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Victoriatown Condominiums

Theoretical question: If the train/metro systems never expanded offshore i.e. remained on the island of Montreal, would sprawl have been contained or significantly reduced?

This is an interesting topic that deserves its own thread. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/article-montreals-sprawl-is-shocking-urban-planners/ Montreal’s sprawl is ‘shocking’ urban planners BERTRAND MAROTTE MONTREAL SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL PUBLISHED 4 HOURS AGO Every five years, David Gordon and his team of researchers crunch the most recently available numbers to track urban sprawl and other trends in Canada’s major cities. These days, the urban development professor at Queen’s University in Kingston is analyzing the 2016 Statistics Canada figures and assessing how the picture – literally – has changed since the last batch of census tract information, for 2006 and 2011. Using Statscan data, Google Earth and Google Street View, he’s able to graphically show – via aerial and ground-level images – how “the bleeding edge” of suburbanization continues to spill over the boundary lines marking where the rural spaces begin, in this particular case in the Montreal region. So far, he’s seeing continued vigorous population growth and building activity in territory that stretches farther and farther out from the Island of Montreal, beyond long-established suburbs such as Laval and Longueuil. “It’s kind of shocking the amount of housing,” Mr. Gordon said in a Skype interview, pointing to the huge subdivisions in Mirabel, 40 kilometres north of Montreal. “Just look at this: There’s just tons and tons of unserviced housing.” Of the 4.1 million people in the Greater Montreal, up from 3.9 million in 2011, 1.9 million live on the island and 2.2 million are off it, according to Statscan numbers for 2016. In the 10 years up to 2016, the on-island population growth rate was 4.7 per cent, compared with 21.1 per cent off-island, Mr. Gordon’s analysis indicates. But while there are encouraging signs urban planners and policy makers’ efforts to promote densification and population growth in the core urban spaces are bearing fruit, “almost all of the growth off-island is in auto suburbs and exurban areas,” he said. “For all the new condos that are built in the centre of Montreal, it’s nine times as much being built in areas like this – way out.” Urban sprawl, of course, continues to spread in other cities, notably Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa. But the Montreal region has over the past decade-and-a-half experienced particularly intense growth in so-called exurbia, the region bordering the farthest suburbs. Indeed, some of the older communities on the West Island of Montreal have been losing residents, while distant suburbs on the city’s North and South Shores see their populations grow dramatically. Mirabel’s population grew by 20 per cent between 2011 and 2016; meanwhile, the West Island suburb of Kirkland experienced a loss of 5.2 per cent in the same period, the second-biggest decline in the country. While the City of Montreal, under the new left-of-centre government of Mayor Valérie Plante, is enacting various measures to get more people to move back into the city, there are huge challenges for the larger Montreal region in managing, controlling and shaping urban sprawl so as to minimize negative outcomes such as car dependency, environmental degradation, loss of farmlands and higher infrastructure costs. “There are very little measures being taken at the various levels of government,” said Jochen Jaeger, associate professor at Concordia University’s department of geography, planning and environment. Municipal authorities rely on land development to maintain and increase their tax base, while the regional government – the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) – just doesn’t have sufficient power to limit sprawl, said Mr. Jaeger, who has extensively studied the subject. With better regionwide co-ordination of urban planning in mind, the Quebec government created the CMM in 2000. Twelve years later, the CMM – representing 82 municipalities in the Greater Montreal region – put in place a land-use planning and development program (PMAD). Among the measures to mitigate the impact of sprawl is a project to assist communities in the creation of transit-oriented development (TOD) sectors. PMAD’s goal is to ensure that by 2031, 40 per cent of new housing is located in 155 TOD hubs. To date, there are 11 TOD pilot projects, says Nicolas Froger, an urban planning expert at the CMM. “So far, we’re on target in terms of what we’ve already planned for. The REM [the Greater Montreal light-rail system being built] will no doubt allow us to increase the number of targeted areas,” he said. Having light-rail transit running through suburban communities should help accelerate and encourage the establishment of TOD hubs, he says. TOD is an increasingly popular concept among urban planners, policy makers and politicians; it calls for the creation of compact urban spaces that encourage active transportation (walking, cycling), densification of housing and mixed-use communities centred around dependable, efficient, affordable public transit. Claude Marois, a geography professor at the University of Montreal, says there is a growing receptivity in suburban and exurban municipalities surrounding Montreal to such concepts as the densification of existing low-density areas instead of spreading development out further into agricultural zones. The transfer of job-creating industrial and commercial activities from the city to the suburbs is also proceeding apace, he said. These are not just bedroom suburbs any more. “The city is less and less able to retain older enterprises. There isn’t enough land to expand and it’s too expensive,” he said, pointing to the recent announcement by North American brewer Molson Coors Brewing Co. that it plans move its historic, 230-year-old operations on the Island of Montreal to the South Shore. Laval, on Montreal’s North Shore, has become a thriving city in its own right, boasting a satellite campus of the University of Montreal, a lively theatre and arts scene and a commercial hub around Montmorency station, an 11-year-old extension of the Montreal Metro’s Orange Line, Mr. Marois said. But the progress being made in curbing or managing urban sprawl in the Montreal region still represents only baby steps, according to urban planning expert Gérard Beaudet. “The latest data from Statistics Canada’s most recent census (2016) show that urban sprawl continues in the Montreal metropolitan region, that it is unfolding outside the CMM territory and that it is now also being fed by the oldest postwar suburbs, notably Laval,” he wrote in an article last year for the Institute for Research on Public Policy. The move back into the city by many young families and professionals is indeed an encouraging trend, but migration ever further out to the suburbs in the Montreal region continues on a massive scale, he said. The tendency to sprawl remains strong and finding innovative ways to counter it is a key challenge, Mr. Beaudet said.

