After the official acquisition of land in Lachine last year, the Village Urbain cohousing project is unveiling certain terms and starting prices for its units, for which reservations will open at the end of the month.
It should be remembered that cohousing consists of residential complexes where each household owns (or rents) affordable and minimalist private accommodation, while enjoying a range of managed and shared resources, for example collective rooms. Such a project, unprecedented in Montreal, has been carried out for several years by the non-profit organization Village Urbain, which is preparing to finally make it happen on the shores of Lachine.
Reservations for the acquisition of the units will open in the coming weeks, after the exposure of the purchase mechanism and the confirmation of the date of marketing during an online conference. Once the selection of aspiring cohabitants has been established, the first sod is scheduled for July, for a project that should be completed by the end of 2024.
The common areas, representing a total of 5,000 sq.2, have already been determined: we will thus find a collective kitchen, a laundry room, a games room, a workshop, a guest room, a large multipurpose room for meals or other activities, a quiet space for work or reading, as well as an area whose vocation will be determined by the future cohabitants. Half of the roofs could be converted into vegetable gardens and green spaces.
Sustainable affordability
No less than 58 apartments are planned as part of the project, namely 19 one-bedroom units, 23 with two bedrooms, 8 with three bedrooms and finally 8 with four bedrooms. The respective starting prices advertised for each type of accommodation are set at $338,027, $439,205, $548,431 and $647,309 (taxes included), with appliances and lockers.
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY SID LEE ARCHITECTURE
The 58 apartments of the cohousing project in Lachine will be put on the market shortly.
In addition, a quarter of the housing will be intended for rental. To keep rates below the market while inflation is causing construction costs to escalate, the NPO had to activate several mechanisms.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Estelle Le Roux Joky, co-founder of Village Urbain, photographed in June 2022 in front of the land acquired by the NPO for its cohousing project in Lachine
We are not magicians, but we sell the units at cost price, Village Urbain makes no profit on these sales, which allows them to be cheaper, for equal construction quality, than their equivalent in Lachine.
Estelle Le Roux Joky, co-founder and general manager of Village Urbain
“Also, we ask for a 5% deposit for booking accommodation, instead of the usual 20%”, underlines Estelle Le Roux Joky, who is delighted to be able to offer four-bedroom accommodation, which has become an extremely rare commodity in new buildings for that sector. Note that the accommodation will be slightly more cramped than average, and that a system of removable partitions has been planned by the architects, to divide or merge rooms.
The NPO also points out that affordability is not simply nested in the initial purchase price, but is also embodied in a sustainable dimension, over the years, thanks to the cohousing lifestyle, among other things.
Sharing equipment, cars, tools, exchanging services such as tutoring, babysitting, clothing for children means that many expenses associated with housing in general are less than in a lifestyle traditional.
Estelle Le Roux Joky, co-founder and general manager of Village Urbain
On the sidelines, economies of scale could be achieved through the possible grouping of mortgage applications, notarial fees, requests to municipal programs or the collectivization of everyday purchases (groceries, internet, etc.). Finally, the cohabitants will be called upon to get involved in the management of the premises, which should reduce the use of professionals for maintenance and, by extension, the condominium fees.
Future horizons are also considered, since a resale price limit will be imposed, and rent increases will be controlled. “Mechanisms are planned so that housing is as affordable as possible and above all that it remains so over time,” concludes the Director General.