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le 6 novembre 2007 Frank Zampino, président du comité exécutif et responsable des finances à la Ville de Montréal, et Sammy Forcillo, conseiller du district Sainte-Marie–Saint-Jacques et membre du comité exécutif, annoncent la vente du marché Saint-Jacques pour la somme de 2 300 000 $. L’administration municipale avait lancé un appel de propositions à la suite de la décision de relocaliser les services municipaux qui occupaient cet immeuble hébergeant un marché public depuis plus de 75 ans. «Cette transaction amène le nouveau propriétaire à conserver la vocation de marché public en louant la partie extérieure de l’immeuble à la Ville jusqu’en 2022. Cette condition est assortie de cinq options de renouvellement d’une durée de cinq ans chacune, de manière à respecter l’entente intervenue avec la Corporation de gestion des marchés publics de Montréal qui exploite déjà cet espace», a commenté Franck Zampino. «De plus, le propriétaire est tenu de réserver le rez-de-chaussée du bâtiment à des commerces d’alimentation, ce qui permettra de relancer le développement commercial et économique du secteur», a-t-il argumenté. Retombées positives? Pour sa part, Sammy Forcillo a souligné que «la conservation et le renforcement de la vocation de marché alimentaire et public bénéficiera aux résidents du quartier qui profiteront de services d’approvisionnement additionnels. Le marché Saint-Jacques a marqué l’histoire de notre quartier et il fera encore la fierté de ses usagers, j’en suis certain ». Il s’est réjoui que la transaction vise également le maintien du caractère architectural du bâtiment construit en 1931. «Cet édifice de style art déco représente une valeur patrimoniale importante tant pour les résidents du quartier que pour l’ensemble de la population montréalaise», a conclu Sammy Forcillo.

Nom: 30 St-Jacques Hauteur (étages): 11 étages Hauteur (mètres): TBD Coût du projet: TBD Promoteur: Dev McGill Emplacement Début de construction: TBD Site internet: http://www.devmcgill.com/fr/30-st-jacques-place-d-armes Infos:Cette magnifique image panoramique de la Place d’Armes n’est pas un montage, c’est la réalité et vous pourriez un jour habiter tout juste à côté… Nous sommes fiers de vous annoncer que le promoteur DevMcGill et ses partenaires ont remporté un concours public de la Ville de Montréal leur permettant de donner vie à un nouveau projet de condominiums très attendu, le 30 St-Jacques. Situé sur l’un des très rares terrains vacants et développables du Vieux-Montréal, le 30 St-Jacques est voisin de la Place d’Armes, un secteur qui figure parmi les plus remarquables en Amérique du Nord grâce à son architecture. Environ 150 nouvelles résidences, dotées de commodités enviables, sont prévues sur ce site convoité depuis des années par de nombreux promoteurs. À un coin de rue de la station de Métro Place d’Armes et d’un accès à la ville souterraine de Montréal (RÉSO), les futurs résidents de cette copropriété pourront se rendre sans voiture et à l’abri des intempéries, à des milliers de commerces, services et entreprises. Il s’agit là d’un des rares développements de condominiums de Montréal à s’être vu accorder une note parfaite, soit de 100 %, sur le site Web indépendant « WalkScore.com ». Ce dernier compare l’arrondissement à un réel paradis pour le piéton.

Le jeudi 9 octobre 2014, en présence de la mairesse de la Ville de Longueuil, Madame Caroline St-Hilaire, de Madame France Dubé, conseillère à la Ville de Longueuil, de Monsieur Mathieu Duguay, président Société de gestion Cogir, de l’équipe de Jazz Longueuil, des cadres de Société de gestion Cogir et des résidents de Jazz Longueuil, se tenait la cérémonie de pelletée de terre protocolaire marquant le début de la construction de la tour II de la résidence privée pour aînés JAZZ Longueuil. Du même coup, la capsule temporelle contenant divers objets et souvenirs des résidents actuels de Jazz Longueuil a été scellée officiellement. Cette capsule sera installée dans la structure de béton de la tour II avec à son bord, à tout jamais, une petite partie de l'âme des résidents de la phase I. Résidence importante située au cœur de Longueuil, Jazz Longueuil s’agrandit pour accueillir une clientèle d’aînés autonomes de l’agglomération et ses environs. En plus d’offrir plus de 180 nouveaux logements au look contemporain, cette nouvelle résidence offrira des services à valeurs ajoutées à sa clientèle existante et future. Ce projet d’agrandissement, nécessitant un investissement de près de 30 millions de dollars, créera jusqu’à 26 nouveaux emplois. Située face à l’Hôpital Pierre-Boucher et à proximité de tous les services, la résidence Jazz Longueuil était louée à pleine capacité depuis quelques années. L’ajout de la tour II permettra d’offrir des opportunités de location à plusieurs aînés de la grande région qui désirent goûter à l’expérience Jazz. La construction de cette nouvelle tour sera réalisée entièrement par Société de gestion Cogir, l’un des plus importants gestionnaires d’immeubles au Québec. http://www.jazzlongueuil.ca ----

(Courtesy of The Montreal Gazette)

http://www.wintercities.com/ On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WinterCitiesInstitute Those who live and work in northern cities recognize the need for better planning and design. The sustainability of winter cities requires a creative approach that addresses the problems of snow and cold while enhancing the advantages, opportunities and beauty of the winter season. A positive approach benefits the attitudes of residents, and bolsters the community’s ability to attract new business and residents. The Winter Cities Institute was organized in 2008 to identify, promote and share the positive attributes of winter living, new concepts in architecture and urban design, and success stories from those places that are thriving in the north. The Institute was founded by Patrick Coleman, AICP, recognized for his work with the Livable Winter Cities Association (WCA). From 1982-2005, the WCA organized conferences, published books and the quarterly magazine “Winter Cities”. A totally volunteer staff made the WCA difficult to sustain and in the end it struggled with its mission. As Coleman incorporated winter enhancement strategies in his planning practice with multi-disciplinary design firms in Alaska and northern Michigan, he found enthusiastic reception to the idea of making winter a better time of year. “People are looking for answers to common winter problems and issues”, he said. “I experienced firsthand and heard from many the need for a source of information, networking and resources, and decided to launch the Institute as a web-based network and resource sharing project”. The Winter Cites Institute offers a place for those looking to improve the quality of life in wintertime and need information on what is being done in other northern places. Our members are from around the world and include: cities and towns architects planners engineers parks and recreation professionals economic development and tourism officials Welcome to the resources available on this site and consider joining the network to get even more benefits.

I've lived in Montreal almost 10 years, and I've come to the pretty clear conclusion that we have a huge litter problem in the city. I've decided to start a conversation and to try to do something about it, so I'm going to go ahead and gather some thoughts, and I invite anyone interested in the subject to pitch their ideas. Step 1. Admit there is a problem. It seems that this is one of the hardest steps for us to take. Try taking a walk down a couple of residential streets in the Plateau for example, or up Du Parc or Cote Des Neiges. Have someone from another city visit you. A couple of people from Latin America have said to me something like "people here are disgusting" while looking at all the litter in the street. I've pointed out how offensive this is by the way (it's common in some Hispanic cultures, including my own, to say things like this), and I don't think the same way, but it does highlight our litter problem. A friend who lives in New York thinks that Montreal doesn't "need" to be this dirty. Many arguments against the idea that Montreal is dirty are based on comparisons to other cities; "it's the same everywhere." Although I don't think this invalidates the point that Montreal streets are dirty, I'm also sure that it is not the same everywhere. You don't find this much litter in dense neighbourhoods of Chicago for example. Other arguments are about Winter, but then again, just take a walk today. It hasn't snowed in months. You may not notice the issue if you have lived here since childhood, but visitors do notice it, and people from outside of Canada are the most surprised. Step 2. Identify the direct causes of the problem. There are many causes of this problem. I'd like to identify the direct ones, even if they are not to be tackled directly. Let me explain what I mean; Instead of saying "there are not enough garbage cans" I will say "Many people don't wait to see a garbage can before they dispose of their garbage". It is important to understand direct causes because it allows us to break paradigms and think of the problem from different perspectives. Here is the list of direct causes I have noticed over the years (in no particular order): 1) Many pedestrians don't wait to see a garbage can before they dispose of their garbage. 2) Many drivers throw litter from their vehicles. 3) Many residents dispose their garbage outside without using proper garbage bags. 4) Many residents dispose their garbage outside during the wrong hours/days (see the next point). 5) Garbage bags are attacked by squirrels and other animals, as well as by people looking for cans to recycle. 6) Often garbage bins/cans overflow. 7) Garbage collection is often done without care, letting some of the litter fall off the bins and trucks. 8) Many people leave their litter behind in public parks and squares. 9) Sometimes wind blows garbage out of bins/cans. 10) Many smokers throw their cigarette butts on the ground. I'm going to pause here for now, but I'd like this conversation to go on and produce ideas and solutions. Feel free to give me your thoughts!

