Cadillac Fairview has opened the doors to its new AAA class office space at 725 Granville Street and the first tenant - Sony Pictures Imageworks – has moved in. Part of the redevelopment of the former Eatons/Sears building 725 Granville offers four floors of office space above Nordstrom’s future Vancouver location. Each floor has 17-foot ceilings, slab to slab, and offers 73,000 square foot floor plates, a unique feature not currently available in the downtown core.

Sony Pictures Imageworks will occupy a whole level of office space on the 5th floor of the building.

Microsoft will join Sony at 725 Granville later this year when they move in to their offices on the 6th and 7th floors. Law firm Miller Thomson will take occupancy of 48,000 square feet of office space on the 4th floor in early 2017.

Pacific Centre and Richmond Centre opened their doors at 7am on Black Friday to cater for early morning shoppers on the hunt for pre Christmas bargains.Cadillac Fairview (operator of both Pacific Centre and Richmond Centre) introduced a special “Fits you” platform this year, focused not only on offering great deals and promotions from top retailers but also on providing customers with a personalized fashion experience through a number of fun initiatives including:

• One-on-one sessions with professional stylists.
• The CF SHOP! App to help customers get the fashion finds they’re looking for.
• Fashion advice from Canadian fashion journalist Patricia Gajo through the CF SHOP! App and the Pacific Centre and Richmond Centre Facebook pages.
• Contest rewarding one lucky shopper in each property with a $1,000 shopping experience with a professional stylist on Black Friday.
• SHOP! CARD giveaways and in-mall “fashion spotting” on Black Friday.

With consumer and media interest in the growing popularity of Black Friday in Vancouver high both Richmond Centre and Pacific Centre attracted journalists and reporters from a number of media outlets including CBC, CTV, OMNI, The Province, Sing Tao and Ming Pao.

The latest Green Space magazine from Business in Vancouver has a great article on Cadillac Fairview's geo-exchange retrofit project in downtown Vancouver. The project, in partnership with Vancouver-based Fēnix Energy, is to undertake Canada’s first geo-exchange retrofit of an occupied, mixed-use high-rise complex in a downtown core. The retrofit is taking place at Cadillac Fairview’s 777 Dunsmuir property in Vancouver, which includes a 19-storey office tower, as well as the Holt Renfrew and Sport Chek portion of Pacific Centre.

Read the full article here.

This week's Business in Vancouver features a story on Cadillac Fairview's geo-exchange retrofit 777 Dunsmuir, which includes an office tower, as well as the Holt Renfrew and Sport Chek portions of Pacific Centre.

The issue on newsstands now.

92 per cent of office space at Pacific Centre redevelopment now leased; Sony Pictures Imageworks joins Microsoft and Miller Thomson as tenants

Vancouver, BC, May 30, 2014 - The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. is pleased to announce that Sony Pictures Imageworks is the third major office tenant confirmed for Pacific Centre’s 725 Granville redevelopment project. Sony will lease the entire 5^th floor, which includes 71,500 square feet of office space. 725 Granville offers four levels of office space above Nordstrom’s future Canadian flagship location. With this announcement, 92 per cent of the space is now leased.

Sony Pictures Imageworks will move into the 5^th floor of 725 Granville Street in Spring 2015.  This announcement comes just weeks after confirmation that Microsoft will lease the 6^th and 7^th floors of the building. In January of this year, Cadillac Fairview announced law firm Miller Thomson will move into 48,000 square feet on the 4^th floor.

“We are pleased to welcome Sony Pictures Imageworks to 725 Granville,” says Tom Knoepfel, Senior Vice President & Portfolio Manager, Cadillac Fairview Western Canada. “725 Granville’s central location in the heart downtown, coupled with its unique large floor plate office spaces has attracted internationally recognized brands and global leaders in their respective industries. We look forward to them moving into 725 Granville Street starting in 2015.” 

The new office space is part of the redevelopment of the former Eatons/Sears building. The top four levels of the building are being converted to 290,000 square feet of AAA class office.  Each floor has 17-foot ceilings, slab to slab, and offers 72,500 square foot floor plates, a unique feature in the downtown core.

Nordstrom will have 230,000 square feet on three floors below the office space. A new 44,000 square foot multi-tenant retail space will be built on the lower mall level. Local and renowned architect, James K. M. Cheng, designed the project. As part of Cadillac Fairview’s commitment to sustainability, the project is targeting LEED Gold Certification under the LEED: Core & Shell Program.

Construction is well underway on the site. The office space is expected to open in early 2015. New retail stores on the lower level are expected to open in Spring 2015. Nordstrom is expected to open in Fall 2015.

