The block is under threat from the proposed expansion of the Palais des congrès, which includes the construction of a skybridge over Saint-Urbain Street to connect the existing complex to the new wing. This addition would obstruct the view toward Place d’Armes and the Notre-Dame Basilica as seen from Sainte-Catherine Street. The buildings affected by the project are as old as the average structures found within the boundaries of Old Montreal on the south side of Saint-Antoine Street.

Moreover, the extension of the Palais des congrès further reinforces the physical divide between the historic city and the rest of Montreal, at a time when efforts should be focused on restoring continuity. Yet again, a commercial institution threatens the collective interest in favor of its own short-sighted ambitions—ambitions that could be addressed in alternative ways, if only a step back were taken and qualified experts consulted.