Building new life into the Triangle
Old, tired-looking industrial area in Snowdon will be transformed into ‘a new, very green (residential) development’
They call it the Triangle — a new residential development in the northwestern sector of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges/Nôtre-Dame-de-Grâce on the east side of Décarie Blvd. Bounded by de la Savanne to the north, Mountain Sights to the west, Jean Talon to the south and Victoria to the east, this lopsided-shaped wedge of 40 hectares of winding streets has, for decades, been inhabited by half-vacant office buildings, warehouses and a smattering of car dealerships.
But for the last two years, since the city launched an urban development plan to revitalize — and populate — the neglected sector, the area’s skyline has been slowly changing as building cranes and construction sites morph into a forest of modern steel and glass high-rise buildings.
Marvin Rotrand, city councillor for Snowdon, in which the Triangle is located, said the new neighbourhood will breathe life into an under-used section of town while offering seniors, single professionals, couples and families the opportunity to own a prime piece of real estate located close to the heart of the city.
“The whole look of the area will go from an old industrial, tired-looking area to a new very green development that will promote the use of public transit, walking, biking,” Rotrand said, “and give families and seniors the option of housing they could afford, and bring in new clientele for the upscale elements of the project.”
The area is also convenient, he said, because of its proximity to the Namur and de la Savanne métro stations, buses and major arterial routes such as the Décarie Expressway and Highway 40.
“The idea was to leverage the two métro stations nearby and telling people you are only 15 minutes from the heart of downtown, you are close to shopping, the airport and well located in centre of island.
“From the STM (Société de transport de Montréal) point of view, those two stations are under-utilized, so having more people around them is excellent urban planning,” Rotrand said.
Within easy access from the Triangle are a number of eclectic shopping areas, all of which are on bus lines such as the Nos. 17, 124 and 90.
The stretch of Décarie Blvd. between Vézina and de la Savanne Sts. has numerous commercial enterprises, including Decarie Square and the former Hippodrome de Montréal site which houses a Walmart, retail outlets and restaurants.
Victoria Ave. between Jean Talon and CÔte Ste. Catherine Rd. offers a multitude of small businesses, from optometrists and fruit stores to hair salons, as well as a major bank and grocery chain store in the Van Horne Shopping Centre.
The area also has public and private schools, religious institutions, community centres and is not far from two major hospitals.
To date, more than 1,000 housing units have been delivered, and between 3,700 and 4,200 more are expected to be completed by 2014.
Among these are more than half a dozen different projects, some with as many as six phases, each with its own interior and exterior design in a range of price points. Many are in the process of being built, while others have not yet broken ground.
Most offer one-, two- and three-bedroom units and penthouses, and some have a mix of condos, townhouses and split-levels. Each property offers its own menu of amenities that can include a rooftop terrace and a heated outdoor salt-water pool, to a fully equipped exercise room, private garden and on-site concierge.
As well, located slightly outside of the Triangle on Lebarre and Saxe Sts., are 93 of the projected 350 affordable and social housing units that must be included in the plans by private developers with more than 200 dwellings.
Rotrand said that when the construc- tion has been completed, the city will pump more than $30 million into finishing touches such as infrastructure and the beautification of the new neighbourhood.
While that includes pipes, roads and sidewalks, $9.1 million has been allotted for the development of public spaces —
“For those who want to avoid the long commute to work, this is a good option.”
Marvin Rotrand
$1.5 million of which has been awarded to the landscaping company Catalyse Urbaine for the construction of green spaces such as green pathways, a mini park and a public square.
“For those who want to avoid the long commute to work, this is a good option,” Rotrand said. “It’s an attractive message and it seems to be working because they cannot sell the units fast enough.”