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Will Montreal have its first Unicorn? Element AI is reportedly eyeing a $250mn Series B funding round https://canada.businesschief.com/leadership/2747/Element-AI-is-reportedly-eyeing-a-250mn-Series-B-funding-round According to BNN Bloomberg, citing four sources, Montreal-based technology startup Element AI is looking to raise $250mn in venture capital (VC) funding. Element AI provides businesses with no or little technology experience and no how with easy to use AI software, allowing companies from all backgrounds to pursue transformational roadmaps surrounding artificial intelligence. Reportedly, if successful, the funding round would value the startup at more than $1bn, giving the company unicorn status for the first time, coming just two years after the business was founded in 2016. According to BNN Bloomberg, there is no guarantee that the funding will occur, with Element AI only in early talks with a number of investors. These conversations may include the firm’s existing shareholders such as Microsoft, Intel and the National Bank of Canada who all took part in Element AI’s $135mn Series A funding round a year ago, considered to be the biggest such round for a Canadian startup at the time.

That's a bit disingenuous to say people only care about height. The original render was a beauty in its architecture, conceived by world renowned AS+GG. Those who oppose tall buildings often claim they would trade height for architecture. Well now we have neither.

Le projet s’appelle “Le Midtown” et il reste que l’interieur à compléter http://www.clobracon.com/projects/le-midtown

...or Montreal, apparently.

Extremely. The first render was truly a beauty and would have been in my opinion a major architectural landmark.

Une tour de 45 étages résidentielles avec 680 unités....ca va vraiment chubby, non?

Sud-Ouest is beautifully green!

http://carbonleo.com/en/project/royalmount-3/

http://www.montrealinternational.com/blogue/montreal-meilleure-croissance-de-lemploi-en-2017-parmi-les-20-plus-grandes-metropoles-du-canada-et-des-etats-unis/ Montréal, meilleure croissance de l’emploi en 2017 parmi les 20 plus grandes métropoles du Canada et des États-Unis

