The owner now wishes to build a 7-storey building complex with 229 residential condominium units. At the February 11, 2021 meeting of the Ville-Marie borough’s Planning Advisory Committee, the proposed project was favourably recommended by 5 of the 9 PAC members. The reasons given for approving the project are as follows (from the Ville-Marie Borough Council minutes of March 9, 2021, pages 77-78, translated from French):

• “The proposal stems from a sensitive analysis of the particular context of Old Montreal. It improves the coherence of the built frontage of the adjacent streets, while reaffirming the dominant characteristics of the urban landscape in terms of siting and scale.”
• “The tripartite composition allows for a successful integration of the project with the buildings in the area in a language that remains contemporary.”
• “The proposed materiality is rich and directly inspired by that found in Old Montreal.”

However, the other 4 members of the Planning Advisory Committee, including Richard Ryan and Sophie Mauzerolle, dissented because of their strong concern about the lack of sensitivity of the project with respect to the high implantation rate and the lack of green space in the project given the current appropriation of the site by the citizens.

Despite this favourable recommendation, the land is part of the declared heritage site of Old Montreal and therefore requires official authorization from the Minister of Culture and Communications, Mrs. Nathalie Roy, before permits can be issued and work can begin.

Citizens concerned about the transformation of this popular park have launched an information website and an online petition addressed to the Minister of Culture and Communications, the City of Montreal and the Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal. Finally, to learn more about the history of the Pigeon Hole parking lot, Martin Bérubé has dedicated an article to it on his blog Propos Montréal.

Despite citizen mobilization, the building was ultimately constructed on the site in 2024.