The Gazette from Montreal, Quebec, Canada • A7

MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2019 MONTREAL GAZETTE A7 REAL ESTATE SPONSORED BY SNOWDON THEATRE CONDOS Redevelopment starts a new chapter for Snowdon Theatre EHH The six-storey structure will house 55 condos, with two Rl riBK HX commercial on the ground floor, supplied Mil Ji iiH 0 MEGAN MARTIN Postmedia Content Works Like many of Montreal's historic buildings, Snowdon Theatre is ingrained into the very heritage of the city. Its iconic sign has towered over Decarie Boulevard since its opening in 1937, and its evolution over the years has been reflective of Montreal's developmental booms and lulls. A flagship entertainment centre for decades, the theatre closed its doors in 1982, after years of dwindling attendance. The building was divided and used as commercial space following the theatre's closure and was partially rented out to a non-profit gymnastics club for years. The city of Montreal purchased the building in 2004 and continued renting it out to the club until 2013.

Three years later, a fire devastated the building's interior, and it was too badly damaged to be salvaged. Given its place as part of the city's history, demolition was never a viable option, even after the fire. So when the city of Montreal sold the building to a developer in 2018 to be transformed into condos, it came as no surprise that a condition of the sale was preserving the flagship sign and facade of the building. But the team behind the new Snowdon Condos project, which broke ground in April, never had any intention of scaling back the building's history. In fact, they saw it as an asset, and something to be celebrated.

original design, it's quite complicated." That said, because these types of projects are so few and far between, working on them is truly a special experience. "When you learn so much about the historical value of the building, you become attached to it and it becomes personal, on top of being a business venture," he said. "There's a sense of pride attached with it, and with fulfilling expectations. Since we launched, we've had so many people reach out to us, saying how happy they are that we're going to be revitalizing Snowdon Theatre and preserving its facade. It makes you even more attached to the project." There's a very distinct sense that you're doing something important and that you have a responsibility not only to future buyers, but to the city as a whole, he added.

"With something like this it's not just about delivering quality construction with high-end finishings in a coveted location, it's also about doing it in a way that honours the building's past and protects this part of the city's history." When complete, the six-storey structure will house 55 condos, with two commercial units on the ground floor. Condos will range from studios to two-bedrooms, and be priced from $246,150. "We expect that units will retain and increase their value over time because it will be connected to the uniqueness of the project. It's one of a kind." The developer and sales team also have very high hopes for the community around the flagship building as well. Located next door to the iconic Snowdon Deli, residents have shops and amenities on their doorstep.

"Sometimes a project can be a spark, and end up lighting up the entire neighbourhood," Saul Ciecha said. "That's what we're looking forward to with Snowdon Theatre and the whole area from Snowdon metro to Queen Mary Road." The developer is committed to not only preserving and improving the facade, but enriching the local area and reinventing the Snowdon Theatre name, supplied er for the new project with Sotheby's International Realty Quebec. "Owners will never have to refer to the project by its address, they can simply say they live in Snowdon Theatre; that's how distinct it is." Renowned for its unique art deco design, the iconic Snowdon Theatre is set to be transformed into contemporary condos in the venue's original location later this year. But creating a new development by repurposing an exist ing historical structure is no easy feat. "There are many challenges involved in working on a heritage property because there are a huge number of engineering and architectural elements to work out," Saul Ciecha said.

"In many ways, it's significantly more difficult than starting from scratch on a new project; from reinforcement issues to picking out brick colours that respect and complement the building's Now, with the building under redevelopment, a new chapter for the historic structure is set to begin and the developer is committed to not only preserving and improving the facade, but enriching the local area and reinventing the Snowdon Theatre name. "When it comes to heritage properties, no two are the same so there's a substantial uniqueness to owning a piece of one," said Saul Ciecha, real estate broker and sales lead THIS STORYWAS CREATED BY CONTENTWORKS, POSTMEDIA'S COMMERCIAL CONTENT DIVISION, ON BEHALFOFSNOWDONTHEATRECONDOS. HMM Lj3B Mil" i I r.Ln. u-i i ru T.T-T.T. I JB..