A future west end landmark across from the superhospital could be on the horizon, as a 30,000 square foot property can be yours for just $7.5 million.The future building could be commercial or residential and reach up to eight floors if council and residents don't object to switching the zoning to allow it to go over the proscribed three.
The 10 buildings on the west side of Decarie south of Crowley would need to be demolished and whatever residents inside set packing in a river of tears.A small group of residents recently blocked a proposed grocery store nearby at the southwest corner of Claremont and De Maisonneuve. The Coderre administration chose not to overrule the opposition, so it's possible that a project along those lines might find opposition.
The sale revives speculation as to whether a major new hospital brings significant economic growth to a neighbourhood. Many assumed the superhospital would turn its area into a booming hub, while others pointed out that older hospitals weren't magnets for lots of commercial activity.
In this case the property has been on sale for at least a couple of years with no takers, so nobody is looking at the deal with dollar signs in their eyes as of yet.
The large plot of land on sale could be expanded by purchasing the adjacent buildings, which include a couple of warehouses owned by Rosia La Serra-Montesano and Toni Montesano of NDD, whose 550 square metre property is evaluated at $420,000.The land at 990 and 1000 Decarie could be added to the mix if you could strike a deal with owner Stephen Abbott of Kingston Ontario. Or one could go even further and gobble up Francois St. Laurent's two buildings, each evaluated at about $640,000.
The block ends at a Mazda dealership which spans 4,600 square metres and is evaluated at $3.5 million, although it seems a long shot that the thriving business would be willing to shove off and move along.
The future development, if there ever is one, could generate much excitement as NDG has no landmark structures so anything built on this property would best be something eye-catching. Montreal has no buildings with glass elevators, so a building with such a thing could be amazing, as would be one with elevators that go sideways.
