Without opposition, Maison Alcan redevelopment will proceed

CTV Montreal: Alcan redesign coming A project that includes a major redesign of the Maison Alcan on Sherbrooke, including a high-rise tower.

The Maison Alcan was built more than 20 years ago and was widely admired for its design. But unless people living in the area where it stands voice their opposition to a redevelopment project, a 30-storey commercial tower will go up in its place.

The building, at Sherbrooke and Stanley, is currently the headquarters for aluminium mining and production giant Rio Tinto Alcan. But beginning in the first quarter of 2016, the company will become the featured tenant at the Deloitte tower, which will open next to the Bell Centre.

The new project by a real estate company owned by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte will be a commercial space with stores and offices on the higher floors.

Any request for a referendum needed to be received at the Ville Marie borough office at 800 de Maisonneuve Blvd. E by 4:30 p.m. Monday. None were submitted.

A public consultation was held June 25 and the borough council has passed two resolutions in favour of the project.

As part of the project, the façade of the old Maison Alcan will stay intact, but an armoury on Stanley St. will be razed in order to put up the tower.

The proposed tower is being met with opposition from Montreal architects who are upset a high-rise is replacing a building that was celebrated for its modest size.

"In my opinion, you could definitely say that the new tower dwarfs the original project, ruining its sense of human scale and its close connection to the residential history of Sherbrooke St.,” said Annmarie Adams, director of the McGill School of Architecture.

The concerns go beyond aesthetics according to McGill School of Urban Planning Director Raphael Fischler.

"There are concerns there with the microclimate you create with the very tall tower on the street," he said.

The project is expected to fully approved on Sept. 9.