Les Amis de la montagne submitted a brief to the Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM) as part of the public consultation on the redevelopment of the Hudson’s Bay store located at 585 Sainte-Catherine Street West in downtown Montreal.
The proposed building, whose remarkable architecture must be in harmony with the surrounding built environment and urban planning regulations in terms of its size and height, plans to stand 120 metres tall. This projection will obstruct the view from the mountain towards the river and the Monteregian Hills, and will encourage the privatization of these views, which is undesirable for the common good of the community.
The building is one of a series of densification projects in the downtown area, whose future is linked to the protection and enhancement of Mount Royal. Les amis de la montagne is greatly concerned by the cumulative effect of the emergence of these large buildings because they create a visual barrier that obstructs views to and from the mountain.
In these circumstances, we recommend:
* Brief available in French only
The proposed building, whose remarkable architecture must be in harmony with the surrounding built environment and urban planning regulations in terms of its size and height, plans to stand 120 metres tall. This projection will obstruct the view from the mountain towards the river and the Monteregian Hills, and will encourage the privatization of these views, which is undesirable for the common good of the community.
The building is one of a series of densification projects in the downtown area, whose future is linked to the protection and enhancement of Mount Royal. Les amis de la montagne is greatly concerned by the cumulative effect of the emergence of these large buildings because they create a visual barrier that obstructs views to and from the mountain.
In these circumstances, we recommend:
- That the existing regulations and tools meant to protect the views and the emblematic presence of Mount Royal be modified to effectively protect and and develop the mountain;
- That coercive measures be associated with "criteria" for assessing the impact of projects on the views of Mount Royal in the Master Plan’s Complementary Document, to counteract the visual barrier effect or to restrict the construction of high-rise buildings in the axis of the main views, as mentioned in the OCPM's 2008 draft plan to protect and enhance Mount Royal (Plan de protection et de mise en valeur du Mont-Royal);
- That the concept of views to and from the Monteregian Hills be recognized and integrated into the City of Montréal's urban plan in order to ensure their protection;
- That limits be redefined and clearer separation distances imposed between high-rise buildings in the downtown area in order to encourage the emergence of projects featuring more slender silhouettes to counteract the visual barrier effect;
- That the Master Plan include an objective that promotes the permeability and transparency of the urban fabric in the downtown area in order to preserve more viewpoints to and from the mountain.
* Brief available in French only
