Is Montreal really "in decline"… or are we just stuck in a negative narrative?
In this episode of The Espace Montreal Podcast, host Axel Monsaingeon talks with Luciano D'Iorio, Regional President of CDNGLOBAL Québec, about why he's so relentlessly positive about Montreal's future – and what he sees on the ground every day in commercial real estate.
They dig into:
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The real stories behind downtown landmarks like Peel Street and the Sun Life Building
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How local landlord families went from one building to owning major downtown portfolios
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Why relationship-based ownership still matters more than AI, data and distant asset managers
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What makes it so hard to lose a good tenant—and so easy if you neglect them
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How small and medium businesses drive the downtown ecosystem
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Elections, policy, safety, homelessness and cleanliness as core CRE issues, not side topics
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The tension between heritage preservation and development (from churches to silos and conversions)
If you're in commercial real estate, urban planning, brokerage, investing or entrepreneurship and you care about downtown Montreal, this conversation will give you a nuanced, optimistic and practical perspective on where the city is headed – and how to create value in it.
📌 Timestamps
0:00 Montreal's negativity problem & why Luciano started telling positive stories
3:45 Peel Street, the NHL, Sun Life Building legends & downtown fun facts
8:00 Local landlord families, long-term portfolios & relationship-based leasing
13:30 Tenants, employees and the "upmarket" office race
17:10 Elections, downtown priorities & building a business-friendly Montreal
21:40 Pride, cleanliness, safety and the "broken windows" effect
24:30 Heritage vs development: churches, silos and conversions
25:50 Why real estate is the most dynamic "static" asset class
29:00 Final thoughts: why you should still bet on Montreal
Get in touch with Luciano D'Iorio on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Visit https://www.e5pace.com for more resources, market guides, data, and advertising opportunities.
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