6 ms·

Montréaler here; I live in a neighbourhood which is uniquely composed of plexes - 3 to 8 units per "plex", with the typical number being 3, thus the term "tripl

Montréaler here; I live in a neighbourhood which is uniquely composed of plexes - 3 to 8 units per "plex", with the typical number being 3, thus the term "triplex". Honestly, it's the ideal density IMHO. I get the convenience factors of urban density, but without (most) of the downsides of a high-rise condominium building.

DanCarvajal 5y ago
When I was last in Montreal I was struck by these types of units and deeply jealous.
- jperras 5y ago
  Most cities and urban areas would be much better off with a preponderance of middle-density housing! But, as has been mentioned elsewhere, protectionism in zoning laws and rampant NIMBYism is a difficult wave to break. Our love affair with middle-density housing is a bit of a cultural/historical oddity; there really aren't other places in Canada where this is wide-spread norm.
mrep 5y ago
We call them three-flats here in Chicago.
- jperras 5y ago
  I had no idea that they were common enough in Chicago to have a colloquial name! That's awesome.
  - mrep 5y ago
    They are literally everywhere in Chicago. I live in one myself.
- micromacrofoot 5y ago
  They're a different type of construction... but we have triple-deckers in Boston.
cryptoz 5y ago
I've lived on the 2nd and 3rd floors of triplexes in the plateau and it was one of the best living experiences I've had. Really awesome location, price, size, etc.
- jperras 5y ago
  Yeah, it's hard to describe to people that haven't lived in them before. Couple that with the fact that everyone typically gets their own private entrance/exit to outddoors due to the exterior staircases, and it's a fantastic combination of privacy, density, convenience, and urbanization IMO.
  - PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
    Those exterior staircases are such a unique feature, certainly the way they are positioned. Love your city very much, one of the best in North America.
MrFoof 5y ago
Boston-area is loaded with them. Within 10 miles of Boston’s Downtown Crossing (which includes many, very dense adjacent cities) it’s unquestionably the most dominant type of building for residences. Duplexes, triplexes and tenements dominate any decent sized city (100K+) in Massachusetts. It’s just what tends to happen when cities were founded 350-400+ years ago.
distances 5y ago
High-rise is not the only other way to reach density. I think major European cities like Paris, Barcelona, Berlin have a very livable and lively format of continuous blocks of 5-8 story buildings.
SkeuomorphicBee 5y ago
I lived almost all my life on neighborhoods of "walk up apartments" (3 or 4 floor high condo buildings without a lift, typically with 2 units per floor), and I agree completely. It is small enough density to be calm and quiet, but high enough density to support small local businesses at walking distance.
dgudkov 5y ago
I agree with all the points. If only sound insulation was better in these old plexes. Hearing someone sneezing (and not only) on the upper floor is not much fun.
- RHSeeger 5y ago
  Or kids roller skating on the floor above you while you're trying to work or sleep. Roller skates on a normal floor are... deafening to the people on the floor below.
  - treeman79 5y ago
    It’s horrible when you have small children being above people. Kids are noisy, they walk hard and jump a lot. You can lecture /punish all you want. That doesn’t change their nature. For a time we were apologizing to the grouchy old lady living alone below us in a 3 bedroom. Hitting ceiling with broom at every noise. But at a certain point. Look 3 bedrooms are for people with family. I’m not going to force a 2 year to sit still 24 hours a day. After one absurd ceiling episode we started family jumping exercises for every broom whack. Never going back to multi-tenant if I can help it.
    - gkop 5y ago
      I have a family member with small kids that bought a condo flat in Montreal in one of those ubiquitous stick-framed midcentury quadplexes. The downstairs neighbor complained aggressively about "kids too noisy" and sued my family member. The family member was unable to work it out with the neighbor, and faced with the prospect of the suit actually going to trial, their lawyer recommended settling by selling the unit to the downstairs neighbor for a $100K CAD haircut. Closing that sale was a huge relief to them after having endured almost two years of constant harassment by the downstairs neighbor. Sharing to warn others.
- 2-718-281-828 5y ago
  oh how I despise hearing my neighbours. especially loud music or TV.
JeremyNT 5y ago
I'm moving into a "plex" in a southern city that has become heavily "plexed" over the last 15 years. There are two strategies basically: "plexing" or "tall and skinnying" (the latter is to make very slim houses that have very small easements between them, the advantage of which is that each lot is fully owned by an individual party). It's got pros and cons. I think the big issue I observe here is that it doesn't help affordability in any noticeable way. Whenever the single family units are destroyed, they are typically the older / lower end variety first, which had previously been attractive as rentals for lower income people but now they have massive value as teardowns so they can be carved up. Those houses get replaced with high end new construction. So this results in increased real estate value and ultimately a concentration of amenities around these areas that are being "plexed." No affordable housing is built (since this is a southern US city, all low income housing is pushed away from the city core to the exurbs, with long car drive commutes). Another con is that this town does not have public transportation, and their roads are ill suited for 2-3x the old density. This results in the dreaded "stroads" that have numerous stoplights, carry 5-6 lanes of traffic, and are lined by strip malls as the only connectors. And finally, when a neighborhood gets "plexed," all the existing foliage is destroyed because it is in the way. So the newly plexed zones are barren with only small shrubs and decorative plants, no trees at all. I think town home style developments make a lot of sense conceptually. They provide easier access than an apartment building and are much cheaper to build. The density improvements are real, although though not as large as an apartment. I just worry that the way it's being done is rather careless and with little thought for the future, at least in the southern US town I am staying in.

