Amplified Riverside Redevelopment: A Fresh Take on Urban Planning in Longueuil
Expansion of Riverfront Neighborhood in Longueuil: Plans unveiled for 1000 additional homes
Get ready for a major expansion in the riverside neighborhood that's quickly becoming a beacon of excellence, nestled near the Longueuil-Université-de-Sherbrooke metro station! In a groundbreaking move, the City of Longueuil and the Société immobilière du Canada (SIC) have decided to add an impressive 5000 housing units to the area, surpassing the original plans of 3500-4000 units. This ambitious expansion aims to attract more nearby businesses to this thriving neighborhood.
Renders of the future Pointe-de-Longueuil development, exclusively obtained by our site, reveal towering structures, smaller buildings, and lush greenery. Expect to see a riverside promenade grace this currently barren lot, located between the St. Lawrence River and Route 132. Covering an expansive 2.5 million square feet (or equivalent to 43 football fields), this prime location stretches along the river between the Jacques-Cartier Bridge and the Longueuil Nautical Club. Residents and visitors can look forward to stunning panoramic views of the St. Lawrence Seaway and Montreal, with La Ronde's Ferris wheel adding to the picturesque scenery.
This exceptional site being the focus of attention also includes a reserved spot for a school, an essential element according to Longueuil Mayor Catherine Fournier. Overcrowded schools in the area necessitate a primary school in the sector, per Fournier. She cites the development near the Lachine Canal in Montreal, Griffintown, as a reminder of what not to do, as families there must transport their children to neighboring schools, and a primary school project in Griffintown has been delayed for budgetary reasons.
Innovative High-Rise Education
Given the density of the planned neighborhood, plans call for a high-rise school, different from the traditional models found across Quebec. This ambitious approach is inspired by European countries with higher population density and built environments, where such schools are common.
Mayor Fournier expresses optimism that the Ministry of Education will endorse this deviation from the typical school architecture, based on her exposure to a six-story school in Copenhague, Denmark, in 2023. Each floor of this school offered a play area for students.
The mayor and SIC have agreed to increase residential density in exchange for contributing to the city's fund for social or affordable housing. The future neighborhood will feature at least 20% non-market housing, designed for the middle class and low-income residents.
Green Oasis
The school will be situated at the heart of the neighborhood, next to a park with a children's playground. A third of the future neighborhood will be dedicated to green spaces, significantly exceeding the average 10% for comparable projects. Expect a bike path and pedestrian trail along the river, with the current bike path being preserved and even enhanced in the new neighborhood. A pedestrian and cyclist bridge over Highway 132 is planned between the metro station and the new neighborhood, while the old bridge at the end of Rue de Châteauguay in the Old Longueuil will also be rebuilt, as confirmed by the mayor. The water treatment plant located nearby will also undergo renovation.
A call for interest for the development of the future neighborhood will be launched in the upcoming months to leading real estate developers. Details of this transformative project will be presented this Friday at the Strategic Forum on Major Projects, organized by the Metropolitan Montreal Chamber of Commerce.
To sum up, Longueuil's visionary urban planning aims to provide a sustainable, vibrant living space. The high-rise school concept, while gaining traction, is inspired by European countries with high population density and sophisticated urban layouts. Obviously, implementing such an innovative model would require collaboration between school boards, urban planners, and policymakers to address potential zoning and funding challenges.
- The City of Longueuil, in collaboration with the Société immobilière du Canada (SIC), is finalizing plans to add an additional 1500 housing units, bringing the total to 5000, in the riverside neighborhood of Longueuil.
- The Pointe-de-Longueuil development, slated for occupancy in coming years, will feature a high-rise school, a first for Quebec's education system, modeled after those in countries with higher population densities and built environments, like Denmark.
- With 33% of the future neighborhood dedicated to green spaces, this development, located near the Longueuil-Université-de-Sherbrooke metro station, will surpass the average 10% for similar projects.
- Notably, the mayor and SIC have agreed to contribute to the city's fund for social or affordable housing in exchange for increasing residential density in the neighborhood.
- Investing in home-and-garden or real-estate opportunities in the Pointe-de-Longueuil development may be of interest to those seeking a lifestyle conducive to a sustainable, vibrant living space.
