By Ruby Pratka
Local Journalism Initiative
A local real estate development company is moving forward with plans to build a combination shopping centre and office building with a historic twist on the site of the former Bovila restaurant in Eastman.
The building has been named La Gare after the train station that stood on the spot in the 1880s. According to plans shared with the BCN, it will feature several architectural references to the Victorian station, inspired by archive photos; a historic wooden barn on the site will be preserved. La Gare will house the offices of Habitation KYO (about 4000 square feet) and 7500 square feet of office space to be leased to local businesses. La Gare is the first foray into commercial development for Habitation KYO, which has spearheaded residential projects in the region for about 15 years.
The site is located near a roundabout at the entrance to the village and is also accessible via a local bike path. “Near Highway 10, a bit outside the village, there was a lot of space that was more or less used” for development, explained Jannick B. Duval, director of sales and marketing at Habitation KYO. “We bought the land and we thought, why not do a commercial project to attract more businesses? The space was a blank canvas. We needed commercial space for ourselves, and there’s a lack of space for services in the municipality. This is our first commercial-only project.”
Duval said the company had received the necessary approvals from the municipality for the building, although the configuration of the parking lot has not yet been finalized. She said the company hoped to start construction before the end of this year, depending on the weather, aiming to complete the project in summer 2024. Geneviève Lapalme, culture and communications co-ordinator for the municipality of Eastman, said the project was “following its course.”
Duval said that although the company did not have a specific number of renters or shops in mind, “very stimulating” conversations had already taken place with local entrepreneurs.
“A lot of the time, people in Eastman will do their shopping in Magog or in Sherbrooke,” she said. “I hope that [through this project] we’ll be able to encourage people to buy local, and people will be able to access more services without leaving the municipality.”