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/l-catterton-real-estate-partners-with-carbonleo-to-make-montreal-home-to-the-next-generation-of-mixed-use-developments-300664680.html L Catterton Real Estate Partners with Carbonleo to Make Montreal Home to the Next Generation of Mixed-Use Developments The Largest and Most Global Consumer-Focused Private Equity Firm in the World Choses Montreal and Carbonleo's Breakthrough Project for a New Strategic Partnership MONTREAL, June 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Montreal's Carbonleo, a property development and management company and L Catterton Real Estate ("LCRE"), the real estate investment and development arm of L Catterton, the largest and most global consumer-focused private equity firm in the world, have partnered to launch Royalmount, a new multifunctional destination in Montreal created by Andrew Lutfy and his development team. LCRE funds include investment sponsorship from LVMH Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton, the world leader in high-quality products, and its holding company Groupe Arnault. LCRE's projects are renowned for their architectural and design excellence, high profile public art and premium merchants in newly fashionable geographies and locations. The partnership will leverage LCRE's expertise launching globally acclaimed projects including The Amazing Brentwood, Miami Design District and Tokyo's Ginza SIX. Carbonleo's Royalmount project is ushering in a new era of lifestyle destinations. As Montreal's new Midtown urban complex, Royalmount offers the best in retail, work, entertainment and hospitality, all designed around a platform that enhances the experiential and orchestrates infinite points of connectivity among its people. Drawn together by a bold vision in an iconic city, Royalmount is set to re-define mixed-use developments for the future and position Montreal as a global leader in innovative lifestyle projects. Royalmount attracts scores of local and international visitors, while creating a place like no other for Montreal's local community to enjoy. "Royalmount will be a feast for the senses – a super-stage for self-expression and connection and a place of uncommon quality," said Andrew Lutfy, Chairman of Carbonleo and Founder of Royalmount. "We are proud to welcome LCRE to Montreal and to share in our vision of making it a global real estate destination. We are confident that LCRE is the ideal partner for a project of this scale and imagination." "We are honored to partner with Carbonleo on such an extraordinary project and thank Andrew Lutfy and his team for their trust," said Mathieu Le Bozec, Managing Partner of L Catterton Real Estate. "With its scale and underlying vision, Royalmount will be one of the most innovative real estate projects in the world, offering an unrivalled consumer experience that we hope all Montreal residents and visitors will enjoy." The 3.6 million square foot privately funded project was conceived following rigorous research and consultations, comprehensive futurist workshops, and a strategic and business development initiative led by Andrew Lutfy and Carbonleo that has been ongoing for several years. This project will restructure a former industrial district and create 15,000 new jobs. Royalmount will feature exciting entertainment venues, never before seen in Montreal, and extensive dining and hospitality possibilities. Retail is re-imagined through supreme storytelling, world-class fashion and luxury rows, international flagships, independent boutiques, and family-oriented shopping from the next generation of global retailers alongside Montreal's most exciting local champions. With more than 100 exciting venues, the new culinary destination is distinguished by its limitless bounty of food and beverage experiences. As only Montreal can offer, as a city with both a neighbourhood feeling and international appeal, visitors will enjoy a curated set of popular restaurant outposts, newcomers, trendsetters and luxury players. Plans for Montreal's Midtown urban resort are underway with five hotels, four office towers, a wellness village and a sustainable and efficient transportation hub anchored by a privately funded, fully enclosed pedestrian and bike friendly bridge connecting visitors from the metro to the development. Royalmount is the second transformative project in Montreal currently being developed by Carbonleo along with the downtown luxury ecosystem featuring the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences.

