The Lafontaine manor in Montreal was a symbol of the fight against renovations. Empty of his tenants, he now illustrates the deadlines that afflict the development of affordable housing projects, in the midst of housing crisis.
The major renovation work on the 14 -storey tower and 93 dwellings have not yet started, two years after the redemption of the building by a non -profit organization. However, the site was to start in the fall of 2023.
“I am 82 years old. I have time to die before returning home! It scares me, ”said Maggie Sawyer, in an interview with The press Last Thursday. The tenant lived for half a century at the Lafontaine manor, until her departure in July 2023 in the wake of the redemption by the organization, which was to undertake the work.
Photo François Roy, the press
Maggie Sawyer, tenant of Manoir Lafontaine, is relocated to another building belonging to Blood.
Faced with delays, “we are very disappointed,” she said, denouncing the deadlines constantly pushed.
Another tenant, Nadine Freville, also deplores the turn of events.
Photo François Roy, the press
The Lafontaine manor, a 14 -storey tower and 93 dwellings, faces the Park of the same name, in Montreal.
“I freed the place by thinking that it was going to allow things to move forward,” she said. When the redemption of the building per stint was announced, in May 2023, it did not imagine “a second” that the work would not even have started two years later.
I trusted, a lot of hope.
Nadine Freville, tenant of Manoir Lafontaine
The two women are relocated to other buildings belonging to Blood. They will possibly have the right to resume their accommodation at the Lafontaine manor and pay the same rent as before.
“There are deadlines, it’s undeniable”
The Lafontaine manor was built as part of Expo 67. It served as a hotel before being transformed into a residential building. The same family has owned it for several years, until its acquisition by real estate developers Jeremy Kornbluth and Brandon Shiller.
Photo Bernard Brault, La Presse Archives
Demonstration in April 2021 in front of the Lafontaine manor to denounce the expulsion of his residents
The attempt of the new owners to empty the building to do major work had created lively controversy in 2021, several tenants suspecting the two men of wanting to develop luxury apartments.
Two years later, the mayor of Montreal, the minister responsible for the housing and the big boss of Desjardins were gathered to announce the acquisition of the building by the organization trapped, to make affordable housing. “The start of renovation work is scheduled in the fall of 2023,” said their press release.
It was “an optimistic statement”, today recognizes Louis-Philippe Myre, Managing Director of InTloge.
Photo François Roy, the press
The balcony of the old apartment of Nadine Freville, on which she installed a sign with the mention “Manor of contempt”
“We are in the process of setting up complete funding to start the work in the coming weeks in good and due form,” he said in an interview. There are deadlines, it’s undeniable. […] The implementation of funding takes a little more time than expected because there are approval deadlines, including the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Company. »»
It is an operation that requires a lot of planning and attention. We prefer to take the time it takes to do things well than to start a site and discover unpleasant surprises along the way.
Louis-Philippe Myre, CEO
In May 2023, the elected officials gathered spoke of rescue, the victory of the tenants. Their press release suggested that the 38 million envelope gathered with various partners was a financial assembly to allow the project to move forward.
“To take into account, it was clear from the start that money would be lacking to complete the renovation project,” said Mr. Myre.
In the office of the mayor Valérie Plante, we continue to describe the announcement of 2023 as “a pride of our administration and a strong symbol of resistance”.
“The site must start this summer to be able to welcome the first tenants in 2027,” said a declaration transmitted in writing. “However, the closure of the financial assembly is complex and we are currently supporting it at this level so that the organization can start the work on time. This also demonstrates all the complexity behind the safeguarding projects of affordable housing. »»
The cabinet called on all donors to “be there”.
Slower reaction time
For Jean-Philippe Meloche, professor at the University of Montreal specializing in urban economy, this type of deadline is not unusual in projects that depend on the public sector. He did not wish to comment on the case of the Lafontaine manor in particular.
Private projects and out-of-market projects are facing the same problems-such as increasing construction costs or the shortage of labor-, but those who do not depend on the state are more agile.
Photo François Roy, the press
The Lafontaine Manor
In the public sector, when “each loan must be endorsed by a public program, yes, it can generate deadlines,” he said in a telephone interview.
In comparison, a bank that finances a condos project “will probably be faster to respond. They are not in a specific program, they are in a market, “he continued. “As long as we know that the project is viable, if [les coûts] Increase 15 %, we look at the figures and if it’s still viable: Go, we go. »»
M. Meloche also shows the propensity of politicians to announce poorly featured projects too early by including “a pile of pious promises and wishes”.
“This is a bit like that when it starts from politics,” observes the professor. The problem in the public is that often, what is initially announced was done on a Napkin, “without the contribution of an experienced real estate developer.
