A SINGULAR VISION
Revitalizing Vieux-Terrebonne, one restoration project at a time
It all started 25 years ago. Feeling sorry for the poor state of the residential buildings in his Vieux-Terrebonne neighbourhood, where he was born and still lives, Philippe Lemieux bought a house and restored it to its former beauty. Pleased with his success, he bought another and then another. What started as a hobby became a mission.
“I have a strong sense of belonging here and it’s only natural that I should want to improve my community, make it beautiful and safe for all residents,” Lemieux said. He now owns about 40 properties, all within a few streets of one another in the old district of Terrebonne. Nothing makes him happier than watching local residents and tourists walk those streets and praise his work, sometimes even taking pictures.
A pharmacist by profession, Lemieux has sold his businesses — pharmacies and medical clinics — to devote all his energy to his real estate passion. It is time consuming, because most of the houses have been converted into rental units. “I have an employee who is always on the road with a tool kit to repair this or that,” he said.
Each venture also requires a lot of time and effort. Regulations are strict when it comes to restoring or building in Vieux-Terrebonne, a historical district rich in architecture dating to the 18th and 19th centuries. All projects must be submitted to city planners and often are sent back for modifications. In the case of the home illustrated in this article, three revisions were required before the building permit was issued. Despite these constraints, the town does not offer any financial aid to the promoters.
But Lemieux says he doesn’t mind, arguing that revitalizing these homes is more fun than taking long vacations to travel and see the world. After a quarter century, he says hasn’t lost his enthusiasm for the projects, although his mission has evolved over the past 10 years. He’s moved from restoration to construction, since old buildings in need of mending are getting scarcer in the neighbourhood. His projects are now more contemporary, while still fitting in with the existing urban landscape. “If there is no link to the past, I am not interested.”
In 1922, a fire destroyed part of Vieux-Terrebonne, forcing more than a hundred families out of their homes and onto the street. Two-storey brick houses were built to replace the burned buildings, thus altering the area’s architectural landscape. It is this style that inspired Lemieux when building the duplex built in 2009 shown here. It may look modern, but it remains faithful to the architecture of the neighbourhood. It has many references to the past, from the cornices to the tall and narrow front doors.
The volume and the distance from the street have also been respected. Part of the facade is covered with Macksteel, a sheet metal that comes in a spool that can be tailored to any requirements. Here, it has been cut into rectangles that imitate stone and brick work. The warm bronze colour was also chosen to emphasize the resemblance to those materials. On the left, a row of large windows is framed by white embossed steel, which adds more texture to the facade. The duplex is part of three buildings that are all joined with the same design.
Lemieux requires architects and contractors for his projects, but the interior design is all his own. It is resolutely modern and functional. With 1,400 square feet, this apartment is composed of two bedrooms, a bathroom and a big open area — which comprises a kitchen, dining-room and living room. To suit all tenants, Lemieux has opted for neutral colours in the rooms. The floors are made of pale cherry wood, which he bought directly from a sawmill in the Gaspé.
The kitchen cabinets are made of polyester and the counters are covered with quartz granite. Different types of lighting fixtures — tiny spots set in the ceiling, hanging lamps over the counter and a square chandelier over the dining table — provide subtle decorative elements.
The bathroom is spacious with a glassed-in shower stall, rectangular bathtub and plenty of storage space around the basin. Again, the colours are subdued, with beige ceramic tiles and white walls, making the dark cabinets stand out. Like in the living-room, floor-to-ceiling windows occupy one wall of the master bedroom. They are equipped with venetian blinds and a sheer curtain for intimacy, yet plenty of luminosity comes through.
Facing southwest, brightness is the hallmark of this place. So much so that when asked what he likes most about his apartment, Serge Cloutier, the current tenant, has only one word: light. “The light coming from those big windows is just amazing. It feels like being outside, yet protected.” Because of the abundance of sunlight, he hardly needs any heating in winter, though air conditioning is a necessity in summer. The house is also equipped with an air exchanger. Cloutier has only praise for his residence. “It is big and very well laid out, perfect for entertaining. There is no loss of space anywhere.”
Another feature that delights this happy tenant is the peace and quiet of the place. The building is so well soundproofed that no noise escapes from the other two apartments, he says. When the windows are closed, there is total silence inside. And because the building is on a one-way street, the bustle of the outside world is kept to a minimum with the windows open.
And the tenants have access to a roof with a spectacular view of the old town and the Mille-Îles river.