Kirkland's RioCan Centre to undergo massive redevelopment

Broccolini and RioCan are partners in a major real estate development that will see the complete revitalization of Kirkland's RioCan site.

Author of the article: John Meagher • Montreal Gazette

Publishing date: Jan 06, 2021 • Last Updated 21 hours ago

A redevelopment project has been announced for the RioCan Centre in Kirkland near the future REM station along Highway 40. Photo courtesy of Broccolini.

The site of the RioCan Centre in Kirkland is going to be completely redeveloped with a new mixed-use project tied to the arrival the REM light-rail network along Highway 40.

The Broccolini Real Estate Group and RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust announced Tuesday that they will be partners in a major project that will see the “complete revitalization of the site through the addition of new buildings that will make better use of the available space and propose a diversified offering of commercial, office and residential uses.”

The joint project will cover approximately 240,000 square feet of office space and 135,000 square feet of commercial space, including a residential component.

“This multi-phase project will be developed in close collaboration with the community and with the municipal authorities of the City of Kirkland,” said Roger Plamondon, president of the Broccolini Real Estate Group.

“Our goal is to facilitate access to the REM by increasing the residential offering in this area, which will be adjacent to the new Kirkland station. The best way to achieve this is to design a project that meets the needs of the community, both in terms of density and mix of uses,” Plamondon said.

“This project, as you can imagine, is being driven a lot by the arrival of the REM station,” he added.

The Kirkland REM station is scheduled to be operational by 2023-2024.

“The REM is going to be a great game-changer in the way people are going to live and work,” Plamondon said.

“In the end, we this see project being a combination of a TOD, or transit-oriented development and a POD, a pedestrian-orientated development. We should find all different types of residential (units), except for single-family dwellings. There is no place for them in that project.”

Plamondon is bullish on the market for local office space and the need for new types of housing in the West Island.

“We believe there is going to be a demand for suburban office space directly tied to the REM. A lot of companies are going to be looking for a satellite installation that would permit them a quick and easy access to the downtown core. The REM brings all of that. So we believe the office component is going to be surprisingly strong.

“The retail component should be geared to a much more a community, neighbourhood type of retail, like a food store. Some of the retailers that are there now may be reintegrated into the program.”

He said at least 1,000 residential units could be built on the site. “I would hope that it would be more, but what the final number is going to be, I don’t know.”

Will the Kirkland Colisée cinema remain part of the new commercial landscape?

“The whole cinema (industry) is in a state of flux right now, because of the pandemic,” Plamondon said.

“What the future is going to be is hard to determine right now. If there is going to be a cinematic component, it will probably be modified.”

As for parking availability for REM users, Plamondon said: “There is none right now.”

“(That question) should be directed to the REM,” he added.