New Shoppers Drug Mart and RBC Development Improve Corner
by Scott A. Sumner
www.thunderbaybusiness.ca
A familiar corner of Thunder Bay has undertaken a vast improvement with a new retail development that is nearing completion.The Tom Jones Corporation have been working on two new buildings that will house a Shoppers Drug Mart and the newest RBC branch in Thunder Bay.
“ We were awarded the job in the spring and completed our base contract for Shoppers Drug Mart at the end of July. The first week in September we will hand the RBC shell over. Tom Jones will continue on with the fit up of the RBC into the fall and they will have a fall opening then. Shoppers has a tenant fit up contractor on site right now doing their work,” said Parker Jones of Tom Jones Corporation. “ It was a compressed schedule. We started demolition on site in April and began construction in May. The corner looks great now with the new structures.”
The new Shoppers Drug Mart building is about 16,000 square feet in size and the RBC about 6000 square feet. The Tim Horton's is on the site as well and the existing Royal Bank will be converted for some future retail use. Both buildings will have a stucco facade finish with about 4 feet of masonry along the bottom.
“ The project went well. It was a good job. The developer was great to work with and both Shopper’s and the Royal Bank both have been good to work. It has been a successful project. The sub trades performed well and we were done in four and half months. It was a good project for everybody,” said Parker Jones. “ Shopper’s will be similar to the other new Shopper’s already in town including interior wise with their new standard. It is no different than the one at McIntyre we completed last year. RBC will be the newest branch in town.”
“ When you look at what you used to have there, two homes and an old carriage house that were taken down and some vacant property between the RBC and Tim Horton's you now you have a finished shopping centre. It is a major improvement for that corner. The developer had to assemble parcels of land, close down part of Secord Street that became part of the parking lot and incorporated into the designs. The project really looks good.” said Parker Jones.
Overall the local construction situation isn’t strong according to Parker Jones.
“ The commercial construction climate is generally pretty slow here now. There is some stuff we are hearing about coming up but this fall looks like it will be pretty quiet around here.”
