Does the essence of a place have an effect on creation? This is what Judith Lussier believes, owner with his spouse Marie-Andrée Labbé of an exceptional apartment where they laid the foundations of the popular series STAT.
Six years ago, the couple left the Plateau Mont-Royal to move into this condominium located in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district, a few steps from the dynamic rue Ontario. With airs of loft without being completely one, the two-bedroom apartment with high ceilings saw the birth (or end) of three recent successes of Quebec television. It was in the office fitted out in the center of the space that Marie-Andrée Labbé, screenwriter, wrote the texts for the series Too (season 3), Without an appointment And STATthe new daily series from Radio-Canada which attracted more than 1 million viewers in its first season.
Journalist and author, Judith Lussier assists him with research and takes charge of communications with consultants, a full-time job, given the complexity of the program which takes place in a hospital setting. “We work side by side. We are like office colleagues! says Judith Lussier, while Marie-Andrée Labbé is in New York to recharge her batteries between two projects.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The 1910 ft apartment2 has a large open area, whose spaces are well defined.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The kitchen, renovated by the previous owner, has remained intact.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The bench seat gives the dining area a restaurant feel.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
It is in this office that Marie-Andrée Labbé and Judith Lussier develop the plots of the daily series STAT.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
On the third level, the reading corner is bathed by a skylight and decorated with a bookcase made by Judith Lussier.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
In the living room, a bed can be used for guests or for movie nights.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
From the third level, we have a view of the rest of the apartment and of the dog Sam who watches over her protection.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The living room has been separated from the entrance by a wooden trellis and a solid wall which accommodates the TV.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Vestige of the former owner, a bright floor that changes color!
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The bedrooms are hidden behind the boudoir, above the garage.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The bathroom, with sunken bath and walk-in shower
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The guest bedroom, fitted out to receive nephews and nieces, hides a secret corner for the children.
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PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
The master bedroom, small but enveloping
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Inspiration
With its high ceilings, its sleek style, its layout in levels and its skylight, the place (a former commercial space, possibly a convenience store) calls for inspiration. “In a library, there are reasons why the ceilings are high: the mind can navigate, there is space”, remarks Judith Lussier.
It is not a space that we inhabit, but it is a space that the spirit inhabits. We immediately felt it when we entered here.
Judith Lussier, co-owner
For her, it was also a “repair house”. So fresh out of a depression, the move was synonymous with a fresh start. “It’s a house that repaired me. And Marie, it’s a house that inspired her. We like to honor him. Every time she does a series, I have the posters framed because I think it’s nice to see what she’s done. »
When they arrived, the apartment had a very different style. Rented on Airbnb or for filming, it was more a place to party than write, with its colored LED lights, its concrete floor covered with epoxy, its disco ball and its luminous floor which evokes a pedestrian crossing (always present !). “It was very flashy Airbnb,” recalls Judith Lussier. You come to spend a weekend here and it’s funny. For us, for our energy, it’s not exactly what we wanted. ” Or STAT would have been completely different. “We would have written District ! “, she says, laughing.
But the configuration of the space, both original and well thought out, with a large open area bounded by landings, appealed to them.
To put it to their liking, they called on the designers of the Catherine Catherine studio. In addition to adding custom storage furniture and a bench seat, they have fitted out a vestibule that provides a transition between the outside and the inside and allows visitors to adjust their perceptions. From the outside, the building looks unremarkable with its brown brick facade aligned with the sidewalk, a contrast that has always appealed to owners.
Heart stroke
“I liked this aspect because I always considered that, in the neighborhood, we are newcomers, says Judith Lussier. The neighborhood is popular, we don’t feel like being “fresh shit” with our 2 million dollar façade. We like that it goes a little unnoticed, it does not clash. »
When we enter here, we have our space still very comfortable, but it is not flashy from the outside.
Judith Lussier, co-owner
Judith Lussier dreamed of this apartment for a year. When she discovered it, Marie-Andrée Labbé was not ready to move. A year later, noticing that it was still on the market, they visited it together and it was a crush.
“We really tripped here. We are happy with where we are going, but we still really like the house. We liked everything. We’ve been fine. Sam too, their little dog from Kosovo, who shares their life and their apartment which has no courtyard, but is advantageously located in front of a park.
If they chose to leave him, between writing two seasons of STAT, is that the open area is no longer suitable for the demanding writing of a daily series. “Marie works crazy hours. I undo the dishwasher, I bother her. It’s fun because it’s like a collaborative space and we work together, but we needed to separate the zones a little more. »
It is therefore in another place and in another district that the adventures of Manu, Isa, Philippe, Éric and the patients of the Saint-Vincent hospital will be put on paper. ” Create STAT, it’s an Olympic discipline, continues Judith Lussier. There, we settle down to do that for a while, we don’t know for how many years. We have fun, success, knock on wood. The public gives it back to us, it’s cool. »
The property in brief
Asking price: $730,000
Year built: 1919
Description: Undivided co-ownership loft-style apartment refurbished by Catherine Catherine’s designers. Located on the ground floor, it has two closed bedrooms, a large open area on three levels, an unfinished basement and a garage with a small workshop overlooking a snow-cleared alley in winter.
Living area: 1910 sq.ft.2
Municipal assessment of the building (for the two undivided co-ownership units in 2021): $901,300
Common costs: $2,077/year
Property tax (2023): $3289
School tax (2023): $371
Real estate broker: Olivier Mailloux-Bertrand, EXP Real estate agency