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Here are some of the city’s goals for the revitalization of the area of Griffintown. For the details and the link to City of Montreal Master Plan link, click here.
General goals:
Preserve the character and scale associated with the area’s industrial past.
Intensify and diversify the area’s activities by fostering the cohabitation of economic
and residential activities.
Reinforce recreational and tourism uses in the Peel Basin area as well as the nautical vocation of the Lachine Canal , by taking advantage of the proximity of Old Montréal, the Old Port and the Central Business District.
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Planning issues:
Griffintown has been an industrial area since the 19th century. At its peak, it was home to factories, metal workshops, breweries, printing plants, shipping companies and other industries. Its industrial decline began in the first half of the 20th century and was hastened by the complete closure of the Lachine Canal in 1970. This decline spurred the loss of a large number of jobs and the demolition of many buildings. As a result, the area now has high development potential, especially since many industrial buildings of heritage interest have been spared from demolition. Each part of the area has its own character and scale, making revitalization all the more interesting. However, the process must contend with heavy vehicle traffic and industries that generate nuisances, such as noise, pollutants emissions, dust and vibrations.
Over the past 20 years or so, a number of areas adjacent to Griffintown have undergone transformation. Griffintown could benefit from a more formal connection to the Central Business District. In this regard, Peel Street , connected to De La Commune Street , is the preferred corridor, despite its lack of streetscape design and retail continuity.
The redevelopment of the area along the Lachine Canal and its opening to pleasure craft also favor a rise in recreational and tourist activities south of Wellington Street . However, the combined presence of the elevated portion of the Bonaventure Expressway and the railway bridge is a major barrier between Griffintown on one side and the Cité Multimédia and Old Montréal on the other, not to mention the major visual impact that this has on the Peel Basin area.
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Some of the city's Planning guidelines relevant to area of griffintown:
1 Preserve and enhance buildings of heritage value.
2 Maintain the character of the built environment in each part of Griffintown, by favoring appropriate design and architectural vocabulary.
5 Evaluate the relocation of certain enterprises that are incompatible with residential uses.
8 Study the possibility of establishing a public transportation service, such as a modern tramway, light rail system or shuttle bus, connecting the Quartier des spectacles, the Old Port , Jean-Drapeau Park and Mount Royal .
9 Relocate the Bonaventure Expressway corridor, converted to a ground-level urban boulevard, in order to free up the waterfront and improve access to the adjacent sites.
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