How to build a vibrant waterfront community on Nuns’ Island
Psst! Want to discover one of Montreal’s best-kept secrets? Welcome to Pointe-Nord, a walkable, eco-friendly urban environment loaded with charm. Located at the tip of Nuns’ Island just minutes from downtown, Pointe-Nord is unique and hip, with Instagram-worthy 270-degree water views.
An island within an island, Pointe-Nord is a vibrant mixed-use ’hood with access to forest, river, wooded and waterfront bike paths. Once Montreal’s new light-rail train station is in place, Pointe-Nord will be even more accessible, making it an affordable alternative for homebuyers at various stages of their lives — like folks moving out of Mile End or Old Montreal, who crave a bit more space.
With Pointe-Nord, Proment has created an architecturally diverse neighbourhood with a commanding skyline, which will soon showcase its latest luxury property, E vol oX, a sleek, 36-storey tower that promises to be a beacon in the community.
“Evolo X is different than anything we’ve built, and it made sense to make it the highest building in the area because it’s in the most exciting location —right on the tip of the island, with views in all directions,” said Ilan Gewurz, Proment’s senior vice president.
“We’re not just creating homes — we’re creating a community. Ten years ago, we talked about what would draw people to this area: access to the waterfront; walkability; and connectivity to charming stores and restaurants. The high quality of the buildings and their amenities was an obvious start, but we wanted to give our buyers everything: well-thought-out homes; cuttingedge green technology; parks and paths;cafés and bakeries at their doorstep. We’re creating an environment where people feel good. They walk down the streets of PointeNord and they feel like they belong here.”
Featuring 285 units rangingfrom 630 square feet and up, with prices starting at around $270,000 including garage and taxes, Evolo X will break ground this summer and begin delivering in early 2020. The state-of-the-art construction project has generated so much buzz that nearly 80 per cent of the condos have already been sold. However, one-bedroom units are still available for buyers wanting their chance to get into a show-stopping building at an affordable price.
First-time homebuyer Claudine Doucet will be one of those new residents, and she’s already decorating her one-bedroom-plus-den on the 18th floor in her mind.
“I’m a hair stylist and used to own a salon called Evolove; how’s that for destiny!” said Doucet, a single mother of two young adult children who knew about Evolo X early on, because one of her longtime clients happens to be Gewurz’s mother, Brenda.
“I’ve been hearing about Evolo X since its inception, because Brenda talked about it often,” Doucet recalled. “One day, my kids were talking about moving out and I had an epiphany. It wouldn’t be them moving out; it would be me.”
Doucet said Evolo X fit her ecofriendly lifestyle.
“I love that it’s a LEED-certified building, which speaks to my values,” she explained.“I meditate and do yoga, and from my new home I’ll see sky, mountain and water. I love that there’s an indoor and outdoor pool. I want a peaceful, active lifestyle that also lets me be part of something new and amazing.”
Sébastien Abou-Farhat, 24, who just moved into his seventh-floor two-bedroom condo in Proment’s recently completed 25-storey EvoloS building, can attest to the advantages of living in Pointe-Nord.
“I’ve lived on Nuns’ Island since 2003 with my parents; it was a great place to grow up, and I’m very attached to the area,” he said. “When my girlfriend, Laurence, and I talked about moving in together, I knew I wanted to buy into(the Evolo) development.”
The timing was perfect; the couple recently began new jobs and are ready to start their next chapter in a dynamic neighbourhood.
“We feel like we live in a microcity — we have a corner grocery store, great cafés, plus it’s incredibly young and lively here,” Abou-Farhat explained. “We feel like we’re living in a luxury hotel; the lobby and furnishings are really high-end. We also like the whirlpool, sauna and the pool. We’re very happy here.”
When Gewurz meets homeowners living in Pointe-Nord and hears how they enjoy walking to get a morning coffee or walking along the river, he’s thrilled.
“These are all the things that we dreamscaped in 2008; people are now feeding it back to us as they’re discovering it,” he said. “This neighbourhood has taken on a life of its own.”
For more information, visit evolox.ca.