Sagonaska Place

Sagonaska Place revitalizes and repurposes a former government building to accommodate 38 rental units, amenities and at grade commercial space, near the historic core of Belleville and the Moira River, previously called Sagonaskaby the local Indigenous people. A portion of the units are affordable, intended for Indigenous and Belleville residents, and barrier-free units and common spaces are provided. The building takes its name from the SagonaskaRiver and is part of the traditional territory of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte. A rooftop patio affords panoramic views of the river with an adjacent gathering space. The building also offers a common lounge space and exercise room. The renovations sought to improve the energy performance of the building, by providing additional insulation to the envelope and on-site power generation through roof mounted photovoltaic panels.

The client is a partnership of four organizations, Summers & Co and three Indigenous partners – The Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, Ketegaunseebee Garden River First Nation and Missanabie Cree First Nation. The project won a First Nation Community Housing Recognition Award at the 2023 First Nations Housing Conference. The design of the project was shared by Invizij Architects and Smoke Architecture, the Architect of Record.