Usine 51

For years, the building on rue Préfontaine ran on bingo nights. From 1977, the non-profit Jeunes Sportifs Hochelaga had its offices here, and every game helped pay for hockey gear and ice time for the neighbourhood's kids. When the building ended up empty and the organization in trouble, a kid from Hochelaga bought it back.

Francis Bouillon, a former Montreal Canadiens defenceman, grew up nearby. In 2010 he announced the conversion of this vacant factory into condos, with part of the profits pledged to Jeunes Sportifs Hochelaga. The name came naturally: the building's industrial roots, and the 51 he wore on his jersey.

Two storeys were added to the original two. Completed in 2013, Usine 51 now holds 75 units over 4 floors, from 619 sq ft to 1,397 sq ft. The structure is concrete, ceilings run from 10 to 11 feet depending on the unit, and generous windows bring the light in. On the ground floor, some units spread over two levels. On the 4th floor, several open onto a private terrace.

Up top, the shared rooftop terrace works like a backyard: a garden corner, tables, and the city stretching out to the horizon. Below, a green alley runs along the building. In the basement, 37 indoor parking spaces, storage lockers and bike storage.

Outside is Hochelaga. Préfontaine metro, on the Green line, is a 6-minute walk. Rue Ontario, with its cafés, bakeries and small local spots, is at the end of the street.

Usine 51 speaks to people who want a bright, easygoing loft in a building that has kept its ties to the neighbourhood.

Every loft has a story. Usine 51's begins with bingo nights and a jersey number. Our job is to help you find the one that becomes yours. Olivier Mailloux and Amélie Flanagan, real estate brokers, follow the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve loft market closely and work with buyers and sellers across Montreal.