There are few large private green spaces to which the public has access, hence the interest of the new interior courtyard of Place Gare Viger, which benefits guests of the Hyatt Centric hotel, apartment tenants, but also passers-by , workers and residents of Old Montreal.
“Before, it was a parking lot,” recalls Marie-Geneviève B-Pellant, development director of the Jesta Group, owner of the premises. We wanted to be part of the community and build connections with the neighborhood by creating a welcoming and safe place where everyone feels welcome. »
Place Gare Viger, officially inaugurated a few days ago, is described as “a mixed-use urban campus”. It comes to life around a historic building: the Château Viger, formerly a luxurious train station-hotel built between 1896 and 1897 by the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Its noble appearance with its towers is reminiscent of the Château Frontenac, we say when we learn that it is a design by the same architect, Bruce Price, to whom we also owe the Banff Springs Hotel. The latter was inspired by the style of the Loire castles with their pepperpot turrets.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Château Viger seen from Square Viger, a few steps from the CHUM
Offices, a hotel and apartments
The Château Viger building is entirely occupied by hundreds of employees of the Montreal technology company Lightspeed. In a tower adjacent to Château Viger (managed by Allied), we find the offices of Novartis Pharma and, soon, those of a video game company.
Opened almost a year ago, the Hyatt Centric hotel has its lobby and reception desk on rue Notre-Dame Est, very close to the main entrance to the interior courtyard. This is also where the tenants of the 321 apartments which are rented on a monthly basis enter, as well as the customers of the Cartier Arms restaurant. Please note: dogs are welcome.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
The Hyatt Centric hotel and the Place Gare Viger apartments
This is the first Hyatt Centric hotel in Canada, explains director of operations Kevin Gillepsie.
The concept is centered around a local lifestyle close to the community. Each employee is a concierge who can suggest Montreal’s well-kept secrets.
Kevin Gillepsie, Director of Operations, Hyatt Centric Hotel
We want guests to feel like Montrealers during their stay. “The idea of Hyatt Centric is to be in the heart of the action. »
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
The green interior courtyard of Place Gare Viger is 35,000 sq. ft.2. “The courtyard really brings the neighborhood together. People come to walk their dogs there,” notes Kevin Gillepsie, director of operations at the Hyatt Centric hotel. He poses here with Marie-Geneviève B-Pellant, development director of the Jesta Group.
At the table at the Cartier Arms
English-style, the hotel’s restaurant is operated by the Burgundy Lion Group (Bishop & Bagg, Wolf & Workman). “It’s not a hotel restaurant, but a neighborhood one,” says Marie-Geneviève B-Pellant. Good to know: the Cartier Arms is open seven days a week and for lunch.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
The Cartier Arms
Hotel guests and apartment tenants meet in common rooms to which the public also has access. It’s the same concept of “interchanges” and “mixed uses” at the RushCycle workout studio.
On the roof, at 14e floor, is the hotel swimming pool (open all year round like a spa) with a breathtaking view of the river, the city center and the new mural work by Françoise Sullivan. There is also a pop-up restaurant.
During our visit, an American couple – she from Florida, he from California – were admiring the river scenery. The goal of their first visit to Montreal? “Seeing the fall colors,” Debra Nardi replied. Her lover Steve Savoldelli and she had arrived the day before and they were already under the spell. “Will you adopt us?” “, joked the man who planned to visit the Museum of Fine Arts and enjoy Montreal’s gastronomy. ” What a beautiful city ! »
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PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
An American couple, Debra Nardi and Steve Savoldelli, enjoy the view.
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PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
The view from the other side of the roof terrace
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
One of 177 hotel rooms
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PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
The view of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge and the Molson Brewery from a studio for monthly rental
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PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
A mixed-use room
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PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Ordered expressly for the hotel, the wallpaper reproduces “Montréalities”.
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Mark the past
When the Jesta Group acquired the former Viger train station-hotel in 2012, the historic building needed love after having served as offices for the City of Montreal. The Jesta Group was keen to keep traces of the past with small details, underlines Marie-Geneviève B-Pellant. In the inner courtyard, for example, you can see the railway tracks in exactly two places.
On the facade of the hotel, the Norman brick is typical of Old Montreal while the zinc covering is reminiscent of church bell towers. “The jewel is the castle, and numerous reflective surfaces highlight it,” adds Marie-Geneviève B-Pellant, citing the work of architects from the Provencher Roy firm.
The development director of the Jesta Group argues that Place Gare Viger will attract people to the east of Old Montreal. “We are becoming the gateway to the development of eastern Montreal with the arrival of the Quartier des Lumières and the Molson Brasserie. »
In a few years, rue Notre-Dame Est, a few steps away, will indeed be completely transformed. We will certainly have the opportunity to talk about it again.