Place Bonaventure is an office, exhibition, and hotel complex in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, adjacent to the city's Central Station. At 288,000 m2 (3,100,000 sq ft) in size, Place Bonaventure was the second largest commercial building in the world at the time of its completion in 1967.
History
Place Bonaventure was first conceived as an exhibition hall, international trade centre, and hotel. The building covers an area of 2Â ha (4.9 acres) and is built over 18 CNR tracks leading to Central Station. Construction began in 1964, and was completed in 1967.
Designed in the Brutalist style, the exterior walls are poured-in-place, ribbed sand-blasted concrete, with the interior walls sand-blasted concrete or brick.
Concordia Hall is a 23,000 m2 (250,000 sq ft) exhibition hall. The first trade show was hosted in 1966, while the upper floors were still being constructed. Adjacent to this vast space are two large mezzanines.
When Place Bonaventure opened, there were five floors of wholesale suppliers above Concordia Hall, featuring fashions, home furnishings, and children's toys. An additional floor contained the offices of the principal trading nations of the world. At ground level there were two floors of retail shopping.
In 1998 Place Bonaventure was renovated at an expense of 60 million CAD. The building was re-designed to offer large, continuous office space. Retail space was reduced. Windows were added to all four sides, on all floors, to allow light into the building.
The building takes its name from Bonaventure Station, a former railway station located nearby. A planned expansion to the south was never constructed.
Tenants
The complex houses a 395-room rooftop hotel, Hotel Bonaventure Montreal (formerly a Hilton Hotel), featuring a year-round heated rooftop outdoor pool, an 1 ha (2.5 acres) rooftop garden with trees, flowers and waterfalls. Major tenants also include the Société de transport de Montréal (headquarters), Fido, Cogeco radio stations (except for CFGL-FM), banks and a few federal government departments.
Access
Place Bonaventure is connected to Montreal's underground city. It is also linked to the Bonaventure Metro station, to the AMT commuter train stations (Lucien-L'Allier and Central Station), AMT's downtown bus terminus and to inter-city train service (Via and Amtrak at Central Station).
References
- Ede, Carol (1971). Canadian Architecture 1960/70. Toronto: Burns and MacEachern. p. 264. ISBN 0-88768-021-6.Â
External links
- Official website
