property by its history – for over a century, the St. Charles Church has been a “focal point” of Beechwood Village, serving its parishioners “as both a spiritual hub and a gathering place.” With the St. Charles Market, ModBox aimed to preserve that communal heritage. The original grounds are intended to act as “pivotal community gathering spot,” with whimsical places, patios, and benches, and seasonal attractions programmed by locals. “At its heart, the historic bell tower will serve once again as a welcoming beacon to the Ottawa community,” Darryl says. Darryl personally lives in Beechwood Village, as do several of ModBox’s team members and investors. He remembers moving to the neighbourhood about 18 years ago: “Ever since I arrived, it always struck me as an area that was underdeveloped and had a great deal of potential,” he says. “I came from a neighbourhood in Toronto that was very walkable, and very dense with retail and street front amenities. I knew Beechwood wouldn’t be quite like that, but I couldn’t quite understand why it wasn’t a whole lot better.” “There were just a lot of properties that weren’t being well-used,” he recalls. “They were left in rough shape. They weren’t being developed. The whole strip had an enormous amount of potential, but it just wasn’t seeing the sort of life and investment that I thought it deserved.” “So when this opportunity came up,wewerealreadyvery familiar with the neighbourhood, and we wanted to see more happen in it,” he continues. “And we felt MARCH 2022
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTYzNTg=