I noticed recently that a new condo conversion project is about to get underway a couple of blocks from my house. Named nothing less than Les ParisLofts du Plateau, it’s just off St-Laurent at Rachel. Normally this would be the cause for some teeth-gnashing in a city like Montreal, where people honestly (and not so honestly, frankly, from time to time) cherish their authenticity like few other places I’ve been.

In this case, though, it’s totally good news. ParisLofts is named after Paris-Star, the textile and clothing manufacturer that is now located at the site. Currently the building is butt-ugly, and it has been the scene of many pollution and general neighbourhood degradation stories for years. They installed a filter of some sort several years ago – but removing the factory is several orders of magnitude better news for the ‘hood, I think.

[Full disclosure – if you look at this picture of the proposed view, the large tree on the far left of the photo is in my backyard, and the little sliver of white-ish facade between trees is my neighbour’s place.]

has launched in Montreal. Wonder if it will catch on here?