Le Colonial

A quiet little street, a few steps from boulevard Saint-Laurent. On the corner, a four-storey block of brick lined with rows of tall windows. Le Colonial was built around 1910 for industry, and for decades its floors served commerce and manufacturing.

In 1990 the building became a condominium. Nobody dressed the factory up: people simply moved in. The heavy timber frame stayed in place, with its columns, beams and plank ceilings typical of Montreal's old industrial buildings. Even the common staircase sits where the freight elevator used to run.

Picture the door swinging open. Your eye travels up, from 9 feet in the basement to 14 feet on the top floor. The original brick frames the room, casement windows cut the light into panels, and depending on the loft, a mezzanine adds a level or a wood-burning fireplace takes the edge off winter. Based on our information, units range from 618 sq. ft. to 1,915 sq. ft.: room for a work table, a wall of books, a studio.

Daily life follows: an elevator, indoor parking, private storage and a bike rack. And up on the roof, a large shared terrace with a barbecue and pergola looks out at Mount Royal on one side and the city on the other.

Outside, you are on the line between the Plateau and Mile End. Boulevard Saint-Laurent is a few steps away, avenue du Mont-Royal and rue Saint-Denis are within walking distance, and Laurier metro, on the Orange Line, is about an 8-minute walk.

Le Colonial speaks to people who want real wood and real brick, in a building that kept its factory frame, right in the heart of the neighbourhood.

Every loft has a story. The story of Le Colonial begins in an industrial building put up around 1910, between the Plateau and Mile End. Our job is to help you find the one that becomes yours. Olivier Mailloux and Amélie Flanagan, real estate brokers, follow the Plateau Mont-Royal loft market closely and work with buyers and sellers across Montreal.