Griffintown news updates

I'm pausing my coverage of THE CHANGING FACE OF SAINT-HENRI for this post with breaking info over in Griffintown. Needless to say, Griffintown will be a pale shadow of itself in a year or so...

First info - Asbestos in walls

As mentioned here at VM, the facades of the building on the corner of Peel and Wellington will be merged into a new 20 storey condo complex. Here's a photo of the banner advertising the new over-the-top project. They got approval from the city with the sole condition of merging the old facades with the new structure. Now my source tells me that the facades might eventually be demolished anyway because the walls contain asbestos. Hmm...

Haven't we heard of this many times before? Builders get approval on constructing on some heritage structure or special site with some conditions but then the old building is not safe so they'll have to demolish it anyway.


Second info - Accidents happen

This beautiful building in Griffintown is considered a heritage building and is supposed to be spared from demolition when they'll build the St Ann condo complex where the one level red brick building behind it now stands. Well, according to my source, the owner of the shop was told, to the person's face, that "you never know an accident might happen, that a wall from the building could be accidentally demolished or something during construction and that a fine would only be $500 and they would eventually have to demolish the entire building afterwards." Interpret it is at you wish...


Third info - Moving garage

The bus garage on Wellington near the bridge was supposed to stay operational for a couple of years at this location while constructions are going on all around it in Griffintown. According to my source the garage and its offices was recently sold and the garage will move out as early as December of this year so the structure can be demolished for condos. The garage will relocate on St-Patrick street.