Sorting out the costs

Bidders were the Marcarko Group (owners of 555 Chabanel) and the Dayan Group (433 Chabanel). Marcarko came out on top by pitching its nearly 43,000 square feet – the amount of space needed by the borough – and tailoring its lease agreement to the borough's needs on the sixth floor of its building.

A comparative summary released by the borough showed Dayan pitched a $1.225-million annual lease, about $71,000 less than the Marcarko bid, which administrators said was a better fit for the borough.

"Both propositions were excellent. But the visibility holds major importance for us and that's what tipped the scales," said borough spokesman Marie-Élaine Ladouceur.

With both edifices located on Chabanel, it was the location of the offices within the buildings that held the balance of the decision, as well as the notion that the offices would've been on two floors in the Dayan building.

"In the Macarko building, the offices are easier for citizens to find," Ladouceur said.

With all the offices together on the sixth floor, it made the Macarko building more appealing.

"It will favour exchanges and communication between personnel," Ladouceur added.

With the lease at 10794 Lajeunesse not yet complete, Macarko offered the borough a $1.5-million refund in order to keep its costs down.

"We can do what we want with that money," Ladouceur said. "If we are able to sublet the old offices, then we can use the money for another project. If we can't, it will have to go toward the rent."

Because only the decision summary was made public, an access-to-information request was submitted to the borough to get the details of both bids as well as the details for the call for tenders.