Notman House may be sold
Notman House may have to be sold by the nonprofit that has run it for the benefit of the tech community. And if it does get sold, it will probably become a façade tacked onto another condo tower.
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Kate
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DeWolf 11:40 on 2023-10-28 Permalink
That would be nearly impossible. It’s a listed historic monument which is actually quite a rare status in Quebec, so even the slightest change needs approval not just from the city but from the Minister of Culture, with a report from the Commission des biens culturels. Demolishing the building for condos (and façadism is legally considered demolition) would be so insanely complicated, legally risky and politically controversial no developer would want to make an effort.
Besides, we’re talking about the Plateau, not exactly the most developer-friendly borough. The site is currently zoned for three storeys maximum, so even beyond the historic monument status, any attempt to build something new there would require a rezoning process: that means public consultation and likely a referendum, given the high-profile nature of the building. If Griffintown residents have been able to kill multiple condo projects that have just barely exceeded the zoning limits, imagine what Plateau residents would do to a proposal to demolish the Notman House.
On top of that, the site is very limited because the garden is owned by the borough which is going to turn it into a public park.
My guess is that Notman House will be sold to a university, another non-profit or maybe a private company that will use it in roughly the same way Osmo has been using it.