(Courtesy of Montreal Gazette)

http://www.smart-magazine.com/en/jan-gehl-architect-interview/ Jan_Gehl_Portrait The city whisperer Portrait 3 minutes read - Oliver Herwig on November 3rd, 2015 Jan Gehl champions something that few architects have mastered: cities for people. The Dane favors compact neighborhoods over grand master plans. The 79-year-old city planner values the wishes of residents over architecture. And his resounding success proves him right. Ssssshhhhhrrrrr. In the background, a cordless screwdriver buzzes away. Jan Gehl apologizes for the distraction; “Excuse me, they’re doing some work in the kitchen.” Life is quite busy for the professor emeritus and city planner. As a city planner, Gehl‘s detail orientation and screw-tightening skills come in handy wherever mayors or councilors realize that something needs to change. Over the past few years, they have been beating a path to his door: Gehl is considered a top global expert on humane cities. “I’m an idealist,” states the 79-year-old. “And the projects I’m working on are all about creating better environments for pedestrians and public life.” To Gehl, both of these are intrinsically linked – people should be able to experience their city on foot. He goes on to scoff that we know more about the perfect habitat for Siberian tigers than a good environment for people. His wife Ingrid and he started out studying life in the cities – and then traveled to Italy on a grant in 1965. In 1971, “Livet mellem husene,” life between buildings, was the first result of their studies between streets and squares – and turned out to be quite a flop. Yet Gehl labored on and continued to hone and develop his methods over the years, by then a professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Arts. Jan Gehl Brighton “My projects are all about creating better environments for pedestrians”. Photo: Gehl Architects Gehl’s foremost success is Copenhagen Today, his successes prove him right. And the standout example is Copenhagen – the city of Gehl’s alma mater, teaching career, and a company he co-founded. In a way, it serves as an open-air lab for his ideas: All the way back in 1965, the city – advised by Gehl – created Europe’s longest pedestrian zone, the Strøget. Copenhagen has become a template for the fundamental shift from post war car-centric cities to more pedestrian-friendly 21st century metropolises. “In order to reclaim a human dimension, city planners need to re-evaluate the many capacity-friendly ideas,” he states in the recently released “Cities for People”. This means: Our cities are filled with too many traffic lights, narrow sidewalks, and multi-lane highways that squeeze in pedestrians and force them to cross streets in a rush. According to Gehl, that’s not a given: “There is a good, pedestrian-friendly solution for any traffic planning issue.” And he adds that “it is high time to revisit our priorities.” To this end, Gehl has introduced a check list of small changes that – taken together – produce great results. He favors “polite reminders” (as in Copenhagen) over flashing traffic lights that “encourage hasty crossings” (as in New York City). Gloomy pedestrian underpasses (like the one near Zurich’s train station) should be replaced by sunlit “zebra crossings at street level.” Copenhagen stroget Jan Gehl Advised by Gehl, Copenhagen installed Europe’s longest pedestrian zone, the Strøget. Photo: Yadid Levy / Getty Images From New York City to Shanghai: a globally sought-after urban consultant Gehl knows cities better than most. Paraphrasing a well-known analogy, some people are good with horses and become horse whisperers, while others are good with people. The latter usually become doctors, nurses, or priests. As a city planner, Jan Gehl is a little bit of all. First and foremost, however, he is a self-professed “missionary.” He preaches human scale development and has been consulting for cities around the world for years, helping them to redesign entire neighborhoods to benefit their residents. The formula is simple: go to the city, observe, and listen. And then join together to effect change. A fun video on his website tells the story behind it all. It took the love of developmental psychologist Ingrid to open the builder’s eyes: Architecture should serve people. In this spirit, Jan Gehl draws on insights by sociologists and psychologists to turn ivory tower planning into bona fide collaborations. The Herald Square before Jan Gehl The Herald Square in New York City before … Photo: DOT The Herald Square after Jan Gehl … and after Gehl Architects. Photo: DOT Gehl’s top priority: the human scale His drive really picked up in 2000 when Gehl and Helle Søholt, a former student, joined forces to found the company Gehl Architects. Maybe, it’s all just a question of scale. Modernism delighted in completely redesigning metropolises or conjuring up abstract plans on the drawing board. Builders like Le Corbusier, who considered rented dwellings “housing units” or “living machines,” liked to subdivide cities by function. This is a kind of thinking Gehl would like to leave behind. The architect is less interested in models and buildings than in their residents. Over the years, Gehl came up with a range of basic principles that support and define thriving communities around the world. One of these rules might be not to build skyscrapers since six or more levels up residents lose touch with the street and feel removed from it all. Or: consider the ground floor. It shouldn’t be uniform or forbidding, but varied and full of surprises. MarDelPlata Jan Gehl Gehl’s formula is simple: … Photo: Municipality of Mar del Plata Mar Del Plata Jan Gehl … go to the city, observe, and listen. Photo: Municipality of Mar del Plata “Better city spaces, more city life“ Nowadays, Gehl provides coaching for cities like New York City, Shanghai, Singapore, St. Petersburg, or Almaty. And his insights sound so simple, matter of fact, and even trivial that it can be hard to fathom how our modern cities, divided by functions, could ever have forgotten these wisdoms. “Better city spaces, more city life,” one of his premises states. High quality spaces encourage leisure activities and interactions. “It’s so obvious, we have simply overlooked it.” P.S. The interview was conducted over an old telephone on the fifth floor of a building in the center of Munich. Sao Paulo Jan Gehl “Better city spaces, more city life.“ Phpto: Luis E. S. Brettas Header image: Sandra Henningsson / Rights Gehl Architects sent via Tapatalk

