The vast amount of green space that sits west of Pierrefonds Boulevard is going to remain that way for a while.
And for some, that’s a big problem.
Three developers, Développements Pierrefonds Inc, Les Immeubles L’Équerre Inc and Quartier de l’Ouest de l’Île, are suing the City of Montreal, Mayor Valérie Plante, the borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro and Projet Montréal for more than $178 million.
The lawsuit claims the mayor’s proposal to build a massive park in the West Island known as the Parc de l’Ouest puts an end to the Cap Nature Pierrefonds-Ouest housing project of more than 5,500 units.
The lawsuit describes the city’s actions as “disguised expropriation.”
“And that’s the very definition of disguised expropriation.”
Argun insists the proposed housing project would have protected half of the green space available and the housing promoters had planned to donate the land back to the city at no charge.
“My clients made every effort over 14 years to develop the project, made every effort to sit with the city and find solutions and now find themselves told, ‘you’re never going to realize your project,'” Argun said.
WATCH: (Aug. 23, 2019) Developers plan to block Montreal park project
A spokesperson for the mayor says Plante is not commenting on the lawsuit, only that the mayor plans to pursue the city’s plans to build the Parc de l’Ouest.
Plante referred to the real estate project’s cancellation at the Climate Action Summit at the United Nations on Monday.
Argun insists an out-of-court settlement is still possible, but said the city will have to pay some sort of indemnity to his clients.
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