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Boulevard Saint-Laurent—“The Main”— is a fundamental part of the heritage and identity of Montreal. The majority of buildings in this particular block date from the late 19th century, when the widening of the west side of the boulevard led to the building of a remarkable row of Neo-Romanesque and Neo-Renaissance stone facades. Prominent among them is the Monument National, a cultural and civic centre built by the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society. In 1976, it was classified as a historical monument, and in 1978 a protected perimeter was decreed, which means the entire block is under the protection of the Quebec Ministry of Culture and Communications.
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Published on : October 06 2015
Last modified on : May 03 2016
Alert submitted by: Heritage Montreal
In 2012, at the request of the Ville-Marie Borough, the main section of this exceptional row of heritage buildings was demolished. Several fragments of the facades were numbered, removed and stored, but neither the City nor the Ministry has offered any guarantee of their eventual restoration as part of the rebuilding of the row.
A real-estate development project announced in 2013 and comprising offices, retail spaces and condominiums called for the incorporation of the old facades. In principle, this was an encouraging announcement, but the project’s future remains uncertain, and contingent upon government decisions regarding funding and occupancy. Considerable vigilance is needed to ensure that the content and scale of the project are respected—otherwise the Government would have to reconcile its role as developer with its obligation to safeguard heritage. In particular, the architectural integrity of this remarkable block of Boulevard Saint-Laurent and the individual identities of the facades must be preserved.
Ilot St-Laurent
Ville-Marie
Mechanisms for protection
Urban landscape
Private; company
Demand for land, speculation
Inappropriate/incompatible use
Various
Various
Commercial
Cultural
1895-1910
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.
