[Aylmer] Le Square Wilfrid | 2 x 5 fl | Completed

[harls]

Details: 289 apartments for Seniors, 237,482 sq.ft. of land, plus an additional 19,841 sq.ft. of parking
Location : 161 rue Principale, Gatineau (Aylmer)
Construction : Groupe Mélior
Completion : Summer 2009
Website : http://www.groupemelior.com/pages/futurs-complexes/projet-en-cours/le-redemptoriste-aylmer.aspx?lang=EN-CA

Rendering:

http://www.groupemelior.com/pages/doc/images/imgFuturs-complexes/Le-Redemptoriste_Aylmer/img_redemptoriste-aylmer.jpg

Photos (by me - Oct. 11, 2008)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3289/2932597335_15ae9dda95_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3060/2932592189_2250fc4c5c_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/2933446744_100d5600b2_b.jpg

Closest thing to a skyscraper going up around these parts.

[harls]

No one cares about poor Aylmer.. haha. Aylmeroptimist, I figured you'd be all over this.

Well, the lower crane is gone now. I'm sure you can all sleep tonight knowing this. :D

[Aylmer]

What do you mean? There's a crane there! I passed by just 2 hours ago...

:)

[harls]

There were two, but now there's been just one (since November).

This place looks cheaply built, I tell you. It's taking forever to complete.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3606/3341549564_f45aac68e4_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3564/3340721445_8df3639a42_b.jpg

[harls]

I went by here the other day and there has been ZERO progress. plastic flapping in the wind, crappy outdoor drywall starting to peel off the sides... it's like they just abandoned the construction site. I wonder what happened?

[harls]

Still the same - looks like nothing has moved since last summer. Wonder what happened?

[Proof Sheet]

Still the same - looks like nothing has moved since last summer. Wonder what happened?

It looks like the developer you list at the beginning of the thread has a website that doesn't work anymore...not often a good sign.

It is a great location on rue Principale in the heart of Aylmer.

[waterloowarrior]

The main retirement complex beside this building was sold to Chartwell in 2008 (they already owned 50%) perhaps this building was also included and Chartwell has different plans (although Chartwell did give the loan to Groupe Mélior for this project, so there had to be some kind of joint planning going on).
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Chartwell-to-Acquire-Joint-Venture-Interest-in-Quebec-Portfolio-TSX-CSH.UN-896287.htm
http://www.chartwellreit.ca/locations/residence-le-monastere/index.php

[harls]

Interesting points, gentlemen.

I also found this - a cached website of the contractor F. Paquette et fils

http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache:0IfxOzmN5e8J:www.fpaquette.com/nouveautes_f.htm+le+redemptoriste+aylmer&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca

.. where they list this very place as one of their current projects.

Le Rédemptoriste à Aylmer, 259 logements, construits sur 5 étages

I tried a search for F Paquette et fils and it came up with this website..

http://www.groupe-paquette.com/fr/projets/en-cours/default.idigit

.. but I don't see this project there..

[Cre47]

Developper is facing a $4.3 million lawsuit

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-droit/actualites/gatineau-outaouais/201004/16/01-4271428-le-groupe-melior-fait-face-a-une-poursuite-de-43-millions.php

[harls]

Great, we're going to be stuck with this unfinished pile of crap for how long now?

http://www.bulletinaylmer.com/archive/2010/2010-03-31/autres.html



Unfinished apartments sit like a lump in Aylmer’s heart

Lily Ryan

Years ago an aging apple orchard was cut down to give space for 260 seniors’ apartments. Following complex financial dealings, the site now holds no apple trees and no apartments.

The complex of unfinished apartments behind the Residence le Monastère in centertown Aylmer has no future. Started in May of 2008, the building was supposed to house 259 independent living apartments for seniors, to be completed in June, 2009. It was commissioned by Melior Developments, a Quebec company dedicated to building and maintaining senior’s residences. Their expertise is in converting heritage religious buildings into seniors’ residences. Melior Developments sold its 50% interest in the Residence le Monastère, a converted monastery in the heart of Aylmer, in December of 2008. At the time, the new and unfinished complex behind the Residence le Monastère was excluded from the transaction. Melior sold the Monastery residence to its venture capital partner, Chartwell Senior’s Housing, and Chartwell now runs the award-winning senior’s residence on Principale Street, but maintains no relation to the unfinished building standing behind it like its shadow.