STATISTICS CANADA April 20, 2015 1:34 pm People in Vancouver and Toronto least satisfied with their lives: StatsCan Man under umbrella in Vancouver Vancouverites report being less satisfied with their lives than residents of other Canadian cities, according to Statistics Canada. Maybe it's the rain? Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press Residents of Vancouver and Toronto report being less satisfied with their lives than people in other Canadian metropolitan areas, according to a new study published by Statistics Canada. Researchers asked the residents of various census metropolitan areas to rank their overall life satisfaction on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 was “very dissatisfied” and 10 was “very satisfied.” In Vancouver, the average score was 7.808, followed closely by Toronto at 7.818. People living in Canada’s most-satisfied metropolitan area, Saguenay, gave an average score of 8.245 out of 10. The differences are larger when you look at the percentage of people who rate their life satisfaction as a 9 or 10 out of 10. In Sudbury, 44.9 per cent of residents ranked their overall life satisfaction that high. In Vancouver, it was only 33.6 per cent. When it comes to people who were comparatively unsatisfied with their lives – giving themselves a score of only 6 or less, there are again significant differences between cities. 17.1 per cent of people in Windsor, Toronto and Abbotsford-Mission ranked their life satisfaction at a 6 or less. Only 8.6 per cent of people in Saguenay gave themselves such a low score. To figure out what accounts for the differences, researchers tested various hypotheses. They found that people who are married or are in good health tend to rank their life satisfaction much higher than others. Unemployed people are more likely to have low satisfaction, and richer people higher satisfaction. However, the report states, these personal factors don’t seem to account entirely for the variation across metropolitan areas. The researchers note that smaller communities with a population of less than 250,000 tend to report higher average life satisfaction. Also, when sorted by city size, metropolitan areas in Quebec tend to be at the top of the list: Montrealers are the most satisfied among individuals in Canada’s big cities and most likely to report life satisfaction of 8 or higher, Sherbrooke and Quebec are at the top of the mid-size communities, and Saguenay and Trois-Rivières at the top of the smaller metropolitan areas, according to the study. Although the Statistics Canada researchers don’t definitively say why this is, they point to other research that suggests levels of trust and social connections in local communities have an effect on people’s life satisfaction, as does income relative to one’s neighbours and economic inequality. sent via Tapatalk

#12 - Montreal (Courtesy of GOOD) Read more The 50 cities they selected are quite interesting; #1 Hong Kong, #2 Johannesburg and #3 Mexico City.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/montreal/Number+Quebecers+leaving+province+rise/9360879/story.html BY MARIAN SCOTT, THE GAZETTE JANUARY 7, 2014 8:05 PM A total of 28,439 people moved from Quebec to another province from January to September 2013. In most cases, Quebec’s loss was Ontario’s gain, with two out of three ex-Quebecers moving to Ontario. Photograph by: Peter Redman , National Post MONTREAL - The number of Quebecers heading down the 401 is on the rise, partial statistics for 2013 suggest. Departures from Quebec to other provinces rose to their highest level this century in the first nine months of 2013, according to the Canadian Institute for Identities and Migration. Statistics are not available yet for the final three months of the year. A total of 28,439 people moved from Quebec to another province from January to September 2013 — the highest number of departures for that period in any year since 2000. In most cases, Quebec’s loss was Ontario’s gain, with two out of three ex-Quebecers moving to Ontario, one in four to Alberta and just under one in ten to British Columbia, according to quarterly demographic estimates released by Statistics Canada in December. Quebec had a net loss of 11,887 residents due to interprovincial migration (departures minus arrivals) in the 12 months from October 2012 to September 2013, compared to a loss of 7,700 people in the corresponding period of 2011-12 and a loss of 4,394 in 2010-11. The rise in departures corresponds with the election of the Parti Québécois in September 2012 — but there is no evidence the political situation is a contributing factor, said Jack Jedwab, the institute’s executive vice-president.“It’s too early to say,” he said. “I would argue it’s more about our economy,” Jedwab said. “These numbers have a very recessionary look to them, at a time when we’re not in a recession.” Jedwab said the loss of residents sounds a warning signal. “Significant population losses have a negative effect on our economy,” he said. The rise in out-migration is not related to the divisive debate over the PQ government’s proposed charter of values, Jedwab said, since the departures occurred before the charter was unveiled. A National Assembly committee will commence hearings on the charter Jan. 14. But Jedwab said if the trend continues, the hypothesis that political angst is spurring departures would deserve a second look. “If it persists into the next quarter, we’ve got to start thinking non-economic considerations are at work here,” he said. The PQ government’s focus on identity issues has decreased the comfort level of some members of cultural minorities, particularly the values charter, which proposes to bar all public sector workers from wearing religious garb like the Muslim head scarf, Jewish skullcap or Sikh turban. In September, an Ontario hospital published recruitment ads aimed to capitalize on the controversy. A photo of a female health worker wearing a hijab (head scarf) bore the caption: “We don’t care what’s on your head. We care what’s in it.” Aaron Lazarus, director of communications at Lakeridge Health in Bowmanville, Ont., east of Toronto, said the hospital received several job applications from doctors, nurses and other health professionals from Quebec in response to the ads. But Michel Leblanc, president and CEO of the Montreal Board of Trade, warned against jumping to the conclusion that the current political climate could be causing people to leave Quebec. “What is worrisome is that we have a net loss of residents every year,” Leblanc said. “People have a tendency to migrate not only to places with better weather, but also to places where the economy is performing better,” he said. Leblanc said that while the recent increase in departures is cause for concern, it is much smaller than the massive exodus of anglophones from Quebec in the 1970s and ’80s. He called on the government to improve the integration of immigrants into the workforce and to lower taxation to retain residents. Statistics Canada’s quarterly demographic estimates showed Alberta — with a population of 4,060,700 in October 2013 — continues to lead the provinces in population growth, adding 137,703 new residents from October 2012 to September 2013, of whom 49,031 moved there from elsewhere in Canada. Ontario (population 13,585,900) had slower population growth, gaining 128,442 new residents from October 2012 to September 2013. Quebec, numbering 8,174,500 residents, added 67,385 new residents from October 2012 to September 2013, with immigration and the natural increase of the population compensating for out-migration. Previous studies have shown that about two-thirds of Quebec residents who move to other provinces are allophones — people whose first language is neither French nor English. mascot@montrealgazette.com

Merci à MTLskyline sur SSP Developer’s third design for riverside condo project up for approval http://westislandgazette.com/news/st...-for-approval/ Cheryl Cornacchia | From The Gazette | June 25, 2013 Other News Preliminary approval has been granted to a Montreal developer who wants to build a condominium complex in Pierrefonds-Roxboro alongside the Maison Joseph Théorêt and facing Rivière des Prairies. At a special borough council meeting June 19, council unanimously adopted a draft bylaw to rezone three lots on Gouin Blvd. at Aumais St. so that the Vered Group could build a 115-unit, six-story condominium alongside the heritage home recognized by Montreal’s Conseil de Patrimoine. The draft bylaw is now expected to come up for a second vote at another special borough council meeting, August 5, at which point, if passed, the bylaw would pave the way for the project could to go forward, at least, in theory. On Tuesday, André Giguere said he and other neighbours of the proposed project plan to request the borough open a register that could in effect tie up, if not halt, the condo project entirely, should sufficient number of neighbours sign it and signal their opposition to the project. Johanne Palladini, a borough spokesperson said on Tuesday once a register is opened, area residents would be given a specified day to sign it. If the project is opposed by a certain percentage of area residents, determined by the number of electoral voters, Palladini said, the borough would be forced to hold a costly, borough-wide referendum on the project. http://westislandgazette.com/news/story/2013/06/17/developers-third-design-for-riverside-condo-project-up-for-approval/

Emplacement exceptionnel sur l'avenue Victoria Design contemporain, style urbain, espace épuré Immeuble de 4 étages avec stationnement intérieur disponible Stationement extérieur pour les résidents et visiteurs Ascenseur Toit terrasse communautaire Système de caméras intérieur et extérieur sur DVR Intercom avec caméra de l'entrée Condominiums 3 1/2- 4 1/2- 5 1/2 Construction et produits de qualité supérieur Fenestration abondante Insonorisation supérieur dans les planchers et murs mitoyen Vue sur le parc le Limousin de St-Lambert et la ville de Montréal Zone de lavage auto avec aspirateur au garage pour les résidents Immeuble avec le service de Gaz Métro Système de chauffage centrale indépendant pour chaque condominium http://www.pururbain.com//pururbain_2/projet

