The Expropriated – 780 Saint Remi

780 is a jewel and they want to melt it down to build a freeway everyone will regret before it’s even completed. Simple as that, folks, just plain stupid.

Part 1 of a series.

Full article in  Le Devoir

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Le Piment #33

People at 780 Saint Remi received their eviction notices last Saturday.

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Tenants At 780 Saint Remi Recieve Eviction Notice

One of Montreal’s coolest neighborhoods just got some bad news.

http://ctvmontreal.ca

Bailiffs delivered some harsh news to some tenants near the Turcot Interchange this weekend in the form of expropriation letters.

Last fall, Transports Quebec announced it would expropriate the 100-unit building at 780 St. Remi St. to make way for the new Turcot Interchange.

At that time, some demonstrators argued there was no need to displace the tenants, while second opposition councillor Richard Bergeron devised a plan for the Turcot that would save the building.

Demolition is still in the plans.

Tenants were told Saturday they have 15 days to appear before an administrative tribunal to discuss their compensation for the move. They must be out of their lofts by next spring or summer before the building is demolished.

“There’s only 15 days to show up in court, so that’s rushing me a little bit,” said tenant Fredrika Wellet, who spent about $10,000 renovating her loft into a fashion photography studio, where she has lived for the last year.

Some of the tenants say they attended a meeting with representatives of both Transports Quebec and the City of Montreal last fall, where they were promised help with moving and to be put at the top of the list for subsidized housing.

A spokesman for Transports Quebec told CTV Montreal that in the next few days, each tenant will be visited by an evaluator to find out what compensation they may be entitled to.

“Once I know what they’re offering – or what I could ask for – it will make it more clear,” said tenant Bruno Zinno.

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780 Saint Remi

Now almost famous building at the heart of the expropriate and demolish issues at the core of the government’s Turcot plan. Couple of articles in French discuss the building and it’s occupants here and here. I really like how Kate over at Montreal City Weblog summarized the situation, “…the kind of folks the city likes to pay lip-service to in discussions of creative capital, but moves aside easily when big projects come along.”
Indeed.
I have been lucky enough to visit the building on a number of occasions and have met a lot of the residents. There are many interesting people living in 780. Maybe it takes a special type to live so close to a freeway, the Turcot wilderness beckoning from beyond the ramps stretched out in it’s vastness, an alternate universe to the endless elevated hum of vehicles rushing to places elsewhere, anywhere but here, the sounds of industry and another time echoed by freight trains passing through and the energetic ding ding ding of the street barriers further down Saint Remi, but it is also a community.
I participated in a one day photography exhibition along the walls of the first floor corridor last June. It was pretty cool. And that might make me a little biased, but you won’t find more creativity living in one building, not in Pointe Saint Charles, not even in Griffintown! 780 Saint Remi is the western tip of the (Griffintown) Cultural Corridor which runs through the SudOuest burrough.
Here are some views from the roof.

Village des Tanneries. The street going towards downtown on the left is Cazelais, the left side of which was to be demolished under the original plan, though it now appears that most may be saved. Sadly, that construction tower is putting up an 8 story building that will just block this view.

Train going in to Dead Dog Tunnel. This was taken on a Saturday and those ramps were closed to traffic while some work was being done. There is always work being done at Turcot.


According to this page not a lot is known about the history of the building.
Two of my favorite pictures I have taken of 780.


Montreal needs to save this building for all kinds of good reasons. The MTQ wanting to build a dysfunctional freeway that will hurt the city is not a good reason to lose a treasure such as 780 Saint Remi! I urge everyone who reads this to go for a visit, take in the surroundings, and be amazed!

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