Company to occupy two floors of AAA office space in Pacific Centre redevelopment Vancouver, BC, May 2, 2014 - The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. is pleased to announce Microsoft as the second office tenant confirmed for Pacific Centre’s 725 Granville redevelopment project. The company will lease 143,000 square feet on two of the four levels of office space above Nordstrom’s future Canadian flagship location.

“We are thrilled to welcome Microsoft to 725 Granville,” says Tom Knoepfel, Senior Vice President & Portfolio Manager, Cadillac Fairview Western Canada. “The organization will be well served by the building’s central location and amenities, and the large floor plates allow them to design a customized work environment for their Vancouver operations.”

The company will take occupancy of the entire 6^th and 7^th floors of 725 Granville in January 2016. This past January, Cadillac Fairview announced law firm Miller Thompson will move into 48,000 square feet on the 4^th floor in 2017.  Of the four levels of office space, 66% is now leased.

The new office space is part of the redevelopment of the former Eatons/Sears building. The top four levels of the building are being converted to 290,000 square feet of AAA class office.  Each floor has 17-foot ceilings, slab to slab, and offers 72,500 square foot floor plates, a unique feature in the downtown core.

Nordstrom will have 230,000 square feet on three floors below the office space. A new 44,000 square foot multi-tenant retail space will be built on the lower mall level. The project was designed by local and renowned architect, James K. M. Cheng. As part of Cadillac Fairview’s commitment to sustainability, the project is targeting LEED Gold Certification under the LEED: Core & Shell Program.

Construction is well underway on the site. The office space is expected to open in early 2015. New retail stores on the lower level are expected to open in Spring 2015. Nordstrom is expected to open in Fall 2015.

Vancouver Sun reporter Kim Pemberton looked into how retrofitting older office buildings with geo-exchange systems can reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The article explores how a first-of-its-kind retrofit will be done by Fenix Energy at Cadillac Fairview's 777 Dunsmuir building.

Read the whole story here.

Home-grown technology allows for first-ever geo-exchange installation in existing, occupied building at 777 Dunsmuir

Vancouver, BC; April 16, 2014 – The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. is today announcing a project in partnership with Vancouver-based Fēnix Energy to undertake Canada’s first geo-exchange retrofit of an occupied, mixed-use high-rise complex in a downtown core. The project will take place at Cadillac Fairview’s 777 Dunsmuir property in Vancouver, which includes a 19-storey office tower, as well as the Holt Renfrew and Sport Chek portion of Pacific Centre.

Fēnix Energy will complete the geo-exchange system installation within 777 Dunsmuir’s existing building footprint, drilling 30 boreholes 400 feet into the earth through the building’s underground parkade.

“Cadillac Fairview is always looking for ways to reduce its impact on the environment,” says Ultan Kampff, General Manager, Pacific Centre and HSBC Building. “We’re proud to be working witha local company that is innovating on a global scale. Together with Fēnix, we’re using home-grown technology to find sustainable solutions, increase our efficiency, and lower carbon emissions.”

By harvesting a building’s rejected heat and storing it underground until it is needed, geo-exchange offers a solution for reducing the energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with traditional heating and cooling. However, until now, geo-exchange systems have primarily been installed in new projects or projects where land is readily available adjacent to a building. Projects with small footprints in operating buildings, such as the one at 777 Dunsmuir, had remained elusive.

Fēnix Energy’s system enables the installation of vertical rather than horizontal piping underground. Fēnix has also designed a unique drilling system to facilitate boring in confined spaces such as parkades with low headroom. As a result of these innovations, the project will have minimal disruption on the surrounding area allowing the building to remain occupied.

“Globally, buildings consume around 40% of our total energy, a significant portion of which is for heating and cooling. So the potential to make a difference through geo-exchange is enormous,” says Edward Smith, Managing Director, Fēnix Energy. “Green is about efficiency and using the energy that’s already there. Geo-exchange does exactly that, and now we have the technology to tackle the large existing buildings which make up our dense downtown cores”

The project is the next step in Cadillac Fairview’s GREEN AT WORK™ program, through which the company looks for innovative ways to reduce its carbon footprint and minimize its impact on the environment. This includes energy conservation and efficiency, with the ultimate objective of net-zero emissions from buildings. The retrofit of Cadillac Fairview’s building is expected to reduce carbon emissions from heating energy by 85%, the equivalent of 900 tons of CO2 or taking 190 cars off the road.

Pacific Centre has made the top-10 list of “most-productive” shopping malls in North America, meaning they have among the highest sales per square foot on the continent. The 2013 list, compiled by Retail Insider, pegged Pacific Centre at No. 4, with $1,335 sales per square foot.