Series of articles in today's Gazette

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/18/business/global/hip-cities-that-think-about-how-they-work.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&smid=fb-share The story of young people, full of ambition, energy, skill and talent, moving to enticing cities that call to them like a siren’s song is as old as modern civilization. And in a world where national borders are easier to traverse, where more countries are joining the prosperous global middle class and where the cost of a one-way plane ticket is more affordable, young professionals probably have more cities to choose from than ever before. This survey is not based solely on quality of life, number of trees or the cost of a month’s rent. Instead, we examine some cities that aim to be both smart and well managed, yet have an undeniably hip vibe. Our pick of cities that are, in a phrase, both great and good: Auckland With its beaches, inlets and lush coastal climate, the Kiwi metropolis has always had great natural beauty going for it (and, now, for the first time in 24 years, it is the home to the World Cup Rugby Champions). But we digress. Currently counting 1.5 million residents , the government is projecting the city to hit the two million-mark in just 30 years. The city has recently voted to create a new central core that mixes sustainable housing and mixed-use development. The public transportation system, which includes subways, trams, busses and ferries, is constantly being expanded. Measures to increase the density of the urban landscape, meant to ultimately prevent encroachment on surrounding lands, as well as planting “green carpets” along urban roads demonstrate a keen eye toward creating a greener future. Plus, the city is expanding its free Wi-Fi coverage, according to a city official. Auckland is doing its best to “up their game with urban design,” said Angela Jones, a spokesperson for the city, turning a beautiful but provincial capital into a smart city. Berlin This culture capital combines low rents, a white-hot arts scene, good public transportation and myriad creative types — from media to design to technology — from all over the world. Known as Europe’s largest construction zone for at least 10 of the past 20 years, 4.4-million-strong Berlin has probably changed more in that time than any other large European city. And while the restaurants have become more expensive, the clothes are now more stylish and the D.J.’s have added more attitude, there is still plenty of real city left to be discovered by the thousands of artists and young professionals who move here every year to make this the pulsing center of Germany, the powerhouse of Europe. Besides radical renovations to the government center, main train station and the old Potsdamer Platz, the city recently turned a historic airport in its heart into a vast urban park. A short-term bike-rental system is in place and the old subway system, reunited after the fall of the wall, like the city itself, is as efficient as ever. Besides artists and bohemians looking for the vibe, the city — home to several prestigious universities, research institutes and many a company headquarter — is brimming with smart scientists and savvy businessmen. Barcelona Anyone who has walked down Las Ramblas on a summer evening or has stared at the Sagrada Familia for long enough understands why this city attracts planeloads of tourists. Music, good food, great weather and strong technology and service sectors compete to make this city of 1.6 million a home for all those who want to stay beyond summer break. If all the traditional charms of Barcelona were not enough, an active city government is trying to keep this city smart, too. Under its auspices, photovoltaic solar cells have been installed on many public and private rooftops. Charging stations for electrical cars and scooters have recently been set up around the city, in preparation for the day when residents will be tooling around in their electric vehicles. A biomass processing plant is being built that will use the detritus from city parks to generate heat and electricity, and free Wi-Fi is available at hotspots around the city. Cape Town Wedged between sea and mountain, Cape Town’s natural setting is stunning. Nor does the city — with its colorful neighborhoods, historic sites, and easy charm — disappoint. And while its one of Africa’s top tourist destinations, it also attracts many new residents from around the globe. The local government is trying to lead the growing city of 3.5 million with a more inclusive government and development structure, to overcome the gross inequities of South Africa’s past. Four major universities and many research institutes make Cape Town one of the continent’s bustling research centers. Named the 2014 World Design Capital last month, the city government is encouraging a cluster of design and creative firms in a neighborhood called the Fringe. The 2010 World Cup of soccer was a boon for infrastructure, especially public transportation. A new bus system, with dedicated lanes, has been rolled out in recent years to keep the many suburbs connected and alleviate crushing traffic. Under a program called Smart Cape, libraries and civic centers have computer terminals with free Internet access. Poverty and crime are still issues in Cape Town, but overall quality of life indicators rank the city as one of the best in Africa. Copenhagen Progressive, cozy and very beautiful, the young and the elegant flock to this northern light. Rents might not be as low as in other hip cities, but the social infrastructure in this metropolitan area of 1.9 million cannot be beat. Offering a prosperous blend of art, culture and scene, this highly tolerant city is attracting young professionals lucky enough to work in the center of Danish industry and commerce. A mix of stately old European buildings and modern, green-oriented architecture speaks of a city that treasures the old but loves experimenting with the new. Despite its cool Scandinavian climate, the Danish capital might just be the most bicycle-friendly city in the world. Bike superhighways crisscross the city, and statistics show that more than a third of the city’s inhabitants commute to work or school on their trusty two-wheelers. A metro system was inaugurated in the last decade for those who choose to go without. With sunlight-flooded underground stations and clean, driverless subway cars, the system looks more like a people-mover at an international airport than an urban transport system. Having committed itself to reducing carbon levels by 20 percent before 2015, some of the city’s power is generated by wind. The city has been so successful in cleaning up its once-industrial harbor that it has been able to open three public baths in a harbor waterway. Curitiba, Brazil One of the smartest cities in Latin America, Brazil’s wealthy regional capital attracts many new inhabitants with jobs in service and production sectors, and with the promise a functioning city. The 1.7 million residents have access to a bus-based rapid transport system so good that more than 700,000 commuters use it daily. Buses run on designated lanes that, because of a unique and modern urban design, have right-of-way and preferred access to the city center. A beautiful botanical garden and other city parks, along with other strong environmental measures, keep the air largely clear of pollution, despite Curitiba’s land-locked location. The city strives to be sustainable in other ways, too. According to reports, it recently invested $106 million, or 5 percent, of its budget into its department of environment. The city government makes itself integral in the lives of Curitibans, not just seeking comment and feedback on policies, but also organizing a host of events. “Bike Night” is the latest craze in the active city. Each Tuesday, residents take to their bikes and peddle through the night, accompanied by municipal staff members. Montreal With its hearty French and North American mix, this city of 3.6 million has a real soul thanks to low living costs and long winter evenings. And it is no slouch when it comes to good food, hip culture, well-appointed museums and efficient transportation. With four major universities and plenty of bars, the nightlife in this bilingual city has a well-deserved reputation. Because the winters tend to be long and cold, the city possesses an extensive underground network connecting several downtown malls and a subterranean arts quarter. When spring finally does arrive, and snow is cleared from the many bike paths, the city puts out its 3,000 short-term-rental bicycles, known as Bixi. City-sponsored community gardens are sprouting around town, giving urbanites a chance to flex their green thumb. Montreal is an incredibly active town where festivals celebrating everything from jazz to Formula One dominate the city’s calendar during the summer. Thanks to Mount Royal, a large central park and cemetery that serves as cross-country, snowshoe and ice-skating terrain in the winter and becomes a verdant picnic ground and gathering spot in the summer, Montrealers never have to leave city limits. Santiago A vibrant mix of Latin American culture and European sensibility, this Chilean city is modern, safe and smart. The rapidly growing city of 6.7 million — , which, perhaps surprisingly, was first subject to urban planning mandates in the mid-20th century — is still ahead of others in South America when it comes to urban governance. A law curtailing urban sprawl and protecting the few natural spaces close to the city is exemplary. Beautiful old cultural jewels like the library and fine art museum are dwarfed by serious commercial skyscrapers. The smell of local food, good and inexpensive, brings life even to the streets of its financial district. One of the most extensive public transport systems on the continent whisks more than 2.3 million commuters to and from work or school every day. Because of its high altitude, pollution is a problem — one that the national government is trying to curb with various green initiatives. Short-term bike rentals exist in one of the more active parts of town, and significant city funds have been used to construct bicycle lanes. For a city this modern, however, Santiago has few parks. But the ocean is just a short drive to west and the mountains to the east. Shanghai China’s commercial heart has grown tremendously in the past couple of decades. Attracting young professionals with its jobs and opportunities rather than with museums and hip nightlife, this megacity of 23 million is surprisingly smart. Its top-down urban planning approach is efficient in a city made up of separate 16 districts and one county. City coffers are put to use building enormously ambitious infrastructure, like a deepwater port, tunnels, bridges and roadways. A good indicator for the rapid and deliberate growth of the city is the metro system. First opened in 1995, it is now the world’s longest subway network, according to city officials. Adding a futuristic aspect to the utilitarian system is a Maglev (magnetic levitation) line that connects the airport to the city, and on which the train travels at speeds of up to 431 kilometers, or 268 miles, per hour. But Shanghai’s urban development is also green. The city claims that it put the equivalent of $8 billion into environmental improvement and cleanup, which include sewage treatment systems but also an impressive number of city parks. In addition, Shanghai has made its city government more accessible by running a Web site were residents can find municipal information, and read a blog entitled “mayor’s window.” Vilnius, Lithuania One of the greenest of the former Eastern bloc capitals, Vilnius has a forward-thinking city government. In a recent Internet video that spread virally, the mayor, Arturas Zuokas, is seen crushing a Mercedes parked on a bike path with a tank. Beyond the obvious political theater of the stunt, the city, whose metropolitan area population is 850,000 takes providing good public transportation seriously. A recent study suggested that some 70 percent of the capital’s citizens either walk, bike or take the bus. Vilnius, a verdant city that despite some communist architectural clunkers is charmingly medieval and surprisingly well maintained, boasts an old town that is a Unesco world heritage site. After the fall of the old regime, the city took great pains to retool its waste disposal systems, building a modern landfill in 2005. The capital attracts young professionals, and not just from Eastern Europe, who see in Vilnius a rising star in business and appreciate all that the extensive cultural scene in the little capital has to offer.