http://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/entreprises/201806/11/01-5185372-encore-60-millions-pour-la-montrealaise-breather.php Encore 60 millions pour la montréalaise Breather Breather, l'une des jeunes entreprises québécoises les plus prometteuses qui s'est jusqu'ici développée presque exclusivement grâce à des capitaux étrangers, annoncera mardi avoir reçu 60 millions de dollars additionnels provenant notamment de la Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Temasek, un fonds souverain de Singapour, et le promoteur immobilier asiatique Ascendas-Singbridge font aussi partie des nouveaux investisseurs recrutés par Breather. Fondée en 2013, Breather se spécialise dans les services de location d'espaces de bureau à court terme. Son fondateur et directeur général, Julien Smith, était un travailleur autonome las de s'installer jour après jour dans des cafés. Il a donc pensé à créer de petits espaces contenant notamment un bureau de travail, un divan, des livres et une décoration moderne pour permettre à ces travailleurs de vaquer à leurs occupations dans un environnement serein, de recevoir des visiteurs ou simplement de se reposer. Ils étaient offerts en location à court terme, à l'heure. « Comme pigiste, je pensais à moi-même », explique M. Smith. Avec le temps, la clientèle s'est transformée. Les espaces de Breather accueillent toujours des pigistes, mais une très grande partie de sa clientèle provient de grandes entreprises qui les utilisent pour combler des besoins temporaires et optimiser leur parc immobilier. C'est notamment le cas de Spotify, l'un des gros clients de Breather. « Ce n'est pas quelque chose qui s'est fait par exprès, dit M. Smith. Ça s'est passé parce qu'au début, nous n'avions pas beaucoup d'espaces, donc on ne pouvait pas travailler avec ces grosses entreprises. Maintenant que nous sommes passés de 3 à 200 espaces à New York, on peut le faire. » La croissance a aussi permis à Breather de varier son offre. Certains de ses espaces sont plus grands et peuvent accueillir plusieurs travailleurs à la fois. La durée de location moyenne s'est allongée, pour atteindre une journée. Certains clients réservent pour un mois ou un trimestre. Les propriétaires commerciaux sont très heureux d'accueillir l'entreprise et d'ainsi pouvoir offrir une certaine flexibilité à leurs clients, raconte l'entrepreneur. « On pense vraiment pouvoir être présents dans tous les édifices commerciaux à New York, dit-il. L'immobilier flexible est devenu une façon de fonctionner dans l'industrie. » Capital étranger La somme annoncée mardi porte à environ 150 millions CAN les investissements en capital de risque perçus par Breather depuis sa fondation. L'entreprise a notamment déjà attiré l'attention de fonds américains comme Valar Ventures - dirigée par le cofondateur de PayPal et premier investisseur de Facebook, Peter Thiel - ou Menlo Ventures, l'un des plus anciens fonds de la Silicon Valley. Avant la Caisse, Real Ventures était le seul investisseur québécois à y avoir placé une somme importante. Ce n'est là que le résultat de l'état actuel du marché du capital de risque au Canada, selon Julien Smith. « Historiquement, les investisseurs américains sont plus agressifs. Au Canada, on est bons dans la phase d'amorçage et la série A, puis dans les rondes de croissance grâce notamment à la Caisse et à Teachers', mais il y a un trou. » Breather offre présentement des espaces de travail à Montréal, Toronto, Ottawa, New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco et Londres. « Nous avons une très bonne présence au Canada, aux États-Unis et au Royaume-Uni. Éventuellement, je ne dirai pas quand, ce sera aussi le cas dans le reste de l'Europe et en Asie. » Le nouvel investissement servira à s'implanter dans de nouvelles villes, mais aussi à densifier la présence dans les villes existantes.

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/the-brivia-group-announces-a-new-all-in-one-space-condominium-project-in-downtown-montreal-nest-condos-685138041.html The Brivia Group announces a new all-in-one space condominium project in downtown Montreal: NEST Condos MONTREAL, June 11, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - The Brivia Group, a fast-growing Montreal real-estate developer and investor, is delighted to announce today the launch of a new all-in-one space condominium project: NEST Condos. Located in downtown Montreal, this new 11-storey residential building will be built at 1198 Crescent St., at the corner of René-Lévesque Blvd. NEST Condos will offer 97 condos consisting of studios, as well as of one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums. The units' surfaces will vary between 265 square feet and 970 square feet. Residents will have access to, among other things, a fitness centre, a lounge, a ground-floor backyard, a three-storey indoor parking lot as well as storing lockers. The project will also include two commercial areas. Relatively new to Montreal, the all-in-one-space concept is characterized by housing units of reduced square-footage, generally studios with furnishings that are adapted to the space, such as fold-away beds. The elegant and contemporary architectural concept was assigned to Marco Manini Architecte. The end of the construction work, to be carried out by EBC, is scheduled for 2019. "We are proud to add a new condominium project to our portfolio on an iconic street like Crescent St.," said Kheng Ly, president of the Brivia Group. "We are certain that the future owners of NEST Condos will be enchanted by this vibrant, cosmopolitan street known for its many restaurants and hip, fashionable shops." This is the Brivia Group's third real-estate project in downtown Montreal. The first, YUL Condominiums, includes two 38-storey towers, some 800 units and 17 townhouses. The second, Stanbrooke, is a 19-storey rental building with 178 apartments. The NEST Condos units will go on sale to the public and to real estate brokers on June 13, between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., at the St. James Club (1145 Union Ave. in Montreal). To subscribe to the newsletter, consult www.nestcondos.com.