Tramway Building – Envelope Rehabilitation

Discipline : Architecture

Categories : Other categories in architecture / Façade : Gold certification

Categories : Special Award / Adaptive Reuse, Salvage & Heritage : Gold certification

Context

Located at 159 rue St-Antoine in Old Montréal, the Tramway Building is one of the first Art Deco office buildings in Montréal, opened in June 1929. Standing ten stories tall at 120 feet, it originally housed the head office of La Compagnie des Tramways de Montréal (today the STM) as well as offices for other organizations, including the Palais des Congrès de Montréal since 2002.

Designed by architects Ross and Macdonald, this Art Deco building is distinguished by its massive brick walls enriched with ornamental cast stone inserts featuring finely crafted bas-relief and high-relief detailing, as well as vertical windows set within pilaster-framed bays crowned with decorative accents — making it a valuable testament to the city's architectural heritage.

Mandate

DMA conducted a building envelope condition assessment as part of an asset maintenance plan. Several types of exploratory openings were carried out — at window jambs and sills, as well as at the rear of the building along the west façade return, where the concrete envelope structure is exposed. These openings, spanning three floors and three different spaces, served to confirm the wall composition throughout the building.

Intervention zones were subsequently identified and defined. Restoration and intervention methods were established to return the building envelope to its original condition while respecting the integrity of its heritage character. The work required specialized interventions, including collaboration with a structural engineer for the restoration of the lintels supporting large-format stone elements.

The repair of the period concrete beams and columns located on the rear façades represented a key aspect of the project. Severely deteriorated, these elements required specific expertise to ensure the building's long-term stability and safety. This intervention breathes new life into an iconic building while demonstrating the capacity to meet the challenges of heritage conservation — upholding rigorous technical standards and honoring the city's historical legacy.

The project in images