Projet de maisons en rangée sur le terrain des anciens garages municipaux Sandrine Béjanin Informés par la Ville d'un nouveau projet majeur de construction résidentielle dans leur environnement immédiat, les Brossardois du secteur des anciens garages municipaux, situé dans le quartier B, se sont mobilisés contre un développement qu'ils estiment préjudiciable à leur qualité de vie. Le promoteur immobilier A.H. Inc. projette d'acheter à la Ville de Brossard le terrain des anciens «ateliers municipaux» afin d'y construire un ensemble à vocation résidentielle de 70 maisons en rangée, desservi par une nouvelle rue qui traversera le parc Baudelaire. Situé entre l'avenue Baudelaire et l'avenue Béliveau, et entre l'avenue Bienvenue et le croissant Balmoral, ce terrain, appartenant à la Ville, lui servait autrefois de garage pour ses véhicules. Clos, mais inutilisé depuis environ une quinzaine d'années, le terrain nécessite d'être décontaminé, ce que le promoteur propose de faire à ses frais. «Pour la Ville, c'est une belle occasion de se débarrasser de la patate chaude que constitue la contamination du terrain», invoquent Jules Béliveau et Frédéric Côté, deux résidents à l'origine de la pétition de 108 personnes se déclarant contre le projet. Outrés devant l'ampleur du projet, les signataires contestent surtout la hauteur des bâtiments de trois étages, qui risquent de priver les habitants de l'avenue Bienvenue et de la place Benoît de toute luminosité et toute intimité dans leur cour arrière. Leur souci s'étend aussi à l'augmentation connexe de la circulation automobile, de la surpopulation dans les écoles, et des îlots de chaleur dans le secteur, ainsi qu'à la suppression du terrain de basketball du parc Baudelaire. Devant l'opposition massive des citoyens, qui s'est manifestée lors d'une réunion d'information, le 22 juin dernier, la Ville a demandé au promoteur de revoir son projet et s'est engagée à présenter le nouveau projet aux citoyens lors d'une prochaine rencontre dont la date n'a pas encore été fixée. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Anciens ateliers municipaux : vive opposition à un projet immobilier. Texte Paul-André Gilbert Un nouveau projet immobilier sur le terrain des anciens ateliers municipaux de Brossard provoque de vives réactions chez des résidents du secteur B. Le groupe immobilier A.H. inc. prévoit construire sur ce terrain, situé à l’intersection des rues Baudelaire et Bienvenue, un projet de maisons unifamiliales en rangées, composé de 70 résidences. Jules Béliveau et Frédéric Côté, deux résidents du voisinage, s’opposent vivement à ce projet, qu’ils considèrent inapproprié pour plusieurs raisons. Premièrement, l’ajout de nouvelles résidences amènerait selon eux une multiplication du nombre de voitures dans les rues du secteur, qui sont déjà très achalandées. «La rue Baudelaire est devenue la décharge de l’autoroute 30. Ce n’est plus une rue, c’est un boulevard», explique M. Côté. Avec l’augmentation de la circulation, ce dernier, dont la résidence est adossée à l’ancien garage municipal, craint pour la sécurité de ses enfants et de ceux du voisinage, trois écoles primaires étant présentes dans le secteur. «J’essaie de voir le puzzle en terme de sécurité», s’inquiète-t-il. Hauteur des maisons MM. Béliveau et Côté sont également préoccupés par la hauteur des maisons du projet d’Immobilier A.H. Les résidences seraient en effet composées de bâtiments de trois à six unités de trois étages. Les deux résidents craignent pour l’harmonie architecturale du quartier, qui est composé en majorité de bungalows. Ils croient aussi que les résidences entraineront une diminution importante de l’intimité et de la luminosité pour les résidences qui jouxte le terrain. «Ça fait une muraille de Chine et ça coupe passablement l’horizon et la lumière», précise M. Béliveau. Il ajoute que toutes ces résidences vont créer un îlot de chaleur dans le secteur, qui était rafraîchi par le terrain vague. D’ailleurs, M. Béliveau propose que la Ville construise un parc sur ce terrain plutôt que des résidences. Terrain contaminé Un autre élément important cause une forte inquiétude chez MM. Côté et Béliveau : le terrain des ateliers municipaux serait selon eux fortement contaminé. Puisque le terrain était occupé par les ateliers municipaux de la Ville, on retrouverait dans le sol des hydrocarbures et d’autres substances toxiques qui proviennent de matériel qu’on retrouve généralement dans un garage municipal, comme de la peinture et des batteries. L’Administration municipale affirme être consciente de la présence de contaminants dans le sol. Cependant, le promoteur s’engage à décontaminer le terrain avant de construire les résidences. Le directeur des communications de la Ville de Brossard, Alain Gauthier, affirme que le promoteur a déjà effectué une décontamination par le passé et que cette décontamination sera validée par le ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs. De son côté, le promoteur Bernard Armand explique qu’il est conscient des réticences des résidents et que c’est pourquoi il essaie de moduler le projet dans le but qu’il soit fait de la manière la plus harmonieuse possible. Par exemple, la hauteur des bâtiments causant un problème, la compagnie Immobilier A.H. serait en train de revoir l’aspect architectural du projet. Il rappelle toutefois que le terrain est hautement contaminé. «On est prêt à regarder où on pourrait modifier le projet pour le rendre plus acceptable pour tous et chacun, mais il y a des limites», a-t-il conclu.

