Montreal is selling a second piece of land on the site of the old racetrack, in Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, which it wants to transform into an “eco-district” with 6,000 new dwellings. After a first project claiming to be “100%” devoted to affordable housing, this second initiative will have to reserve 60% of the units there.
Posted at 2:20 p.m.
“These two projects mark the beginning of the redevelopment of this important sector and embody our vision for the green and inclusive redevelopment of our metropolis,” Benoit Dorais, vice-president of the executive committee and responsible for housing, said Monday in a statement. statement.
In August, Mr. Dorais announced that a first call for projects would be launched within a few weeks in order to provide this vast land, near the Namur metro station, with approximately 200 social and affordable housing units by 2025, i.e. all the units that are planned to be built there, right in the center of the premises. The call was launched on September 28; it first prioritizes non-profit housing organizations.
This second project, however, will be a little different. Located at the corner of rue Jean-Talon and avenue Clanranald, it will only have to integrate “60% affordable units over a period of at least 30 years”. And above all, it can be managed by a private developer, said the City, stressing that the land will be “transferred to the best proposal”. However, the number of housing units projected has not been specified.
“The more ambitious goals you have and can demonstrate that you are going to meet them, the more points you have. And the more chances there are of winning the public call,” said Mr. Dorais in August, addressing future players interested in acquiring land. “We really want to come together with the best projects,” he insisted.
From 8000 to 6000
The “Namur-Hippodrome” project, seen as a future carbon-neutral “eco-district” that would give pride of place to active and public transport as well as greening, was initially to accommodate more than 8,000 housing units. This target has however been revised downwards by the City, around 6000. Mayor Valérie Plante has often described the project as “anti-Royalmount”.
By selling its own land to ensure their real estate development, Montreal says it wants to “test new land allocation models”.
The future of the site of the old racetrack has been the subject of debate for decades in Montreal. No horse has raced there since 2009. The buildings of the racecourse were demolished in 2018. Over time, three municipal administrations have succeeded one another: from Gérald Tremblay to Valérie Plante via Denis Coderre, none has yet materialized project.
As early as 2019, the City of Montreal, to which Quebec sold the land of the former racecourse in 2017, had unveiled its vision of the large Namur-Hippodrome sector of 95 hectares in total. Valérie Plante and her team dream of making it a carbon-neutral district that would accommodate more than 12,000 housing units, including 6,000 only on the former Blue Bonnets site.
A development master plan is still being developed for the entire sector, and should see the light of day in 2024. The first housing units should be delivered by 2025.