For about four years now, a strip of land off St-Jean Boulevard on the West Island has sat vacant.
The site, which previously housed a Scores restaurant and a Goodyear tire store, stands between Chenoy’s and Au Vieux Duluth restaurant.
There are plans in the works to revitalize it with a nine-storey residential project.
The plan is to build a condo development with around 270 units and an underground parking lot that will hold nearly 400 cars.
But not everyone is on board.
“When you are trying to create these type of high density areas, in a neighbourhood that is so suburban that it doesn’t even have sidewalks, I feel like you have to consider the fact that you have to make the project match the neighbourhood,” said Dollard-des-Ormeaux resident, Deborah Ancel.
Some residents say they have a few issues with the project, including how close it’ll be to property lines and how it’ll affect their quiet streets.
For example, the project is slated to have about 20 outdoor visitor parking spots — which residents argue isn’t enough — and will therefore spill out into their neighbourhood.
They also say there’s the issue of traffic.
They fear that the already busy area will get even more clogged up.
And on top of that, they’re upset with the city, saying they wish they could have been part of the planning process.
“I brought that up to my councillor. I said you guys have been working on this for at least two years, how come we never heard of it?” said Jorge de Matos, who lives near the project.
“His excuse is we have a non-disclosure with the developer, we can’t discuss that. My point of view is you were elected by us, you work for us, not for the developer.”
Sylvain Bouliane, the city’s director of urban planning and engineering says the project won’t add a significant increase in traffic in the area.
He also defended the project’s parking ratio, and added that the plan isn’t a done deal yet.
A registry will open in January for residents who are zoned for the area and opposed to the project.
“If there is a sufficient number, the city council will decide if they will stop the project or if they do a referendum,” said Bouliane.
Residents will be advised of the date of the registry a few days before it opens, through the city’s website.
Ancel and de Matos have created a Facebook page to help keep affected residents informed and up to date about potential developments.