Haleco – Rental apartments | a real estate project to rethink urban life
An investment of nearly $200 million in a Montreal redevelopment project
Montreal, Quebec, June 14, 2022 – Ivanhoé Cambridge, the City of Montreal, Cogir Real Estate and Pomerleau today officially announced Haleco, a unique mixed-use development project (residential, commercial and office) and winner of C40’s international Reinventing Cities competition, which will upgrade and transform a site in the area between Old Montreal and Griffintown.
The official start of construction took place on the project site with a groundbreaking ceremony. Construction will last about two years, with delivery of the first rental spaces scheduled for the summer of 2024. The teams at ACDF and L’OEUF Architectes are responsible for project design.
The Government of Canada contributed to the project through a $135 million low-cost loan.
Diverse, mixed-use development
This 31,442-m2 project stands out with its mixed-use approach. In developing the residential rental component of the project, the designers were inspired by an inclusive vision emphasizing mixed use and diversity. The project will include 327 units and 40 community housing units built in cooperation with Bâtir son quartier, which is coordinating the execution of this component of the project. Integrating all the units into a single building will contribute to community spirit and connections between the residents.
Offices will take up two floors, with 1,974 m2 of gross leasable area on the second floor and 2,017 m2 on the third floor.
The retail space will consist of 1,432 m2 of gross leasable area on the ground floor and 994 m2 on the mezzanine level. The ground floor will have a large open public market that will provide a one-of-a-kind gathering place for the project’s community and visitors.
The basement will have an urban farm covering approximately 500 m2.
The City of Montreal’s satellite garage on de la Commune Street will be relocated to Nazareth Street and will occupy the ground floor.
A building based on energy efficiency
The project is aiming for LEED Platinum certification with a design focused on energy efficiency. The designers have gone beyond the usual energy-saving parameters for residential buildings with an envelope that stands out for its thermal resistance, resilience and energy performance.
Moreover, special attention has been paid to the project’s energy supply; it will have a 100% electric system designed to be as efficient as possible with integrated renewable energy generation systems (heat pumps) on each floor of the building.
Citizen involvement
Haleco’s mission is to contribute to the city’s transformation; it aims to ensure a better future for the generations to come by promoting a lifestyle with minimal carbon impact. The developers will offer a complete range of services promoting citizen involvement, for users of the complex and visitors alike.
This offer will include an education program on energy and water consumption, circular economy concepts and mobility choices, as well as workshops on subjects such as bike repair. The project’s retail space (the market) will also reflect this goal with, for example, stores selling local products, a Fab Lab (a small-scale workshop with the ability to fabricate and repair almost anything) and a space promoting the circular economy.
Urban regeneration and biodiversity conservation
The principles of regeneration and preservation of biodiversity guided the choices made by the project designers, who will upgrade the area by creating green spaces accessible to the public – hence the density of the building on a site where 57% of the land will be revegetated, ensuring greater respect for the surrounding biodiversity. The project will include a community garden, fruit trees and a pollinator garden, with native and adapted species that will contribute to the area’s revegetation.
A winning project of C40’s international Reinventing Cities competition
Haleco is a winner of C40’s international Reinventing Cities competition, carried out with the City of Montreal. This collaborative initiative, linking C40 with cities around the world, encourages the development of low-carbon housing and community models that offer innovative solutions to the challenges of climate change and urbanization.
The project team will continue to work with the City of Montreal and C40 by producing an annual report for 10 years to demonstrate the achievement of a number of concrete actions related to the goal of a minimal carbon impact.
Architectural renderings of the project are available here.
*see photo gallery below
For more details contact our representatives today.
Sales Office: 995 Rue de la Commune O,
Montréal, QC H3C 4H5
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