New vision for the downtown welcomed by citizens

A crowd of citizens, residents and business came out to a public consultation evening organized on March 20 by the Town of Mount-Royal to see what the $17 million project would look like. The development aims to revitalize the downtown area.

According to preliminary plans, presented by architect Éric Girard, the new five-floor building will be put up at the intersection of Laird Boulevard, Canora Road and Cornwall Avenue.

The ground floor will accommodate commercial space and the first floor will be offices. The 25 housing units will be distributed on the three higher levels. An underground parking lot for 80 spots will be located below the building.

The developer hopes to break ground next June and finish construction in November 2008. The project will require an investment of between 17 to 19 million dollars on behalf of Mansour Investments. The firm’s owner, Robert Mansour, already has to his credit the completion of more than 400 condos, including several projects located in the Town of Mount-Royal, Westmount and Outremont.

To plan the project, Mansour Investments is basing itself on a study by Léger Marketing on the needs of residents regarding parking, services and housing. In addition, the municipality carried out studies in 2001 and 2006 among citizens and workers who frequent the downtown area.

The future building will use quality materials including brick, stone and glass, affixed to a resolutely modern design, with large windows. In order to integrate it into its immediate environment, comprised of lower buildings, the designers will propose a staircase structure, which aims at reducing the visual impact on the road.

The business offerings will also be enhanced. A bank, pharmacy and cleaner will be present. Mansour also wishes to add a medical clinic and a coffee bar. «We want citizens who frequent the downtown area to feel safe and are at ease to move there», said Girard.

The town’s engineering service completed the picture by examining the impact of the project on parking in the sector. It concludes that the addition of around 50 commercial parking spaces included in the project will make it possible to reduce the pressure on street parking in the area. During the week, at lunch hour, the occupancy rate from the 152 available places in the downtown area exceeds 97 percent.

«The standard measure for the downtown area of the Town of Mount-Royal should not be the Château de la gare», said Suzanne Geoffroy. “In addition, it would have to be made sure that new constructions are integrated into the historical framework already present.”

A concern relayed by former mayor Suzanne Caron, who felt the need to "preserve the suburban character by respecting the charming features of houses from an earlier time." She suggests visually separating the new building to give the impression of several small buildings instead of one large mass.

Robert L’Heureux, a businessman from the area, recalled that it is important to preserve a good commercial mix in the downtown area, "At the Château de la gare, there were several unhappy experiences and the business-related presence was important," he recalled.

Robert Mansour, who will live in the future building, indicated his concern regarding business and that he would take into account all the recommendations that the Urban Planning Consultative Committee will be able to make. The project must also still pass through various stages of the administrative process. The municipality must in particular adopt a preliminary draft regulation aimed at increasing the height and maximum number of floors authorized in the downtown area.

Translated by Michael Beigleman