May 18, 2006

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

The Quartier Concordia’s view of Place Norman Bethune looking east on de Maisonneuve Blvd. at the corner of Guy in Montreal.

Institutional

Concordia design in a modem aesthetic

IRWIN RAPOPORT

correspondent

MONTREAL

Montreal’s Concordia University begins construction of its John Molson School of Business in downtown Montreal this fall.

The 15-storey structure located at the southwest corner of Guy and de Maisonneuve, is designed by Toronto’s Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects and Montreal’s Fichten Soiferman and Associates. It is expected to cost about $115 million and comprise 37,000-square-meters. Seven floors will be devoted to classrooms, and the remainder set aside for the business school.

The architectural design, based on a modern aesthetic, places an emphasis on glazing, colour and blending in with the surrounding architecture.

“Stylistically, it is part of the same family as the engineering, computer science and visual arts pavilions that were just built (Guy and Ste. Catherine),” said Peter Bolla, the university’s executive director of facilities management. “It’s a sister building.”

The architectural firms prepared the design for both buildings.

The excavation tender may be published this spring. A contract may likely be awarded this summer.

The construction tender should follow towards the end of summer. The university hopes to have a finished product ready to occupy in December.

In addition to being a ‘smart’ structure, the HVAC system will be state-of-the-art.

“Our energy consumption is always about 40 to 45 per cent less than a typical building,” said Bolla.

The business school represents the latest major construction by the university, but Bolla says future projects are being considered.

Over the past few years, Concordia has purchased a number of downtown buildings, expanding the size and scope of the Sir George Williams Campus. Acquisitions include the TD Canada Trust building at the northwest corner of Guy and Sherbrooke, the 375,000-square-foot Grey Nuns Mother House (foreseen for 2007) at the corner of Guy and Rene Levesque, the Samuel Bronfman House at Dr. Penfield, the Guy Metro Building and the Faubourg Tower.

An agreement was reached in 2004 to acquire the Grey Nun building for $18 million. The university will occupy the historic building in three phases over a 15-year period starting in 2007.

“Once we start renovating,” said Bolla, “the total could be over $100 million.”

Concordia and the City of Montreal are collaborating on the Quartier Concordia project, a vision that will tie in the university’s downtown campus and create a special district with distinct sidewalks, lighting, street furniture and signage. The project is expected to cost about $25 million.

Designed by urban planners Cardinal Hardy Inc., the project covers an area bound by Guy to the west, Bishop St. to the east, Sherbooke St. to the north and Rene Levesque Boulevard to the south.

The concept, initiated by the university, will be executed in partnership with the city and is expected to be underway in 2007.

Clarence Epstein, director of special projects, is spearheading the project. Key elements to the project are traffic and pedestrian flow, green and leisure space, architecture, public art and heritage appreciation.

“We’re working with the city to refine the phasing-in process and moving the plan forward,” he said. “We’re still waiting for official confirmation of the city’s financial commitment.”

With all its construction, Concordia will be investing over $400 million in the downtown core.

“We are really looking at a significant majority commitment from the city given that we are incorporating buildings with architectural landmarks, all of which is going to bring in other investments to this area,” said Epstein.

A key element of the project will be eliminating the traffic triangle at the corner of Guy and de Maisonneuve, where the statue of Norman Bethune stands. The plan is to realign southern section of de Maisonneuve to incorporate a pedestrian terrace.

“Place Norman Bethune can become one of the gateways to the downtown core — a transition space between the university and the city,” he said.

The Quartier Concordia will tie in with a major municipal improvement of the downtown core from Berri St. to Guy.

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