Ownership in doubt, builders left holding the bag

The concrete shell of the building was erected by EBC Incorporated, a well-known construction company based in the Beauce. This senior’s housing project was valued at $31.4 million. EBC poured $13 million into the building with only a $1 million committment on the part of the developer, Melior. After the structure was up but not complete, Melior failed to secure financing for the next phase of the building. Melior could not explain its lack of financing to the Bulletin.

It was at this point that Melior pulled out completely, and sold the rest of its share of the Residence le Monastère to Chartwell. The construction giant, EBC Inc. has been left responsible for the unfinished building, which means paying for 24-hour surveillance, among the other liabilities. The contractor has put a claim on the building because they were left unpaid for so long. Neither EBC nor Melior would answer questions from the Bulletin, despite repeated attempts.

The director of the Residence le Monastère, Marc Lafontaine, told the Bulletin that he and his team are busy focusing on the seniors who live in the residence now. “We are proud to have won APICA’s service business award,” Mr Lafontaine said. “We work hard every day to provide the best living for our residents. We have nothing to do with the empty building behind us.” Just like everybody else.

[Cre47]

Construction will resume next year with new players that purchased the area which was previously by Melior which got bankrupted (cannot remember the company though). Project will be changed to just simple condominiums but at least it will no longer remain just an unfinished mass.

[harls]

Construction will resume next year with new players that purchased the area which was previously by Melior which got bankrupted (cannot remember the company though). Project will be changed to just simple condominiums but at least it will no longer remain just an unfinished mass.

Yeah I just read about this yesterday. EBC will finish the construction.

I wonder if they will have to redo some of the unfinished parts since they have been exposed to the elements for so long?

[Cre47]

Yeah I just read about this yesterday. EBC will finish the construction.

I wonder if they will have to redo some of the unfinished parts since they have been exposed to the elements for so long?

Apparently, they are already some inspection work underway (at least that's what the reporter said).

[harls]

This project has restarted.. it's now called 'Le Square Wilfrid'

http://squarewilfrid.com/site/

http://squarewilfrid.com/site/images/stories/vue_a.jpg

[Proof Sheet]

This project has restarted.. it's now called 'Le Square Wilfrid'


I gather it isn't a seniors building anymore....wow talk about a long time with no construction...has the existing building been protected from the elements during that time?

I was in Aylmer yesterday, just a quick drive away, at the Moca coffee place on Principale.

[harls]

I think the building was not protected. The times I went by there, I saw gyprock pieces and plastic flapping in the wind. The only salvageable part of the building seems to be the concrete. Everything else will probably need to be redone.

I think it is still targeted at seniors. If you look at the EBC website under "Multi-résidentiel : Résidences personnes âgées", this project is on it.

http://www.ebcinc.qc.ca/main.asp

[rocketphish]

This project has restarted.. it's now called 'Le Square Wilfrid'

http://squarewilfrid.com/site/

http://squarewilfrid.com/site/images/stories/vue_a.jpg

Boy, they sure know how to build cheap and ugly buildings on the Quebec side. Not that Ottawa doesn't have it's fair share, but there seems to be more of it across the river. Are Quebec buyers more tolerant of poor design or no real design at all? Build a precast box with windows and shallow balconies and call it done. Where's the character?

[BLUESKY]

To ROCKETPHISH, thank you for standing up and voicing your valuable opinions about "SQUARE WILFRID" new condo project to be built in the Aylmer sector (City of Gatineau). Indeed, it is a very shabby building at first sight from the picture showing on internet. I have written to the developer, EBC Inc. to urge them to come out with a totaly redesigned exterior finishing.

[harls]

I went by here yesterday and they have the brickwork finished (at least on one side), and it is a lot lighter in color than the rendering. it doesn't look that bad.