indoor mall however it will take a quite a long time to be a successful one, as most of units were bought as an investment property than to run a business.
If you’re planning to invest on indoor mall property please do spend some time on research about mortgage, closing cost and things has to be done after interim closing. (Buying commercial property works differently than buying a house)

[Taller, Better]

oh. in comparison to what it was, its dead.

Hey 401_King, what ever happened to you? We never hear from you anymore...:(

[CrazyCanuck]

Welcome to the forum Planner2008.

[401_King]

Hey 401_King, what ever happened to you? We never hear from you anymore...:(

im back thanks to you haha!

for a couple of months there i was debating wether to PM caltrane on SSP to get u to fix this on here, but then i saw that msg and i'm like ok ill do it.
ha