Ce projet est proposé par la CSDM, et comptera une "maison des arts et lettres", ainsi qu'un amphithéâtre de 350 places. Le projet occupera le site actuel de l'ancien Externat Sophie-Barat, qui a plutôt mauvaise mine en ce moment (et c'est une vraie honte d'avoir laissé ce bâtiment s'auto-détruire de la sorte par négligence). Comme on peut le voir sur l'image, un mur de l'ancien Externat sera intégré. Le projet fait face à une certaine opposition des résidents du quartier. Tout le terrain sur le bord de l'eau doit être rezoné d'un usage "résidentiel" (même s'il est occupé par l'école Sophie-Barat et un centre sportif), vers "grands équipements institutionnels". De plus, les résidents du secteur déplorent depuis plusieurs années la circulation dans le secteur, ainsi que le stationnement actuel problématique, sur une rue résidentielle. Finalement, on craint pour l'intégrité de ce qui se trouve à être le dernier village historique de cette taille à Montréal (il est vrai que le secteur entre Gouin et la rivière dans Ahuntsic est très riche en patrimoine architectural et en histoire, et mériterait d'être mieux connu). Lundi le janvier, à 19h, à l'hôtel de ville d'Ahuntsic, se tiendra un consultation publique sur ce projet.

http://www.westislandgazette.com/news/28915 Dorval considering options for major facelift City wants public input on its draft of master urban plan Albert Kramberger The Gazette Wednesday, March 14, 2012 The city of Dorval is looking to make a few changes in how it looks - everything from revitalizing its waterfront to giving Dorval Ave. a facelift. The next step in preparing a new sustainable master urban plan is a public consultation set for March 26. The city has prepared a draft of its master plan, a general statement of the direction the city should follow over the next two decades regarding development, zoning and quality of life concerns as well as promoting and encouraging "greener" options. It now hopes to gauge input from citizens before adopting the formal version later this fall, said Mayor Edgar Rouleau. Among its proposals, the city aims to make its waterfront along Lake St. Louis more user-friendly and animated, possibly installing outdoor exercise equipment at Millennium Park. As well, it will consider purchasing select private lands near existing cityowned sites, like the Forest and Stream Club, should they ever come on the market, the mayor said. "There are sites along Lakeshore that may, in five or 10 years, become available and the council should at that time evaluate if it's worthwhile to acquire," Rouleau said of potentially adding to publicly owned space along the lake. "Is it going to expensive? As you know, yes." While the city is also looking at encouraging highdensity residential develop-ment, especially around the Pine Beach and Dorval train stations and along Bouchard Blvd., it will have to be measured in light of respecting the single-family home residential character in much of the city. There is also a goal to reverse an aging demographic trend by attracting young families and immigrants, the latter of which are expected to account for more than 30 per cent of Dorval's population by 2024. As of 2011, Dorval had about 18,615 residents and approximately 8,000 households, with an additional 2,000 housing units envisioned by the city within a decade, including more affordable housing. "Residents want the population to increase, but they don't want to lose that residential sector that we have," Rouleau said. "We're not going to change that, except those few big lots we have, like the one at the corner of De la Presentation and Lakeshore, which will soon be developed," he said. The city also aims to revitalize the commercial area on Dorval Ave. and make it more attractive. For example, by allowing outdoor terraces, and making it safer for both pedestrians and cyclists. A study has already been commissioned to prepare some proposals, the mayor said. "We want it more friendly, but the challenge is that we cannot widen the road," Rouleau said of Dorval Ave. "Whatever we extend, we have to take it from somewhere else. Right now it's two lanes each way with an island in the middle and sidewalks on both sides," he said, adding that perhaps the avenue could be reduced to one lane in each direction with a narrow median strip to allow for something like a bike path.

"The 2010 Shanghai fire was a 15 November 2010 fire that destroyed a 28-story high-rise apartment building in the Chinese city of Shanghai. The fire began at 2:15 p.m. local time (06:15 UTC),[5][6] and at least 53 people were killed with over 100 others injured. China's Xinhua News Agency reported that the building, at the intersection of Jiaozhou Road and Yuyao Road in Shanghai's Jing'an District [7], was being renovated at the time of the fire.[8] Shanghai residents were able to see smoke from the fire several kilometres away.[9] The ages of those injured in the fire range from 3–85, with the majority (64.5%) over the age of 50. [...end of excerpt from article.]" > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Shanghai_fire

There are an article in The Gazette (which I shall put after this post) that speaks about Montreal embracing open data. Also, anybody every been to Ottawa, Quebec? lol How Open Data Initiatives Can Improve City Life by Aliza Sherman Major city governments across North America are looking for ways to share civic data — which normally resides behind secure firewalls — with private developers who can leverage it to serve city residents via web and mobile apps. Cities can spend on average between $20,000 and $50,000 — even as much as $100,000 — to cover the costs of opening data, but that’s a small price to pay when you consider how much is needed to develop a custom application that might not be nearly as useful. Here are a few examples of initiatives that are striving to make city governments more efficient and transparent through open data. 1. Apps4Ottawa – Ottawa, Quebec Careful to adhere to security and privacy regulations for their open data program, the City of Ottawa started sharing data in several areas: geo-spatial (roadways, parks, runways, rivers, and ward boundaries); recreation facilities; event planning; civic elections data; and transit, including schedules. Other data the city is pursuing includes tree inventory, collections schedules for garbage, recycling and compost, and bike and foot paths. Ottawa aligned their first open data contest, Apps4Ottawa, with the school year (September 2010 to January 2011 ) to involve colleges and universities as well as residents and local industry. Categories for the contest included “Having Fun in Ottawa,” “Getting Around,” “Green Environment/Sustainability,” “Community Building,” and “Economic Development.” The winner is scheduled to be announced later this evening. Guy Michaud, chief information officer for the City of Ottawa, said their open data efforts have already spurred economic development and is meant to be good for local entrepreneurs. The city receives no revenue through the apps, and the developers can sell what they create. In turn, Ottawa residents get improved services from applications that are created, with better access to city data and more user-friendly formats and platforms. 2. CivicApps.org – Portland, Oregon After tracking Vivek Kundra’s efforts at the federal level with data.gov, Portland, Oregon launched CivicApps.org, a project initiated out of the mayor’s office to bring a more localized approach to the open data movement. Skip Newberry, economic policy advisor to the mayor, say that the project’s main objective is to improve connections and the flow of information between local government and its constituents, as well as between city bureaus. To call attention to the release of public data, they also launched an app design contest, highlighting the tech talent in Portland’s software community. According to Rick Nixon, program manager for the Bureau of Technology’s Open Data Initiative for the city of Portland, CivicApps.org took a more regional approach to cover the multiple layers of local government: County, Metro, TriMet, and the City of Portland, all of which collect and maintain various kinds of public data. Data sets released include regional crime, transit, infrastructure (i.e. public works), and economic development programs. Additional projects, such as the PDX API, have been launched in order to make the raw data from CivicApps more useful to developers. In addition to developer-specific apps, a number of transit related apps — bike, train, bus, mixed modes — were also developed. A very popular and established transit app, PDXBus, was re-released as open source under the rules of the CivicApps contest. Other popular apps helped provide residents greater awareness of their surroundings such as where to find heritage trees, where to find urban edibles, and where to locate each other during disaster relief efforts. 3. CityWide Data Warehouse – Washington, DC For years, the District of Columbia provided public access to city operational data via the Internet. In keeping with the mayor’s promise to be transparent, the program CityWide Data Warehouse was launched, and provides citizens with access to over 450 datasets from multiple agencies. The first two datasets released were service requests from the mayor’s call center, including trash pickup, pot hole repair, street light repair, snow removal, parking meter issues and crime data. According to David Stirgel, program manager for Citywide Data Warehouse, the project looks for data that be of interest to the widest possible audience and which will remain reusable over time. Some of the applications that have come out of the program include Track DC, which tracks the performance of individual District agencies, and summary reports that provide public access to city operational data. Some of the applications built by companies and individuals using the data include Crime Reports and Every Block. In 2008, the District Mayor’s office, the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer, and digital agency iStrategyLabs launched Apps for Democracy, an open code app development contest tapping into District data that cost $50,000 and generated 47 apps. The contest was repeated in 2009. Over 200 ideas and applications were submitted, and the winner was an iPhone and Facebook app called Social DC 311. It could be used to submit service requests, such as reporting potholes and trash problems. An honorable mention was given to FixMyCityDC. Unfortunately, neither app is maintained today. 4. NYC Data Mine – New York, NY NYC BigApps 2.0 is part of an initiative to improve the accessibility, transparency, and accountability of city government. According to Brandon Kessler, CEO of ChallengePost, the company and technology powering the NYC BigApps 2.0 Software Challenge, Mayor Bloomberg challenged software developers to use city data from the NYC.gov Data Mine to create apps to improve NYC, offering a $20,000 in cash awards to the winners. The second annual challenge closed its call for submissions at the end of January 2011 and opened the vote to the public. Voting ends on March 9. Requirements included that the software applications be original and solely owned by the entrants, that they use at least one of the datasets from the NYC.gov Data Mine, and be free to the public throughout the competition and for at least one year after the challenge. The panel of judges reads like a “who’s who” of New York tech luminaries, and includes Esther Dyson of EDVenture, Fred Wilson of Union Square Ventures, Jack Dorsey of Square and Twitter, and Kara Swisher of All Things Digital. One of the first year’s winning apps was WayFinder, an augmented reality Android app which allows users to point their phone in a direction and see which subways and Path trains are in front of them. 5. DataSF – San Francisco, California Like other city governments, San Francisco’s goal for their DataSF program was to improve transparency and community engagement as well as accountability. Ron Vinson, director of media for the city’s Department of Technology also stated potential for innovation in how residents interact with government and their community. With an emphasis on adhering to privacy and security policies, the city can stimulate the creation of useful civic tools at no cost to the government. Before launching, they reached out to Washington, DC to identify the most popular datasets, and learned that 20% of the datasets represented over 80% of the downloads. With this information, they went out first with crime, 311, and GIS data. They also allowed the public to request data through a submissions mechanism on the website where others could vote on their suggestions. This input is now required reading for the city administrator thanks to an executive directive and open data legislation. Since launching in August 2009, DataSF has accumulated over 60 applications in its showcase. According to Vinson, the city stays engaged with their tech community by participating in local unconferences and meetups. http://mashable.com/2011/02/15/how-open-data-initiatives-can-improve-city-life/

