According to a study commissioned by the city and obtained by La Presse, around 14,000 new housing units with space for 28,000 people will be built around the extension of the blue line of the Montreal Metro.
Posted at 5:00 am
According to the document, this corresponds to the current population of Magog, Boisbriand or Saint-Bruno that will end up in the sector within 30 years.
“Total, the demographic influx generated around Blue Line stations would theoretically generate the development of 15.4 million square feet, all uses combined,” according to a 2021-2022 “Development Potential Assessment” by BC2 and Groupe was created Altus. The equivalent of 10 times Place Ville Marie.
Because in addition to their homes (condos and apartments), these thousands of new residents will need new businesses and new services, the report underlines.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, LA PRESS ARCHIVE
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Municipal Council Éric Alan Caldwell, Honoré-Mercier Federal MP Pablo Rodriguez and Pointe-aux-Trembles Provincial MP Chantal Rouleau during the announcement of the extension of the blue line of the Montreal subway last March
Demand is said to justify the creation of three new supermarkets (at Pie-IX, Anjou and Langelier train stations), 500 new day-care places, two new CHSLDs, seven new medical clinics and an increase in cultural and sports facilities, the study obtained by access to information.
On the other hand, no or relatively few new offices because, due to telework, “the signals received from the market for the construction of new office buildings are not very favorable”.
“In order to be profitable, commercial sites must be located in locations with good accessibility and visibility conditions, the document states. In this sense, preference should be given to the Jean-Talon Street axis, as well as the sites near its main crossings (Pie-IX, Viau, Lacordaire, Langelier and Anjou). »
Urbanity redesigned
In response to the document, the mayor’s office followed suit. “We have the potential to develop up to 17,500 new residential units there for all portfolios in new green and inclusive living environments around subway stations,” assured press spokeswoman Marikym Gaudreault in writing. Like any housing development project, the sector will be subject to the 20-20-20 ordinance and urban planning will result in the creation of new affordability zones.
The mayor of Saint-Léonard, Michel Bissonnet, declined La Presse’s request for an interview. His district will house three of the five new stations on the line.
“The municipality is working with the Ville-centre to plan the revitalization of the Langelier sector. This sector currently consists of large car parks that do not serve the population well, especially because they are large heat islands, and is not very attractive,” he said in a written statement.
[Le] refurbishment [du secteur Langelier] will therefore have a very positive impact on the district and its population.
Michel Bissonnet, Mayor of Saint-Léonard, in a written statement
He also pointed out that the municipality had redesigned the urban planning of the Rue Jean-Talon Est.
After years of stagnation, the subway blue line extension project is now going well. The STM is in the process of selecting the consortium that will dig the six-kilometer tunnel while its subcontractor works to demolish the buildings that will make way for the train stations. The inauguration is planned for 2029.
Already green light
The document specifies that the development will not be homogeneous along the new section of the blue line.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
Signs appeared last fall to announce the holding off of construction sites for the new blue line infrastructure.
Experts expect that the 14,000 new households will mainly be located around the future station of Anjou (+4,500 households), Langelier (+3,500 households) and Pie-IX (+3,200 households).
These three future stations are located near shopping malls as well as huge parking lots that are promised to be redeveloped.
The district of Anjou recently gave the green light to two major residential projects: a 241-unit complex proposed by First Capital on Boulevard Louis-H.-La Fontaine, and a 19-storey three-building complex in the current Les Halles d ‘Anjou. However, this second project was withdrawn by the promoter Jadco, explained the mayor of Anjou, Luis Miranda, at the last municipal meeting.