ORIZON CONDOS BEGIN TO TAKE SHAPE
There is not much left of the heavy industrial presence along Bates Rd. at the north end of Town of Mount Royal, just above the railroad tracks that run parallel to Jean Talon St. W.
Once known as a few square blocks of factories, warehouses and industrial services, the street has taken on a new vocation and tony veneer, as Montreal’s love for condo living hit this stretch of road that lies at the junction of Côtedes-Neiges, Outremont and T.M.R.
“It’s also about 30 to 40 feet higher than Jean Talon St.,” said Pat Carbone, president of Développements Carbocan, which is building the new Espace Condo Orizon project. That means the seven-storey tower will stand high above Bates, he added, its 89 units offering stunning views to the north that will never be obstructed, and mountain vistas for buyers of corner units. Foundations are now being poured on the 27,000-square-foot Orizon site, halfway between Wilderton and de Vimy Aves.
It’s Carbone’s third project in the area, the 240 Bates Lofts and the 2285 Ekers building a block south putting the Espace Condos imprint on the neighbourhood, much like his company has in the city, building some 4,000 homes since 1982.
Built in two phases, Orizon’s first phase is 65 per cent sold, the second half to be put on sale next month. Phase 1 will have fewer units than its counterpart, as it will hold the entrance, services, elevators and gym. Phase 2 will be built alongside before the building is opened up on completion. Phase 1 will be delivered in October 2017, followed by the second phase the following spring.
There are 15 units per floor on the first five storeys, then eight condos on each of the upper levels. Units range in size from 600 to 1,400 square feet, with many clients combining smaller apartments for 2,200- or 2,500-square-foot threebedroom
homes, Carbone said. “Most want two baths, some want one bedroom with a den, maybe a little nook for an office or sitting area. But most of our designs and finishing, people like them the way they are.”
High painted concrete ceilings, abundant windows, large private balconies, and a big common rooftop terrace mean that Orizon homeowners will have a profound sense of their outdoor spaces. Inside, quality plumbing fixtures, flooring and contemporary thermoplastic cabinetry and other high-end features offer a refined sense of living and value, even at a modest price point. Each apartment features a wall-mounted split air-conditioning unit, while threebedroom and penthouse condos will be equipped with central air
conditioning.
The diversity of the offer is also reflected in the price, from $182,000 to $603,000 including taxes, indoor parking and storage locker. (Condo fees are set at 20 cents per square foot.) “We have the best prices around,” Carbone said. “Many of the other nearby projects are more expensive, but we are very well priced — very fair for this market.”
The remaining industrial buildings will be coming down soon, he said. “It’s all zoned to be residential. We brought a couple of hundreds of families to this neighbourhood and we’re changing the area profoundly.”
Indeed, Montrealers are increasingly attracted to this location — “a mere five-minute walk from the AMT Canora train station, which
gets you downtown in seven minutes.” There are also two métro stations nearby and a host of services, including some of the city’s most vibrant commercial district — plus, it’s adjacent to the new Université de Montréal campus.
Most of the interest comes locally, within a three-to-five-kilometre radius of the project, Carbone said. “It’s people from the area. We brought hundreds of families here and people know what’s happening on Bates.
“We also see a lot of interest from professionals — specifically the medical field — due to proximity to downtown, to hospitals and universities. But we are kind of a hidden gem; we’re not an obvious choice for people unfamiliar with the area, but we do get a fair amount of interest.”