il y a eu plusieurs thead sur les habitations jeanne-mance, qui sont destine un jour je pense a faire l'objet d'un developement controverse, parce que personne a l'air d'etre d'accord sur la maniere de proceder pour raviver le quartier et permettre de nouveaux developement sur ces terrains a la localisation si critique, tout en menageant les occupants existants des hlm. alors, voici a ce sujet, mes deux cennes: sans avoir d'idee sur l'allure ou l'arrangement particulier qu'auraient les nouveaux developement sur les lots vacants du quartier latin autour de l'universite du quebec a montreal, ainsi que les lots presentements occupes par les habitations jeanne-mances, voici comment j'organiserais l'espace de facon generale: dans le but de favoriser le maintien d'un certain niveau de mixite sociale dans le secteur, les terrains sur lesquelles se trouvent presentement la coop des habitations jeanne-mance auraient a maintenir un certain pourcentage de logement sociaux dans des tours residentielles locatives. en augmentant la densite en remplacant les petits immeubles par des tours, la quantite actuelle de loyers modiques pourrait etre maintenue tout en offrants des logements un peu plus dispendieux a travers les memes immeubles. des residences etudiants pour l'uqam et le cegep du vieux montreal pourraient aussi y etre amenage. ces lots sont identifies en jaune sur mon plan. ensuite, les rues de bullion et hotel de ville seraient raccordees a leur troncon nord, aidant a desenclaver le secteur et peut-etre apporter des clients supplementaires aux commerces existants via de la circulation de transit. de plus, les extentions permettraient de fluidifier la circulation accrue par la densification du quartier, et en moindre partie a y ajouter quelques espaces de stationnement. l'espace au centre de ce quadrilatere serait occupe par le parc ainsi que le jardin communautaire existants, qui verraient leur superficie quelque peu augmentee , mais surtout leur acces au residents du quartiers grandement ameliore. le parc est actuellement amenage de facon telle qu'il est difficile de cerner ses limites de celles des cooperatives d'habitation, ce qui decourage sa frequentation par des gens qui ne demeurent pas necessairement dans les hlm. et s'il le faut, le parc pourrait meme s'etendre sur le lot juste au sud de maisonneuve, ou prendre de l'espace a l'est et a l'ouest de hotel-de-ville ou de bullion. c'est le terrain que j'ai marque en vert, sur l'image. le reste des lots du quartier, que j'ai identifie en bleu, ne seraient pas tenus d'accueuillir un quelconque pourcentage en logement sociaux, et seraient donc a plus forte raison des tours a condominium. encore une fois, une augmentation de la densite serait a encourager, et les etages inferieur seraient de preference occupes par des commerces. aussi, tel que suggere il y a un certain temps par un usage d'un autre forum, une partie du terrain de l'edicule de la station saint-laurent pourrait etre reservee a l'accueuil de commerces ambulants, comme ceux que l'on retrouve a la station mont-royal entre autre, en particulier un genre de "farmer's market" ou les residents pourraient se procurer des fruits et legumes frais 24h par jour. [edit: un "plan B" a mon plan serait de repartir a travers le secteur les terrains "jaunes", pour favoriser encore plus la mixite. ainsi, certains lots marque en jaune pourraient en fait etre des tours a condo "bleues" et quelques un des terrains "bleus" au sud de ste-catherine pourraient accueillir du logement social pour relocalise les residents actuels des hlm.] je pense que, peu importe que vous soyez pour ou contre les logements sociaux au centre-ville, on doit reconnaitre que l'etat actuel des choses est au mieux une utilisation sub optimale des lieux, et que la finalisation du quartier des spectacles apportera sans aucun doute des pressions de redevelopement au secteur. personnellement, si on peut conserver les residents actuels et en ajouter [des mieux nantis], tout le monde sera gagnant. et avec tout ces nouveau residents dans le quartier, le troncon de ste-catherine et de st-laurent qui paraissent si morts pour l'instant se verraient sans aucun doute revitalise, de facon toute naturelle. ------------------------------------- disclaimer: excusez la lecture de mes mots, j'ai plusieurs langues secondes.

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/Lambert+shouts+enough/3317503/story.html#ixzz0uhaLT8LV