Check out the full article and list via The Province.

Malls across Canada will extend hours and offer promotions on November 29, 2013

Toronto, ON (November 4, 2013) – After kicking off the holiday season with a bang in 2012, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited is pleased to announce extended hours and that retail promotions will be expanded nationally on Black Friday, November 29, 2013.

A total of 21 properties from across the country will open early for shoppers: Toronto Eaton Centre at 6:00 a.m., 15 properties at 7:00 a.m., and five properties at 8:00 a.m. To kick-off the day, each property will give away $10 Cadillac Fairview SHOP! CARD® to the first 100 shoppers to arrive at Guest Services.

“Canadians want to experience Black Friday, whether it’s for the first time or as an alternative to shopping in the U.S.,” said Wendy Greenwood, Director of Marketing, Ontario Portfolio. “Shoppers’ expectations are constantly being raised and Cadillac Fairview properties provide the unique retail experience that Canadian shoppers are looking for. We are proud to have developed a platform to keep shoppers, and their holiday shopping dollars, in Canada.”

Traditionally Black Friday is held in the United States on the day following American Thanksgiving, and is largely regarded as the start of the holiday shopping season. In 2012, Cadillac Fairview was the first to offer Canadians a widespread Black Friday option, including extended hours, sales and promotions comparable to those traditionally found in the U.S. As a result of the 2012 Black Friday campaign, participating retailers at nine Cadillac Fairview properties in Ontario and Manitoba saw a significant increase of sales and traffic.

"Cadillac Fairview is once again raising the bar in the Canadian retail landscape,” said Agnès Ciccarelli, Director of Marketing, Eastern Canada Portfolio. “Our national Black Friday campaign will provide Canadian consumers with a first-class shopping experience, offering a large selection of sales and promotions from top-tier brands. Black Friday is the perfect day for our guests to kick-start their holiday shopping and maximize their budgets, while shopping for family, friends, and co-workers."

For a complete list of participating shopping centres and more information, please visit shops.ca.

BC · Pacific Centre, Vancouver o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Richmond Centre, Richmond o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Alberta · Chinook Centre, Calgary o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Market Mall, Calgary o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Manitoba · Polo Park, Winnipeg o Open 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Ontario · Fairview, Toronto o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Fairview Park, Kitchener o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Lime Ridge, Hamilton o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Markville, Markham o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Masonville Place, London o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Promenade, Thornhill o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Rideau Centre, Ottawa o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Sherway Gardens, Toronto o Open 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. · Shops at Don Mills, Toronto o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Toronto Eaton Centre, Toronto o Open 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. · TD Centre o Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Quebec · Carrefour Laval, Laval o Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Fairview Pointe Claire, Montréal o Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Promenades St-Bruno, Montréal o Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. · Galeries d’Anjou, Montréal o Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

New Brunswick · Champlain Place, Moncton o Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

About The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited

The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited is one of North America's largest developers, investors, owners and managers of commercial real estate. With a portfolio valued at more than $21 billion, Cadillac Fairview and its affiliates own and manage nearly 44 million square feet of leasable space at 76 properties across North America, including some of Canada's landmark developments, such as Toronto-Dominion Centre, Toronto Eaton Centre, Pacific Centre and Chinook Centre.

Cadillac Fairview is wholly-owned by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, which invests to secure the retirement income of 303,000 active and retired teachers in Ontario.

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® a registered trademark of The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited.

The renovation of the former Sears/Eaton's building in downtown Vancouver is a massive undertaking, and one that will significantly change the face of downtown. But what is happening to the 6.8 million tonnes of material that are being removed from the site? And what are the unique challenges when renovating a building of that size? Cadillac Fairview's Tom Knoepful answers those questions in this Globe & Mail Q&A.

Global, CityTV, and CTV all came out yesterday to see the white panel removed from the former Eaton's  / Sears building at Pacific Centre. Watch Global's coverage here.

Did you hear the sound of Vancouverites cheering in downtown this morning? It's probably because the last of the much-maligned white panels that covered the exterior of the Sears building at Pacific Centre was finally removed and taken away. The final panel (one of 473 that formerly covered the building) weighed in at 10,600 pounds and was removed in a joint operation between Cadillac Fairview, Ledcor, and Pacific Blasting & Demolition.

A full 91% of the materials (a total of 6.8 million kg) recovered from the demolition of the former Sears building are going to be repurposed or recycled. The white panels have found a new home at Langley Airport where they are being used in the construction of a roadway.

The redevelopment of Pacific Centre includes a flagship Nordstrom, 10-15 new retailers at Pacific Centre mall level, and 4 floors of large plate office space at 725 Granville. Expected opening is 2015.