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New York Life Insurance Building
Montreal's New York Life Insurance Building, also known as the Quebec Bank Building, is an office building located at Place d'Armes in Old Montreal. Erected between 1887 and 1889, it was the tallest commercial building in the city at the time, with eight floors of retail office space that quickly attracted top lawyers and financiers. The ninth and tenth floors housed the country’s largest legal library, a gift from the owner. Situated next to the historic Aldred Building, it was designed by architects Babb, Cook and Willard and built by contractor Peter Lyall for the New York Life Insurance Company at a cost of $750,000. The building is notable for its use of imported red sandstone from Dumfriesshire, Scotland, marking a departure from the local grey stone typically used in Montreal.
The site was strategically chosen for its proximity to Montreal’s business hub, and the construction involved demolishing two buildings, including l’Hotel Compain. Quebec Bank purchased the building in 1909 and occupied the ground floor before merging with the Royal Bank of Canada in 1917. The bank’s name is still carved above the entrance.
Located near the Place-d'Armes Metro, the building is close to other landmarks like the Notre-Dame Basilica, Aldred Building, and Bank of Montreal Building. It draws inspiration from Italian Renaissance architecture and New York designs, with a hybrid structure combining iron beams, girders, and brick bearing walls. Decorative elements, such as arabesques and pilaster capitals, were crafted by Henry Beaumont, while the ornamental iron gate was made by the E. Chanteloup workshop.
The building stands 46.3 meters tall with eight floors, including a clock tower, and spans a total floor area of 6,890 m². Its interior features marble-covered walls and Renaissance-style decorative plaster ceilings. A wooden banister tops the ornamental iron staircase railing. The address was originally 13 Place d’Armes Hills but later changed to 511 Place d’Armes.
Throughout its history, the building has seen several renovations, including modernization of the third to fifth floors in 1952 and the addition of two residential penthouses during a 2006–2007 restoration. One of the penthouses is occupied by the current owner. The building has housed notable tenants like the Montreal Real Trust Company, National Bank of Canada, and Société de Fiducie du Quebec. Akelius Montreal Ltd. acquired the building in 2020 and are its current owners.
Type of Data Point - Basic Data Point - Source Wikipedia
New York Life Insurance Building (Montreal) - Wikipedia
Visit page of the element - New York Life Insurance Building
Inserted: 22-10-2024 00:10:01
Questions related to this Data Point
How did the 2006–2007 renovation of the New York Life Insurance Building enhance its modern usage?
How did the New York Life Insurance Building contribute to Montreal's business district in the late 19th century?
How did the New York Life Insurance Building's use of imported red sandstone differentiate it from other Montreal buildings at the time?
How has the New York Life Insurance Building’s ownership history influenced its role in Montreal's commercial real estate?
What impact did the location of the New York Life Insurance Building at Place d'Armes have on its success as a commercial space?
What role did the New York Life Insurance Building play in Quebec Bank’s history before merging with the Royal Bank of Canada?
What structural innovations were used in the construction of the New York Life Insurance Building?
Why was the New York Life Insurance Building initially designed with a legal library on the top floors?
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Architecture in the city
Historical buildings
Map of Montreal
Map of Quebec
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