Montreal Real Estate Pushes Ahead By DORN TOWNSEND Published: June 11, 2010 MONTREAL — When Patrice Groleau began selling a proposed condo development this spring, he thought it would take about a year to sell all 100 units — even though the site is in Montreal’s historic old city and the project will have all the latest amenities. Half the apartments sold in the first month on the market. “The last few years have been mostly good for real estate, but this year has been phenomenal,” said the 33-year-old broker, who works for McGill Immobilier. “Some of the buyers are from elsewhere but 95 percent are local young professionals. A lot of them will buy several units or whole blocks of apartments.” Real estate markets in many cities around the world are still in the doldrums, but in Montreal, Canada’s second largest city, with 1.9 million residents, the downtown area is experiencing a boom and buying frenzy last seen more than a generation ago. Brokers say that new listings in desirable central neighborhoods can receive multiple offers within hours of going up for sale. Since 2003, when the present rush began, 5,500 to 7,000 new condo units have been hitting the market each year. Many of these homes are downtown in new mid-rise developments. According to the Montreal Real Estate Board, the median price of downtown condos has risen about 9 percent over the period, to 210,000 Canadian dollars, or about $198,000. While some downtown addresses can command as much as 1,000 dollars a square foot, in May the average price per square foot in the central city was about 350 dollars. “A lot of the new units downtown are for people in the suburbs looking to downsize, but you also get about 8 percent of sales going to foreigners,” said René Lépine, president of Groupe Lépine, one of the largest developers of downtown residential housing in the city. “I haven’t seen this kind of activity in the city center since the 1970s, when we had the Olympics.” Montreal’s real estate board reported that prices were up 8 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, with sales up 54 percent. While there is disagreement over whether such growth is sustainable, demand is being driven by historically low interest rates, with a five-year fixed-rate mortgage going for about 3.8 percent. In an attempt to pop what many fear is an expanding housing bubble, the Bank of Canada in April began requiring purchasers to put down 20 percent on investment properties. Brokers, however, say such rules are easily skirted with interim financing. And in the two years since the global economic downturn, Canada’s big-five banking oligopoly has continued granting loans for real estate. But, like in the United States, these banks seldom hold on to the mortgages, instead passing them on to a government entity called the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., which insures buyers against defaults. Since 2005, the agency’s liabilities have grown to around 400 billion dollars from about 80 billion dollars. But many of the new homes insured by this national agency are the tiny studios and one-bedroom units like those in Montreal’s downtown towers. That easy financing helped turn Montreal’s real estate scene into something of a Sleeping Beauty story. For decades the city had a lot of real estate for sale, partly because of the departure of several hundred thousand English-speaking residents from 1976 to 1978 because they feared Quebec might become an independent French-speaking country. Afterward, prices rose slowly, and then took off in recent years. “I’m not one of those annoying people who say that Montreal is the best city,” said Ariane Truong, 30, a Montreal native who spent several years in London working as an architect for SOM. “But there’s this intangible, aesthetic quality here these days and when you’re in other cities, you notice that quality is missing.” Two years ago Mrs. Truong returned to her hometown, paying about 350,000 dollars for a refurbished 950-square-foot, or 88-square-meter, one-bedroom condo in the old city. The building incorporates part of the stone fortifications built from 1717 to 1738 to protect Montreal from native Indians and English attackers. Until recently many residents had spurned the area as a tourist magnet. These days the tourists still are ever-present, but the old warehouses have been converted into apartments with ground-floor cafes and restaurants. A mix of young professional residents has returned to live and work. A small but important part of the market is composed of foreign clients who buy into the city for its particular rhythm. Diane Urbain, 28, a transplant from Paris, is typical of the group. She and her husband spent about 520,000 dollars on a 1,600-square-foot cottage in the Plateau, a large neighborhood of row houses known for its public squares and cafes. The French consulate says about 100,000 French citizens are living in Montreal. “When I first arrived here as a student, I thought I’d never leave Paris,” Mrs. Urbain said “But I’ve come to love the way of life of this city.” She talked about the nearby parks where her children play and about biking to work. Vélo Québec, a cycling advocacy group, says that nearly 20 percent of downtown residents use bicycles as a primary means of transport. Yet the French are not the only people who choose Montreal. This year, almost all the units in one new high-end condo tower downtown were sold to Lebanese. The developer marketed heavily in Beirut, and many purchases were made as investments or as homes for children attending universities in Montreal. Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/greathomesanddestinations/11iht-remon.html

Le promoteur immobilier, Groupe BCH Développement, poursuit l’effervescence résidentielle qui persiste en Montérégie par la vente d’un immense terrain sur lequel on prévoit la construction d'un complexe de copropriétés et de résidences. Sur une superficie de 450 000 pi2, BCH a planifié la réalisation d’un développement représentant 75 millions $ d’investissements en unités d'habitation. C’est à l’intersection de la route 132 et du Chemin St-François-Xavier, rue desservie par Candiac, que seront érigés ces immeubles. « Après avoir travaillé trois ans sur le potentiel de cette portion de terrain, nous venons tout juste de recevoir toutes les autorisation nous permettant d’inviter les entrepreneurs à profiter de belles opportunités que représentent ce site, souligne Gaétan Houle, promoteur immobilier responsable du projet. Le changement de zonage maintenant complété, il sera enfin possible d'habiter dans un concept de vie urbaine, à Delson. » La vie urbaine en pleine nature Selon ce dernier, le zonage permet la construction d’un projet de résidence de 430 unités pour personnes retraitées, immeuble érigée sur 12 étages. « Les municipalités de Delson et Candiac ont vu leur population diminuer lorsque les gens arrivaient à leur retraite justement parce qu’il n’y a pas de projet de la sorte pour répondre aux besoins de ce type de clientèle, insiste le promoteur. Nous voulons offrir aux résidents des copropriétés de qualité au design sophistiqué dans un ensemble urbain bien pensé. Ce sera donc un quartier à la fois animé, sécuritaire, où tous les services seront à proximité, explique le promoteur. » Le terrain possède une dénivellation, soit un plateau qui peut supporter une douzaine d’étages, selon les tests effectués par les promoteurs. L’accès à la rivière La Tortue en fait vraiment un site exceptionnel pour les nouveaux résidents qui choisiront de s’établir dans ce nouveau quartier et qui y trouveront une multitude d’avantages. Projet mixte En plus d’une résidence, il sera possible de construire 3 ou 4 immeubles de 6 à 12 étages, pouvant totaliser 250 unités de condominiums dont la brochette de prix varie de 250 000 $ à 800 000 $ pour des penthouses. «En plus d’habiter un endroit très sécuritaire, précise-t-il, les futurs résidents pourront profiter d’un environnement extérieur digne d’un havre de paix grâce à un site privé, des espaces intimes ainsi que de fenestration abondante leur permettant de profiter d’une vue imprenable sur Montréal, puisqu’à partir du 4e étage, on a une vue splendide sur la métropole.» Le concept propose un milieu de vie complet, où différentes sphères d'activités quotidiennes cohabiteront dans un même quartier. Plusieurs entrepreneurs ont déjà démontré leurs intérêts et il y a tout lieu de croire que le projet devrait démarrer cette année. « Nous travaillons actuellement sur les plans qui seront probablement d’ici 3 ou 4 mois, conclut Gaétan Houle. L’échéancier des travaux devrait se poursuivre jusqu’ au printemps 2011. Retour Imprimer Envoyer à un ami Commentaires(0)

Source: The Gazette New city guide puts Montreal on the geotourism map By MONIQUE BEAUDIN, The Gazette, June 16, 2009 It's a tourist map with a difference. Along with the usual destinations, such as Little Italy and Mount Royal, you'll find more unusual ones, like a series of "green" alleyways in the Plateau Mont Royal and a boutique that makes clothes from recycled materials. Unveiled yesterday by Mayor Gérald Tremblay, the new map promotes geotourism - that is, tourism that protects and preserves the geographic character of a destination, such as its heritage, culture, environment and well-being of its residents. The map was the brainchild of the U.S.-based National Geographic Society, with whom Montreal was the first city in the world to sign an agreement in 2007 promising to adhere to 13 principles of geotourism. "You live in a magnificent and sophisticated city," said Jonathan Tourtellot, the director of National Geographic's Centre for Sustainable Destinations in Washington, D.C. "Tourists should leave here knowing they have visited a city that is unique in Canada, unique in North America, unique in the world. That's geotourism." Creating the map - the first of its kind in the world for a city - took months of consultation with conservation and community groups, as well as the input of residents, who suggested more than 400 locations that scream out "Mont-real." Some that made the cut include Habitat 67, Promenade Bellerive in Montreal's Mercier district and Le Cartet in Old Montreal where visitors can "break bread at communal tables with real-life Montrealers." The map encourages people to visit the city by bicycle, métro or on foot saying "this is one city where you can see almost everything without setting foot in a car." Historical information includes the fact that St. Laurent Blvd. was "reputed for risqué nightlife during the city's heyday as an inland seaport." Other areas with similar geotourism maps include Norway and the Mexican state of Baja California. You can check it out online at www.montrealgeo.com