St. Catherine Street is going through a complete revival. Its Western Leg, more commonly known as “Shaughnessy Village”, is only now being recognized for its true value. With new niche businesses popping up on the popular Montreal street, the new design of Chabot Square, renovation of the AMC forum 22 and Alexis Nihon’s facelift, everything is in place for this neighbourhood to take off and finally compare to other internationally recognized districts. This neighbourhood’s visibility certainly plays up its architectural heritage, which easily measures up to the elegance of the more contemporary buildings that are a part of the La Catherine condo development.
This street, which is unique to Montreal, detains undeniable trumps: its identity, its color, its notoriety, its cultural, sports, and social scenes, the famous Quartier des Spectacles, and even more! It’s a true gem, right at the heart of the city. It’s no surprise that more and more Montrealers are choosing to move downtown.
The street’s Western end has established a reputation similar to that of New York’s 5th Avenue or Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, among Montrealers and tourists. Located at the heart of the city, St. Catherine Street stretches across Montreal’s business center and benefits from the proximity of McGill and Concordia Universities as well as the impressive number of downtown residents.
The newest development on the block is the adequately named La Catherine condos! Using this prestigious commercial artery to market its units, La Catherine is betting on the aura of boutiques, fashion, institutes, and academies to help its real estate project shine. There’s no doubt that the condos represent the modern and urban lifestyle at its best.
With its fifteen floors and one hundred units, La Catherine will certainly seduce both Montrealers and newcomers, as the international community’s input was considered while everything was still on the drawing board. Large spaces, layouts giving onto a sixty-four square foot balcony, quality finishings and well-known European Bloomberg appliances set the tone of this new project’s character. To make sure that both Western and Eastern communities are honoured (we are on St. Catherine Street, after all), the condos were designed according to feng shui principles and numerology, which will certainly help to avoid the unwanted number four… All units have a balcony of at least 8’ by 8’, so the indoors and the outdoors are nearly indistinguishable. It also isn’t a surprise that the views to the West are amazing as La Catherine towers over its neighbours!
Within the next few months, the approximate 75 buyers will be invited to choose their finishes with the help of a designer. From the colour of the engineered flooring to the ceramic or porcelain tiles, thermoplastics and backsplashes, nothing will be left to chance to ensure a harmonious space that reflects the buyer’s personality and character.
The La Catherine residents, above and beyond their condos, will be able to chill out in the lounge, work out at the gym, and, who knows? Maybe even finish the day with a swim in the third floor pool. The indoor courtyard, deemed the project’s signature piece, will give the place a resort feel with its trees and shaded rest areas. To make sure the complex feels intimate, the main entrance, with its 24-hour reception, will be built on Tupper Street and will have a contemporary design that lets the outside flow in.
The project was created by Montreal Design Zone, with the expert eye of architect Allan Fadi Coussa, and Groupe Gabriel as its developer. This visionary team is also responsible for Platopolis, a project on the Plateau Mont-Royal having won a Domus.
In short, living in the city at that price is rare: a one-closed-room unit with balcony and stunning views, $290 000; for a view on the mountain, opt for two rooms, starting at $435 000. The first residents should move in as of June 2017.
ADVANTAGES
- Located in an up-and-coming, cosmopolitan part of town
- Large balcony in downtown
- Pleasing design where space is omnipresent
- A few steps away from the metro, universities, three supermarkets, Canadian Center of Architecture, Museum of Fine Arts, Mount Royal park, etc.
BUYING CONSIDERATIONS
- Must love the urban hustle and bustle
- Very diversified clientele
- Roof isn’t developed (no terrace or green space)
- One-year wait before moving in.
