The Quebec firm Demonfort is undertaking a new condo project by rehabilitating a heritage building located on avenue Querbes in Outremont. The key: high-end apartments at the heart of an unprecedented concept in one of Montreal’s most renowned neighborhoods. Presentation.
Posted at 12:00 p.m.
Florent Moser, co-founder of Demonfort, grew up a stone’s throw from La Chapelle. “I learned to ride a bike in the courtyard of the building and it’s also here that my children started to do so. It’s my life, it’s my world,” he says.
So when the Clercs de Saint-Viateur considered selling the building, this entrepreneur-developer and his partners, David Lafrance and Ali Lakhdari, also from the neighborhood, decided to present a major project. Three years later, Demonfort arrived at the top of the list among other promoters and was therefore able to acquire this ancestral place and obtain permits from the City, with the aim of creating 78 condos, currently for sale.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The showroom lounge
From history comes a vision
Demonfort specializes in transforming heritage buildings into condos. Florent Moser explains that it is important to fully understand the history of each of them. This is what allowed the company to shape the La Chapelle project, with the help of architect and historian Mario Brodeur and the firm ACDF architecture, in order to give it a more interesting angle.
“At the time, the clerks had their front door rue Saint-Viateur and not rue Querbes; it created a whole different dynamic. We therefore wanted to reorient the project on Querbes to give much more depth to the chapel which really takes shape with its classic form. It was also determined that the main entrance would pass through this chapel, then that it would be set with two symmetrical buildings. »
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3D IMAGE PROVIDED BY DEMONFORT
The chapel will include a loungea coffee corner, a shared workspace, a library, a conference room and a reception room with kitchenette.
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3D IMAGE PROVIDED BY DEMONFORT
Another view of the chapel
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A luxurious and timeless living environment
Moreover, as the chapel is very remote from the street, a small square will be integrated into the front yard, where residents can quietly wait for their transport. In addition to its practical side, this inviting space will highlight the old church.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The fittings of the condos will be made with noble materials, like this example of a kitchen.
The vast condos (from 1184 sq.2 at 3000 ft2) of the new wing will have two, three or four bedrooms. According to Mr. Moser, they will mainly attract couples who wish to settle here for a long time after having sold their house, because their adult children have left the nest.
I believe that is also what distinguishes this project, which is probably the last of such a scale in such a strategic location in Outremont, since it is located near Saint-Viateur Park, the Outremont Theater , restaurants and elegant shops in the neighborhood.
Florent Moser, co-founder of Demonfort
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The majestic cathedral ceiling of the chapel will be preserved.
Located opposite the contemporary wing, an old building known as La Bastille since the time of its construction in 1894 will be preserved and equipped with six new condos benefiting from a central elevator leading directly to each accommodation. “The ceilings are at least 12 feet high and the spaces are worked on differently from an architectural point of view. Also preserved, the stone galleries surrounding the chapel will serve as circulation areas for guests.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
New buildings will be paired with renovated old buildings and the chapel will be magnified by a 2,500 sq. ft. landscaped courtyard.2.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The different spaces of the project are presented in the exhibition hall.
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Wellness inside and out
Another essential aspect for the developers: creating a coherent link between each of the 78 condos and their environment, by providing, for example, large balconies equipped with planters on the side of Saint-Viateur Street to enjoy the panorama of Mount Royal. Some will have an area of 400 sq.2 and will contribute to the superb appearance of the building by marrying complete angles. In addition, the apartments on the ground floor will enjoy pretty private courtyards. “There are also apartments that will have terraces on the roofs above La Bastille to benefit more from a view”, specifies Florent Moser.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
One of the future condo bathroom models
Both outside and inside, original noble materials, such as brick and natural stone, will mix with aluminium, glass and wood in order to form a balance between the eras. “We also ‘knitted’ common areas to make the experience even more pleasant, by providing a swimming pool, saunas and a training room. In the chapel you will find a loungea coffee corner, a shared workspace, a library, a conference room and a reception room with kitchenette,” explains the promoter.
Finally, spread over three underground levels, parking lots equipped with electric charging stations are planned.