Redevelopment of Place des Quatre-Bourgeois in Quebec: The developer will start along the Duplessis Highway

In its plan to redevelop Place des Quatre-Bourgeois in Quebec, Trudel plans to begin construction of new buildings along the Duplessis Highway. This multi-hundred-million-dollar project includes 1,500 residential units and commercial and office space.

• Read also: Little resistance to the Place des Quatre-Bourgeois transformation project

• Read also: Place des Quatre-Bourgeois will accommodate 1,500 residential units

“In front of the Duplessis Highway, we will provide housing, but above all we will create commercial spaces that will allow us to relocate existing traders and bring them to their new workplaces,” he explained. Newspaper David Chabot, Director of the Office of the President, on the sidelines of the participatory workshop in Quebec City, which was held on Thursday evening.

During this evening, the positive comments were very positive. “There are so many strengths. You pleasantly surprised us!” said Liz Barrett.

Traffic will be mainly along Avenue de Bourgogne, near the axis formed by Chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois and the Duplessis motorway, to avoid traffic on adjacent streets. On the highway side, the developer plans to build up to 17 floors.

The second intervention sector will consist of dismantling the existing mall. The developer plans to recover some materials such as steel, copper and concrete which, once crushed, can have other uses, as it did in the Fleur-de-Lys shopping centre. Mr. Chabot assures that customers will be able to access the IGA, despite the work.

“We will be there to support you,” said Jean-Luc Lavoie, president of the IGA Coop in Ste-Foy.

Variable density

“What we want is to maintain as many visual penetrations as possible. We want to increase the density on the site, but we want people to see through the buildings and it's not just the big Fairmont Wall.

“So, we will vary the densities at each stage, so that our neighbors maintain views of the mountains and sun and maintain natural lighting during the day.”

The height of the buildings will be from the weakest point to the strongest point along the highway. The developer says he wants to avoid the “Vermont Wall” effect.

Image courtesy of Trudel

The project was designed according to a density gradient that starts from the weakest point to the strongest point.

“We start at two stories and go up to 17 stories along the highway while respecting the size of the neighborhood,” Mr. Chabot said.

The project also includes “distinctive buildings”, a central park, bicycle paths, green roofs, underground and indoor parking for commercial customers, in addition to 70 “outdoor” spaces for supermarket customers.

The first phase involves the construction of buildings along the Duplessis Highway which can be seen from a distance.

Image courtesy of Trudel

“We want to create a shopping street on Vibration Cartier, Maguire and Mirande Streets. A shopping street where there will be a used bookstore, a local clothing store, local services, etc. “It's all on the street front so it's fun to walk around and make discoveries,” he added.

A groundbreaking is scheduled for September 2025 or spring 2026. The project will be delivered in phases, but it is hoped the last residential unit will be completed in 2035. All of this is contingent on obtaining a Quebec City zoning amendment. To include the housing profession.

The developer plans to deliver 7,500 units in about ten years and maintain a rate of 1,000 new unit starts each year for the next seven years. The redevelopment of the Fleur de Lys, Galeries Charlesbourg and Place des Quatre-Bourgeois shopping centers is on track. For the Dorchester complex, discussions with the city continue. Trudel wants to come up with a viable project quickly.

Finally, during the evening, citizens highlighted the quality of the architecture, the creation of a living environment, and the revitalization of a “dying” site.

Some also expressed concerns about the height of the buildings, the presence of affordable housing, and the quality of life during the construction period.

– In collaboration with Jean-François Racine