Montreal: Sites to redevelop

MTLskyline · #1 Posted **Nov 7, 2014, 4:21 AM**

This thread can be used to discuss sites that you think should be redeveloped in Montreal.

I will start :

740 Notre-Dame Ouest and Bureau en Gros

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/740...8611d5b7f36c8e

https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.49865...khUXZYMguw!2e0

https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.49844...WggWmdATOg!2e0

This obese 15 storey building has the hideous reflective glass cladding that was popular in the 1970s and 80s.

For a building of its height/width, it occupies a location that is far too prominent:

Silo 5 by Charles-Antoine Vézina, on Flickr

Quite frankly, this lot should be zoned 210m. Don't waste this lot on a 35 floor/120m tower, please.

Djesus777 · #2 Posted **Nov 7, 2014, 4:28 AM**

Crazy idea, but lately i've just been imagining place bonaventure and the surrounding surface parking lots being developed/redeveloped into something similar to Edmonton's arena district, but thats just me.

Ashok · #3 Posted **Nov 7, 2014, 5:27 AM**

There should be a major development plan for Cote Des Neige. Entering Cote Des Neige area from downtown on Cote Des Neige st, there should be a twin tower on Queen Mary. This should be kind of iconic. Then, there should be hi-rise (6 to 12 floors) developments along Queen Mary, and another set dotted along Cote Des Neige, away from the Mountain. These buildings should attempt to form a non table top skyline. There should also be a nice looking 30+ floor building dominating the skyline while taking into account the St. Joseph + UdeM's skyline.

le calmar · #4 Posted **Nov 7, 2014, 11:34 AM**

Place Bonanventure should be torn down to leave place for a new highrise... Maybe in the next 20-30 years? The building is starting to age poorly. Problem is, the building is a huge piece of shit, and trains run right through it. I can't see how they will manage to build a highrise on this site, unless they build a new tunnel for the trains. And if they do, they can't build it to deep because the train station is very close and almost on ground level. But the site is so large they could probably build 2 highrises on it with the trains running in the middle (ideally underground, with no buildings above it, it wouldn't have to be too deep)

Rico Rommheim · #5 Posted **Nov 7, 2014, 2:57 PM**

Place Bonaventure may be ugly, but it's a Montreal (and canadian) landmark and one of the biggest buildings anywhere in this country. It ain't going anywhere anytime soon.

What really needs to go though is that horrendous Gare Centrale Parking garage right across the street on gauchetiere. I mean, this is our main train train station's entrance. Seriously a giant embarrassment. Like honestly, what in the fuck were they thinking in the 60's?

http://images.travelpod.com/users/ju...ntr-233-al.jpg

I propose they tear it down and replace it with a "terminus tower" of sorts that will include a beautiful Gare Central entrance along with parking garages, offices and perhaps a hotel. Make it the city's signature tower at 250m. It would also fix the issue of the huge skyline gap caused by Place Bonaventure.

Rico Rommheim · #6 Posted **Nov 7, 2014, 3:14 PM**

This building has bothered me for years. Rene-Levesque/St-Alexandre, next to SNC-Lavalin.
The biggest waste of opportunity in downtown Montreal. This site could very well fit Montreal's next tallest building (consider the huge parking lot behind it). Instead we have a 5 storey building with 0 features on the street front. They added 2 floors to an older 3 storey structure sometime in the past 15 years, so this one ain't going anywhere anytime soon. What a waste, what a waste.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...e_Ouest_01.jpg

Ashok · #7 Posted **Nov 7, 2014, 10:10 PM**

For Place Bonadventure, it would be awesome if they were to put a double skin facade. Something like below, it would be great.

MTLskyline · #8 Posted **Nov 25, 2014, 4:52 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

This building has bothered me for years. Rene-Levesque/St-Alexandre, next to SNC-Lavalin.
The biggest waste of opportunity in downtown Montreal. This site could very well fit Montreal's next tallest building (consider the huge parking lot behind it). Instead we have a 5 storey building with 0 features on the street front. They added 2 floors to an older 3 storey structure sometime in the past 15 years, so this one ain't going anywhere anytime soon. What a waste, what a waste.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...e_Ouest_01.jpg

While we're at it, we might as well replace some of its neighbours. Wouldn't be a big deal if they were near Radio-Canada, but not a block away from PVM..:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...sque_Ouest.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...sque_Ouest.jpg

The CRA building is no prize either.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...ontreal_02.jpg

Not to mention the building that was supposed to become the Point Zero hotel, but now sits as an abandoned commie block.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

digitboy · #9 Posted **Nov 27, 2014, 2:56 AM**

What's up with the Point Zero project, is it really dead?

Rico Rommheim · #10 Posted **Nov 27, 2014, 1:06 PM**

Pretty sure it is. The commie block is ugly, but at least it was a functioning, it hired people. Now it does nothing. And it's still there.

The entire stretch of Rene-Levesque from Bleury to University is a joke.

Rico Rommheim · #11 Posted **Nov 28, 2014, 10:13 PM**

I actually like the CRA building. At least I accept now that the V is there. It makes for an interesting contrast. And I usually don't care for the 50's-style glorified high-school green panel thing, but I like it on that one, it somehow works with the sober stone bricks.

Rene-Levesque east is pretty vile. The more east you go the more bafflingly unimpressive the buildings become:

by Memphis22

MTL-514 · #12 Posted **Dec 1, 2014, 6:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by digitboy

What's up with the Point Zero project, is it really dead?

Seems clearly dead now. I passed by about a week or two ago, and all the street-level publicity for the Point Zero project had been removed. So it's just an abandoned building now. No sign that there is any development planned there.

On a positive note, a big shiny new Starbucks has opened at street level, in the next building up the block (westwards up René Lévesque Blvd), which spruces up the corner quite a bit, compared to what the base of that building used to look like. A couple more street level storefronts are clearly being built in the base of that same building - no sign yet as to what might open there.

alle · #13 Posted **Apr 1, 2015, 12:42 AM**

The Sixty hotel is not dead, it is scheduled to open in 2017. it's under design development.
As for Place Bonaventure, It could be re-cladded, a face lift would be welcomed.
This versatile building doesn't have to be demolished, It is an integral part of downtown's urban fabric.

MolsonExport · #14 Posted **Apr 22, 2015, 1:44 AM**

Wasn't Place Bonaventure renovated about 15 years ago? When they took out the sad sack 2 storey mall? I kinda like PB in spite of itself: It's hulking presence, the fact that it was once the world's second largest commercial building by square footage (after Chicago's merchandise mart), the fact that it has fucking trains running through it and a cool penthouse pool that has water tunnels to the changing rooms (for winter). Plus Bonaventure metro is my favourite in the system.