New mixed-used condo project approved in Hudson

Densification may be controversial in Hudson, but judging by the rate at which new condo projects are selling, it seems that as far as buyers are concerned, they can’t be built fast enough.

Case in point: 426 Main Rd. When the billboard went up to announce the project at the foot of Cameron St., many vocal Hudsonites reacted with dismay at the blocky architecture and how close it seemed to the street. Yet all but four of the 20 condos sold by word-of-mouth even before the realtors brokering the project could list them on Centris. Likewise, realtors had no difficulty selling all 13 units in the bungalow-style duplex, triplex, and two quadruplexes under construction in Como Gardens.

Now, there’s a new condo project on the block, and although it too is sure to court controversy among the development-averse, M Immobilier real estate broker Dylan White is optimistic it too will sell out in short order.

The town, which has a population of about 5,300, recently approved a new mixed-use building at 85 Cameron St, across from the newly installed Cameron Public House at the corner of St. Jean St. The project will include two commercial spaces and eight upscale condo units designed to appeal to downsizers and empty nesters.

“Before we put these on the market, there were 17 doors available in Hudson to buy,” White said. “That’s not a lot of properties.”

Prices of the residential units range from $419,000 plus tax for a two-bedroom and bath unit, up to $599,000 plus tax for a three-bedroom with two bathrooms. All units will have elevator access and indoor parking spaces, and some will have rooftop terraces. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

Some locals who disapprove of densification like to say things like “this is just not Hudson,” yet White, who was involved in brokering all three projects, said that in fact, almost all the units that have sold so far were bought by . . . drumroll . . . Hudsonites.

At 426 Main St., 14 of the 16 units that have sold went to buyers in Hudson, and the other two went to buyers currently living in neighbouring St-Lazare. As for Como Gardens, 11 of the 13 units went to Hudsonites. The other two went to a buyer in St-Lazare and one in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue.

“The people who are buying these projects are our neighbours. They’re not people coming from out of town. They are people we see every day. They’re our parents and our friends,” he said.

White said in most cases, the people moving into these projects were longtime Hudsonites with deep roots in the community who no longer needed to live in a large family home. The construction of condos and smaller-footprint homes in Hudson has allowed them to downsize without moving away from the community they love.

This is Hudson: a town where people want to stay.