As soon as you open the front door, you feel like you’re on the bow of a ship. However, there is no rolling or pitching, everything is perfectly straight and in its place in this house in Montreal North. The impression comes from the naughtiness of the view, which opens wide onto the Rivière des Prairies.
This reflection alluding to the sensation of being on a boat, Mariano Costa has often heard it from his visitors. He still enjoys it, even though he has lived here for 45 years. He admits that living there is almost like being on vacation all year round. The river offers a spectacle that we never tire of. “It’s beautiful all the time, during the day, in the evening, even when it rains,” he sums up.
Mr. Costa was 12 years old in 1979 when his parents left Italy to settle in Quebec with their three children. For the climate, the change of scenery was total, but for the view, the transition was less drastic. The family moved from a waterfront house at the tip of the Italian boot to this property on Boulevard Gouin, where they quickly took root. “Unlike most people, I never moved,” says the man who finished growing up in this house, took it over when his father died, lived there with his mother, and raised his children there. own children.
Californian style
Built in 1966, the single-story home is California-inspired and its luxury is real without being flashy. Moreover, you can pass in front of the property without really noticing it, because its facade is far from the street. Its great assets are on the west side, as well as the north which overlooks the water. The property therefore benefits from the best sunshine of the day and the sunsets.
The living rooms and the master bedroom are bright. This is due to the generous windows overlooking the water, but also to the major renovations that Mr. Costa had done a dozen years ago. Like many mid-century houses, this one had rather dark wooden beams and ceilings of different heights, and the kitchen was partitioned. “It was a little dark,” says the owner. It was ranch style, there was even a barbecue in the kitchen. I wanted to bring it up to date. »
In terms of renovations, the house was “completely stripped”, illustrates Mr. Costa.
Among the work, we note electricity, plumbing, insulation, doors and windows, and even piling the foundations. Divisions have also been revised, to open up the space, give a new purpose to certain rooms or add storage.
For example, a bedroom has made room for a large type wardrobe. walk-in which conveniently adjoins the entrance hall. Coats, boots, backpacks and so on disappear as soon as they arrive. The generously sized master bedroom is flanked by a large wardrobe. walk-in and a full bathroom.
The original house had a type of “Florida room”, which was the link between the house part and the double garage, explains Mr. Costa. “There was even a fountain in the middle,” explains the man who decided to use this part to make rooms for his two boys. The basement has also been completely remodeled and has two bedrooms, a living room with fireplace, a full bathroom, storage and a separate exit. Mr. Costa’s mother had her personal space there before going to a retirement home.
The backyard has a terrace that allows you to enjoy beautiful days by the water. When it’s a little cool, a hanging gas heater comes to the rescue to heat the surrounding air.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
View to the east. We can see the Highway 25 bridge, which lights up in the evening.
Climatic changes
Living in a waterfront home is a dream for many people, but what about the risk of flooding? In this case, in addition to the retaining wall that has always bordered the property, two pumps stand guard in the sump pit in the basement. Mr. Costa says the house has never suffered from flooding, even during the memorable floods of 2017 and 2019. The river is very wide there, and he noticed that it no longer freezes like it used to, as a result probably climate change.
“Before, what held back the water in the spring were the big blocks of ice, now the river runs more smoothly,” he says.
This house brought happiness to the Costa family, but it no longer meets current needs. Mr. Costa’s mother is no more, his two sons have left the nest, and he himself, a pharmacist by profession, is on the eve of retirement. The time has come to sell. Another waterfront awaits him, this time at Lac Saint-Jean.
Consult the property file
The property in brief
Asking price: $1,600,000
Municipal assessment: $1,299,000
Description: single-storey house with basement and panoramic view of the Rivière des Prairies. Located between two bridges (Pie-IX and the A25), which you cannot hear. With heated double garage.
Property tax: $9,417
School tax: $1021
Land area: 10,533 ft2 (979 m2)
Living area: 2361 ft2 (219 m2)
Broker: Marie-France Caouette, RE/MAX Action inc.