There's a prevalent myth that Montrealers have to move off the island because there's simply no room for any more housing in the city. These photos of an area full of boarded up property suggests otherwise. I took them last December and haven't been back since. So I'm only assuming that the area still looks like a ghost town. Anybody recognize the spot?
Jarry Street East and 2nd avenue (between St-Michel and Iberville)
ReplyDeleteThe owners of such properties could be asking for more than the potential buyers are willing to pay, or perhaps the soil needs to be tested for contamination which could be a costly endeavour.
ReplyDeleteI would not be surprised if most of this area is owned by the same people/company/entity who are patiently waiting for the buildings to burn or fall down. Once the neighborhood is a ruin, the city will allow anything at all to be built there and may even throw in a few bucks to help if the owners make the right noises about building low income housing.
ReplyDeleteThis method worked quite well for the Bronfman's on St Cat West. There is a shiny new condo tower where the historic and supposedly "protected" Seville theater once was.
nicky is right, that's Jarry. Not a very pleasant area to live in – there's the big recycling and composting facility right nearby, highway 40 a couple blocks away, not much in the way of street life or facilities.
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