The Odeon Champlain cinema is no longer showing films, but the site where it once stood is again drawing crowds as a major transit-oriented residential project near Papineau metro.
The Champlain condo rentals occupy now stands on the former Odeon Champlain cinema site and the new apartments preserve some elements of the site’s history while introducing new rental housing to a transit‑oriented area.
The redevelopment replaces the abandoned eyesore with a sightly structure that includes 226 rental units above a ground‑floor Maxi supermarket, while incorporating cinema‑inspired architectural features intended to reflect the site’s past.
About the project: The new rental apartment building offers a mix of studio, one‑, two‑ and three‑bedroom units aimed at a wide range of renters, including young professionals, families and downsizers. Units are delivered as ready-to-move-in, turnkey homes with high‑end appliances, integrated lighting and custom window coverings, while an all‑inclusive rental model covers electricity, heating and hot water.
At street level, the integrated grocery store serves both residents and the surrounding neighborhood, reinforcing the project’s role as a daily‑use destination and supporting pedestrian activity near Papineau metro station.
The development launched in June 2025 and reached approximately 65% occupancy shortly after opening, according to project representatives. The project earned a 2026 CoStar Impact Award for commercial development of the year in Montreal as judged by a panel of professionals familiar with the market.
Champlain, across from the Papineau metro station in Montreal’s Ville‑Marie district, was built to be approximately 40% more energy efficient than current codes require. The development incorporates durable materials and responsible construction practices while repurposing an underused urban site. The project’s marketing emphasized both the site's heritage and the project's all‑inclusive rental model, contributing to early leasing momentum.
What the judges said: “This stylish new project helps increase supply in tight rental and condo markets [and] supports urban density goals that are often aligned with transit and lifestyle amenities,” said Laurence Binette, director of leasing and real estate broker with Le Groupe ALFID.
They made it happen: The Owen family, including David, Michael and Jordan, of Mondev, led the development project. The family-run business, which includes Mondev Construction/Mondev Condos Urbains, is a prominent Montreal-based real estate development and management company.