Heavy construction equipment will be moved in later this year to begin work on a major, mixed-use, master-planned community aimed at breathing new life into a once-isolated, half kilometre of prime waterfront property along the St. Lawrence River in the heart of Montreal.
The Quartier Molson project will highlight the historic legacy of the neighbourhood and is designed to be a model of sustainable real estate development for the future. It will preserve the essence of the iconic former Molson brewery while integrating modern elements.
Dismantling of warehouses on the site began in November. Once the necessary permits have been secured, construction is expected to get underway.
Quebec-based Montoni Group and development capital fund Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ have been working with architecture firm Sid Lee on a vision for the property. They plan to build 5,000 residential units, a large public space of more than 150,000-square-feet and an economic hub, with courtyards for retail uses as well as gardens and tranquil spaces for residents and visitors.
The project is targeting both LEED and Zero-Carbon Building certification and plans to use advanced energy-efficiency technology, including an energy loop system currently under study.
Initial phases of the project will include development of the Voltigeurs Island area, which includes the Molson sign and its clock.
The social and affordable housing component will be part of the initial phase of construction. Eventually, the area will have a total of 27 separate buildings which, in addition to housing, will include a number of shops, restaurants, a hotel, office, civic centre and event venues.
Montoni president Dario Montoni said the overall plan is the outcome of several years of hard work with Fonds immobilier and the architect, with active co-operation from the City of Montréal.
“Our intent is to capture the soul and history of this unique place and to create a sustainable, vibrant, genuine mixed-use neighbourhood,” he said.
The developers say the area, between Atateken and Papineau streets near the Ville-Marie Highway in Montreal’s Ville-Marie borough, will be a “model of sustainable real estate development.”
The space will comprise a vast public park with commanding views of the water and the emblematic features of the former brewery, and residential units that will accommodate all types of households, including social, affordable and family housing, with an emphasis on walkability.
The Quartier Molson’s network of public green spaces will be landscaped to create a connection with the St. Lawrence. Sohmer Park, a public space, will offer views of the river, Île Sainte-Hélène and the nearby Jacques Cartier Bridge.
The neighbourhood will focus on reconnecting the site with the surrounding districts, creating green, accessible and urban corridors. A shoreline walk will harmonize the site’s connection to the river and extend the recreational and tourism attractions of the Old Port farther east.
A new Craig Linear Park will add a greenway adjacent to the Jacques Cartier Bridge deck, tempering the division that the bridge creates between the former industrial site and the Sainte-Marie neighbourhood.
The site will be dotted with courtyards planned for maximized sun exposure, having retail uses as well as gardens and tranquil spaces for rest and enjoyment of the residents and visitors.
Fonds immobilier president and CEO Martin Raymond, said the real estate investor believes with thousands of families expected to move to the area to live, the new neighbourhood will be a showcase.
“We feel privileged to be co-owners of this iconic site and to be actively contributing to its development, along with our partners.”
The complex will be near the Beaudry and Papineau métro station as well as cycling and pedestrian paths.
At one time, the area was an industrial hub and home to the first brewery opened by John Molson in 1786. The site has been vacant since the company moved its operations to Longueuil a few years ago.
To celebrate the historic heart and soul of the former brewery, emblematic features like the Molson tower, chimney stack, clock and lighted sign will be enhanced and retained as key neighbourhood landmarks.
Once completed, the venture will feature new visual openings toward the St. Lawrence River and Mount Royal.
The project has been designed to alleviate the impact of nearby rail tracks and residential units will have views of the water or the mountain. The heights and buildings themselves will be situated for maximum visual perspectives and sun exposure.
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