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Height limit increased. Major new park planned just south of Bell Centre
From the Montreal Gazette:
Quartier des gares plans approved by Montreal executive committee
MONTREAL GAZETTE
More from Montreal Gazette
Published on: January 20, 2016 | Last Updated: January 20, 2016 6:12 PM EST
The city of Montreal’s executive committee announced on Wednesday that it has approved a development plan for the areas around Place Bonaventure and the Bell Centre.
The sector, dubbed the Quartier des gares because it includes métro stations and the Windsor and Central train stations, is bounded by René-Lévesque Blvd., Notre-Dame St., Robert-Bourassa Blvd. (formerly University St.) and Guy St.
Presented by the Ville-Marie borough in May, the plan was subject to a review by the Office de consultation publique de Montréal. The plan approved by the executive committee, which still has to go before city council, was modified to take into account the recommendations from the public consultation office.
One of the major changes is in the height of buildings allowed along St-Antoine St. A new category has been created that introduces a 170-metre height limit, up from 120 metres.
Tour des Canadiens 2 is one of the buildings slated to go up in that area and is currently planned for 37 floors and 120 metres.
The city says the new limit will allow for important projects to go ahead, while respecting a gradient between the southern and northern portions of the lots along St-Antoine.
This new height limit applies only to this particular zone and does not change the city’s guidelines that say no building can be taller than Mount Royal. That means no building can be taller than 232 metres above sea level. Currently, the city’s tallest building is 1000 de la Gauchetière at 205 metres.
The development plan proposed by the city also includes a large urban park, which will go from Guy and St-Antoine to St-Jacques and Jean-D’Estrées Sts.
The city says the park will be equivalent in size to the combined spaces of Dorchester Square and Place du Canada.
A dog park that was part of the initial plan will remain, as will the community gardens in the area.
There will also be three social housing projects, including the coopérative de la Montagne verte, which will be at the corner of de la Montagne and St-Jacques Sts.
Social housing will also be built along Notre-Dame St. and a third area will be reserved south of St-Antoine, not far from Lucien L’Allier métro station, for another eventual social housing project.
Avenue des Canadiens, in front of the Bell Centre, will become a pedestrian-only street under the plan.
Some of the work is to begin this year as de la Montagne and Drummond Sts., between the Bell Centre and René-Lévesque Blvd., will be revamped. De la Gauchetière will also see work done, which includes replacing the underground infrastructure, widening sidewalks, planting new trees and other work.
The Ville-Marie borough has set aside $44.5 million for the first phase of the work, which should be completed in 2018.
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