Heritage designation for Museum District kills highrise development plan in Gatineau

In front of a room packed to the brim with members of the public, Gatineau city council passed a heritage designation for the city’s downtown Museum District late Tuesday night, and in so doing blocked the development of controversial highrise complex proposed for the area.

The 12-7 vote concluded months of uncertainty about the future of a historic neighbourhood near the Canadian Museum of History between Laurier and Victoria streets and Maisonneuve and Des Allumettières boulevards.

It followed nearly three hours of public statements of support for and opposition to the heritage designation, including one from Brigil president Gilles Desjardins who saw his dream development, Place des Peuples, fall apart with council’s subsequent vote.

The Ottawa- Gatineau developer wanted to build a 35- and 55-storey highrise complex on rue Laurier directly across from history museum — to the chagrin of some locals, and fervent approval from others.

The passage of the heritage designation means the megaproject will not be able to proceed as Brigil had envisioned.

The developer first presented its plan for the $400-million, mixeduse Places des Peuples towers in 2015. Desjardins envisioned condos, hotel rooms and commercial and public spaces comprising an “iconic project” designed to draw Gatinois and tourists to the downtown Museum District. Area residents and heritage advocates working to preserve the historic neighbourhood fiercely opposed the Place des Peuples development since its unveiling.

In May, Cédric Tessier, city councillor for the area, tabled a motion that initiated the official heritage designation process for a large swath of the Museum District, including the section of rue Laurier where Brigil was looking to build. Brigil came out in support of the designation provided it would be “innovative, modern, and flexible,” according to a statement published in May, and allow for the development of Place des Peuples and other new builds while protecting some of the neighbourhood’s valuable heritage elements.

If that couldn’t be granted, they asked that its perimeter exclude the planned site for Place des Peuples on rue Laurier. Neither of those wishes was granted.

While council adjusted the proposed heritage district’s boundaries Tuesday afternoon, it was decided that only two lots — at 61 rue Laurier and 115 rue Champlain — would be bumped outside its perimeter. Brigil planned to build Place des Peuples between 61 and 77 rue Laurier, which meant, according to Tessier, “it can’t go on” as proposed, as the other lots remain within the heritage district’s borders and will be subject to considerable protection.

Tessier said Brigil could still build something at 61 rue Laurier, but it would have to apply for a zoning change if the company wanted to go higher than three storeys on the single lot.

Asked last week if the company would develop Place des Peuples elsewhere in Gatineau if the heritage designation took the Museum District off the table, Yves Ducharme, special adviser for Brigil, posed a question in return. “Let’s say you’re in love with a guy named John. And I say, ‘You are able to be in love, but it’s not with John that you’re going to go out with, it’s Mark.’ What would be your answer? “The best location for investing $400 million is right in front of the museum,” he concluded.

Brigil estimated the project would generate $8 million in taxes for the city on an annual basis.