Built in 1927, the Empress Theatre, with its Egyptian Revival style, played host to a variety of forms of entertainment over the years, including burlesque, dinner theatre and repertory films. During the 1960s, the Empress changed vocations a few times. In 1962, it was converted into a café-theatre called the Royal Follies, before becoming, in 1968, a two-tiered cinema known as Cinema V and Salle Hermes. In 1975, it kept the name Cinema V and focused primarily on repertory films. Famous Players bought the venue in 1988, turning it into a cinema for feature-length blockbuster films. In 1992, a major fire destroyed the building and forced its closure. The building has been abandoned ever since.
The City of Montreal bought the theatre in 1999 from Standard Life. In 2001, the theatre was returned to the Côte-des-Neiges – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough. Several projects to repurpose and enhance the building have been presented over the years, to no avail.
The Empress Theatre, also known as Cinema V, is the only Egyptian Revival style theatre in Canada. Designed by architect Alside Chaussé, the building’s architecture was inspired by Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb in November 1922. The interior was designed by theatre decorator Emmanuel Briffa, who also designed the Rialto, Théâtre Outremont and Snowdon Cinema.
There is a high risk of demolition since the interior is too damaged to be preserved. However, the borough hopes to be able to preserve the exterior façade so that it can be integrated into a new project. While still in the preliminary stage, we will keep watch to ensure that this unique example of Egyptian Revivalism is preserved, restored and integrated into the project that will be adopted.
In March 2020, the mayor of the Côte-des-Neiges – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough announced that the Empress Theatre will be saved in part. The Société d’habitation et de development de Montréal has been allocated $250,000 so that it can conduct architectural and engineering studies. The reconstruction should include a multipurpose room, several affordable housing units and a commercial component for artistic expression. The borough also hopes to involve citizens so that they can express their needs and expectations with respect to this new cultural site.
Héritage Montréal is very attached to the Empress Theater, which is a formidable witness to the history of cinemas in Montreal. A subject that Hçeritage Montréal dealt with in a post entitled on our blog.
Héritage Montréal closely followed the consultations regarding the redevelopment of the theater and pressed for the preservation and enhancement of the architectural elements that could be saved, as quickly as possible.
In November 2024, after several years without any updates on this matter for which the City had sought our collaboration, learning through the media that it now plans to sell it is both disappointing and concerning.
Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Mechanisms for protection
Interior spaces
Public
Vacant
No upkeep
Demolition
Joseph-Alcide Chaussé, architect Emmanuel Briffa, decorator
City of Montréal
Cultural
1927
Located in an area of exceptional heritage value
How do you see this Montreal site? What legacy has it left us? What future can we create for it? Where to start to get there? Who wants to participate in the project?
You have questions? Want to do more, but lack the information? Consult our toolkit to learn more about the heritage of the Montreal metropolitan area, the preservation mechanisms in place and possible actions.
