Bell Campus: Second phase begins!

Phase II will provide Bell with 240,000 square feet of office space divided in two multiple-level buildings, connected to the first phase by an overhead corridor. In total, 840,000 square feet of space will accommodate 4,000 Bell employees. The first group of employees is expected to move to their new offices in less than a year (September 2008), while Phase II will be ready a few months later, in February of 2009.

Proment and Canderel are development partners on the Island's northern sector and Daniel Peritz, vice-president of Canderel, was acting as emcee during the project's official launch. Among the many guests present, were Jonathan Wener, Canderel president, Michael Sabia, CEO of Bell, Samuel Gewurz, Proment president, Verdun borough mayor, Claude Trudel, Montreal mayor, Gérald Tremblay, MNA Henri-Francois Gautrin, and Federal Public Works Minister, Michael Fortier.

Bell's two construction phases constitute one of the most important projects in the private sector to take place in the past 30 years. Architect Brian Burrows, from Architex Group, has made sure that the buildings have incorporated all the necessary criteria to be LEED certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). These demanding criteria constitute an additional challenge, but they also exhibit great respect for the environment and the well-being of the people who will be working there.

Bell's two phases will also necessitate an impressive amount of public infrastructures to be built, for which $27 million worth of contracts have already been accorded. Mayor Trudel confirmed that the borough had received the green light from the Environment Ministry for a number of projects.

As Montreal mayor, Gérald Tremblay, stated in his speech, this project confirms this city's enviable position, with regards to information technology. He also remarked, tongue in cheek, that it was rare for politicians to have the opportunity to participate in the launch and the realization of such a significant project, during one single term.

At the end of the ceremony, a number of objects were placed in a time capsule, which will be buried and unearthed 20 years from now.