DanCarvajal 5y ago

When I was last in Montreal I was struck by these types of units and deeply jealous.

jperras 5y ago
Most cities and urban areas would be much better off with a preponderance of middle-density housing! But, as has been mentioned elsewhere, protectionism in zoning laws and rampant NIMBYism is a difficult wave to break. Our love affair with middle-density housing is a bit of a cultural/historical oddity; there really aren't other places in Canada where this is wide-spread norm.

mrep 5y ago

We call them three-flats here in Chicago.

jperras 5y ago
I had no idea that they were common enough in Chicago to have a colloquial name! That's awesome.
- mrep 5y ago
  They are literally everywhere in Chicago. I live in one myself.
micromacrofoot 5y ago
They're a different type of construction... but we have triple-deckers in Boston.

cryptoz 5y ago

I've lived on the 2nd and 3rd floors of triplexes in the plateau and it was one of the best living experiences I've had. Really awesome location, price, size, etc.

jperras 5y ago
Yeah, it's hard to describe to people that haven't lived in them before. Couple that with the fact that everyone typically gets their own private entrance/exit to outddoors due to the exterior staircases, and it's a fantastic combination of privacy, density, convenience, and urbanization IMO.
- PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
  Those exterior staircases are such a unique feature, certainly the way they are positioned. Love your city very much, one of the best in North America.

MrFoof 5y ago

Boston-area is loaded with them. Within 10 miles of Boston’s Downtown Crossing (which includes many, very dense adjacent cities) it’s unquestionably the most dominant type of building for residences. Duplexes, triplexes and tenements dominate any decent sized city (100K+) in Massachusetts. It’s just what tends to happen when cities were founded 350-400+ years ago.

distances 5y ago

High-rise is not the only other way to reach density. I think major European cities like Paris, Barcelona, Berlin have a very livable and lively format of continuous blocks of 5-8 story buildings.

SkeuomorphicBee 5y ago

I lived almost all my life on neighborhoods of "walk up apartments" (3 or 4 floor high condo buildings without a lift, typically with 2 units per floor), and I agree completely. It is small enough density to be calm and quiet, but high enough density to support small local businesses at walking distance.

dgudkov 5y ago

I agree with all the points. If only sound insulation was better in these old plexes. Hearing someone sneezing (and not only) on the upper floor is not much fun.

RHSeeger 5y ago
Or kids roller skating on the floor above you while you're trying to work or sleep. Roller skates on a normal floor are... deafening to the people on the floor below.
- treeman79 5y ago
  It’s horrible when you have small children being above people. Kids are noisy, they walk hard and jump a lot. You can lecture /punish all you want. That doesn’t change their nature. For a time we were apologizing to the grouchy old lady living alone below us in a 3 bedroom. Hitting ceiling with broom at every noise. But at a certain point. Look 3 bedrooms are for people with family. I’m not going to force a 2 year to sit still 24 hours a day. After one absurd ceiling episode we started family jumping exercises for every broom whack. Never going back to multi-tenant if I can help it.
  - gkop 5y ago
    I have a family member with small kids that bought a condo flat in Montreal in one of those ubiquitous stick-framed midcentury quadplexes. The downstairs neighbor complained aggressively about "kids too noisy" and sued my family member. The family member was unable to work it out with the neighbor, and faced with the prospect of the suit actually going to trial, their lawyer recommended settling by selling the unit to the downstairs neighbor for a $100K CAD haircut. Closing that sale was a huge relief to them after having endured almost two years of constant harassment by the downstairs neighbor. Sharing to warn others.
2-718-281-828 5y ago
oh how I despise hearing my neighbours. especially loud music or TV.

JeremyNT 5y ago

I'm moving into a "plex" in a southern city that has become heavily "plexed" over the last 15 years. There are two strategies basically: "plexing" or "tall and skinnying" (the latter is to make very slim houses that have very small easements between them, the advantage of which is that each lot is fully owned by an individual party). It's got pros and cons. I think the big issue I observe here is that it doesn't help affordability in any noticeable way. Whenever the single family units are destroyed, they are typically the older / lower end variety first, which had previously been attractive as rentals for lower income people but now they have massive value as teardowns so they can be carved up. Those houses get replaced with high end new construction. So this results in increased real estate value and ultimately a concentration of amenities around these areas that are being "plexed." No affordable housing is built (since this is a southern US city, all low income housing is pushed away from the city core to the exurbs, with long car drive commutes). Another con is that this town does not have public transportation, and their roads are ill suited for 2-3x the old density. This results in the dreaded "stroads" that have numerous stoplights, carry 5-6 lanes of traffic, and are lined by strip malls as the only connectors. And finally, when a neighborhood gets "plexed," all the existing foliage is destroyed because it is in the way. So the newly plexed zones are barren with only small shrubs and decorative plants, no trees at all. I think town home style developments make a lot of sense conceptually. They provide easier access than an apartment building and are much cheaper to build. The density improvements are real, although though not as large as an apartment. I just worry that the way it's being done is rather careless and with little thought for the future, at least in the southern US town I am staying in.