Canada Post Site - 1500 Ottawa Street
January 22, 2008 by rorlan
With all the discussion online about the Griffintown project, very little attention has been paid to the future of the old Canada Post distribution centre on Ottawa street. This 23.5 acre site is adjacent to the proposed “Village Griffintown”, and is currently owned by the Canada Lands Company. To see a map of the site click here.
On April 20, 2007, the Canada Lands Company launched the development strategy for Montréal’s New Harbourfront. In May 2007 the Canada Lands Company purchased the property as part of the plan for the redevelopment of this part of Montreal.
From a CLC press release on January 7, 2008:
Canada Lands Company CLC Limited (CLC) has begun work on the master plan for the redevelopment of the former Canada Post site, at 1500 Ottawa Street, in the Sud-Ouest Borough. This process is part of Montréal’s New Harbourfront development strategy, announced last April by the government of Canada. The committee mandated to follow up on the planning process, which is composed of representatives from the community, the Borough, the City of Montréal and CLC held its first meeting on December 11.
The planning process will include various initiatives involving local community groups and citizens, including visioning for the redevelopment, theme workshops and open door sessions to present proposed development concepts.
Over the winter months, studies will be carried out to better define the development program, especially regarding housing, commercial space, services, tourism, cultural and recreation activities, as well as commemorating the site’s legacy. The process should lead to the submission of a master plan to the Sud-Ouest Borough by fall 2008.
The members of the committee are:
- Basil Cavis. Canada Lands Company. General Manager, Real Estate, Québec
- Johanne Boucher. Canada Lands Company. Director, Real Estate, Québec
- Normand Proulx. Sud-Ouest Arrondissement. Director, Direction de l’aménagement urbain et des services aux entreprises.
- Nancy Shoiry. Sud-Ouest Arrondissement. Division head, Division de l’urbanisme.
- Stéphane Conant, committee chair. City of Montreal, Service de la mise en valeur du territoire et du patrimoine, Direction de la planification stratégique, Division de la planification urbaine.
- Édith Cyr. Bâtir son Quartier, Director.
- Pierre Morrissette. Regroupement économique et social du Sud-Ouest (RÉSO)
By the way, the redevelopment of the former Canada Post Distribution Centre isn’t a new idea. There were two proposals published in the past few years:
- RESO Montreal. Canada Post site : A job creation and affordable housing project. November 2004.
- Les Dialogues de Griffintown. Sud-Ouest Arrondissement. October 2006. Proposition Site #3. Proposal for the Canada Post site, Document synthèse.
