Jessy Desjardins has bought into his father’s vision, both personally and professionally. His dad is Brigil founder Gilles Desjardins, who has spent the past 35 years building a housing empire on both sides of the Ottawa River.
His latest project is a high-end rental building that has sprouted up in Mechanicsville/Hintonburg, becoming — for the time being at least — the tallest rental tower in Ottawa, says Douglas James, acting director of planning services for the city.
The 33-storey building is like a high-end condo project, boasting a wealth of amenities, quality finishes and a view that’s hard to beat, on top of its great location.
For Jessy, the allure of the building is such that he’ll be moving in when it’s finished in a few short weeks. So will his brother, Kevin.
The building is called The Dale, in part as a nod to its location on Parkdale Avenue at Burnside Avenue, across from Tunney’s Pasture.
“We love the area, it’s such a nice area, and the building, too,” says Jessy. “We’re looking forward to living in that neighbourhood.”
Both young men also work for their father, Kevin as an architectural designer and Jessy recently appointed as Brigil’s vice-president of development and conception.
“We both love cities and the way they work so we’re in the right place,” Jessy says. And living at The Dale means this cycling fanatic will be close to the Ottawa River’s bike paths. “It’s really easy to connect to either the Gatineau side or the downtown area as a cyclist.”
Cycling is one of the draws for early tenant Tammy Mazurimm as well.
“I love this area, you can walk to anything from here or bike,” says the mother of three, who moved to the area to be closer to work.
But The Dale is about more than just cycling. It’s part of Brigil’s Apogee brand, which is meant for those seeking an “active, mature lifestyle that’s like a hotel-style living but at home,” offering resort-style amenities close at hand for healthy living.
“This type of building or concept has been something that Gilles has been working on for a very long time,” says Jessy. It began with 460 St. Laurent, a 12-storey building near Beechwood Cemetery that began as a condo but morphed into high-end rentals by the time it was finished in 2017.
There are now more than 15 properties under Brigil’s Apogee brand.
“His vision was that he wanted a place where people who were empty nesters or newly retired would be able to really enjoy the downsizing environment without having to buy a high-end condo,” says Jessy.
The Dale, which offers 283 one- and two-bedroom units ranging from 478 to 1,331 square feet, is certainly attracting empty nesters, but the mix of tenants is extensive.
Mazurimm, for instance, is a single mom with a 16-year-old son still at home. She’s opted for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom corner unit facing west to capture sunsets and the Ottawa River.
“The view here is amazing,” she says.
And Jessy has friends in their 20s moving in, with their parents following closely behind. “It’s really about creating an active mix of people.”
Although construction is not yet finished, more than 50 per cent of the building is rented out, with tenants having occupied up to the 20th floor by the end of January. The rest of the building is expected to be done by the end of March, including all common spaces, even if they may have to remain off limits for the time being due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Amenities at The Dale are extensive and include an outdoor pool atop the podium, multiple lounges, a gym, a yoga room, a multi-purpose room for parties, and a rooftop terrace.
As well, the ground floor will house a second location of The Red Door, a popular Vanier coffee shop.
“We are very excited to be partnering with Brigil on this new project. We are inspired by their vision, innovation, and commitment to quality, and we know that Red Door has found a like-minded company that will support the growth and trajectory of our brand,” says owner Lauren Power. “We can’t wait to launch.”
The building is the first of two towers to be built at the site. A second, 28-storey tower will begin construction soon, likely this summer, and will offer a further 254 units. The podiums for both buildings will be joined, allowing residents to share the amenities in either building.
With the exception of just eight units on the second floor, all units in the first building come with a balcony or terrace, five appliances (including in-suite washer and dryer), quartz counters and luxury vinyl floors.
There’s also the option to have a unit furnished. “We’re starting to see a bit of a demand for that,” Jessy notes.
There are 28 floor plans to choose from with most still available, although Desjardins notes that “as soon as units are available to rent, they get picked up pretty fast.”
Units range from $1,555 to $2,970 a month, not including the 12 penthouses.
“There’s a lot of special things about this project,” Jessy says. “The whole mix of where it’s located, the thought that went behind the amenity spaces, the views (and) the whole lifestyle that the building will allow tenants to have.”
For more, see our rental project summary.
