Citizen alert
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Published on : October 18 2016
Last modified on : July 16 2025
Alert submitted by: Charlotte Parent
1214 de la Montagne is one of the oldest surviving private residences in Montreal. Built in 1870, it has changed functions over the years. From 1915 to 1960, it served as a school, after which it was used by art students from the two institutions that would eventually become Concordia University.
In 2009, after the building had been vacant for several years, Gaëtan Dostie moved his vast collection of books and artworks there, creating the Médiathèque Gaëtan Dostie. In recent years, 1214 de la Montagne also housed the Collectif La Passe, which hosted concerts, events, and poetry nights in the old house.
1214 de la montagne
The Commission scolaire de Montréal, owner of the building, evicted La Passe and the Médiathèque on October 1, 2016, citing that the building was unfit for occupancy due to potential mold in the basement—though no formal study was ever conducted. It appears they had until March 2017 to move the collection, but the building had already begun to be boarded up.
As a result, the Médiathèque and La Passe were forced to continue their activities elsewhere. What will become of 1214 de la Montagne remains uncertain.
Ville-Marie
Mechanisms for protection
Interior spaces
Public
Vacant
No upkeep
Lack of knowledge
Demand for land, speculation
Demolition
Commission scolaire de Montréal
Cultural
Institutional
Circa 1870
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.
