I think this particular corner works much better now. And Ben’s wasn’t really that great, anyway (At least in the 2000s).
At the time I read that originally they were going to build *around* Ben’s and that the plans were changed when Ben’s owners closed shop and sold the restaurant. So I expected the building to fill the whole block, including the parking lot. But then they only build *on top* of the old Ben’s original foot print. What happened there?
The rest of the lot is owned by SITQ – Ben’s refused to sell to SITQ initially and so SITQ (Hines at the time) designed around the Ben’s lot. When the family finally decided to sell, SITQ was no longer interested and the lot was eventually bought by SIDEV
There were plans for another building on the rest of the parking lot. I hope they are still on but I am not sure. I think you are actually talking about that building when you say they were going to building around Ben’s.
Ben’s had a certain run-down cachet, but I think the new building is a definite improvement on the old….
C’était un magnifique bâtiment streamline. Très très très dommage.
Je suis d’accord avec Sophie.
Ben’s was always a hole when I knew it: ’89 to ’94. Never understood it why it had any name. Schwarz’s was an institution you could appreciate, though overrated even then: and not worth the lines I have seen the past few years.
Hopefully the cooks at the new restaurant in the hotel won’t use too many tomatoes.
As much as the new building looks awefully cheap and gives off no particular architectural feats, ingenuity, or anything of the sort, Ben’s had no particular heritage value.
Montreal definitely needs to step up in regards to private investment and the quality of building they offer.
This new building looks like a revamped 1960’s bunker.
2007-2008-2008-2011
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I think this particular corner works much better now. And Ben’s wasn’t really that great, anyway (At least in the 2000s).
At the time I read that originally they were going to build *around* Ben’s and that the plans were changed when Ben’s owners closed shop and sold the restaurant. So I expected the building to fill the whole block, including the parking lot. But then they only build *on top* of the old Ben’s original foot print. What happened there?
The rest of the lot is owned by SITQ – Ben’s refused to sell to SITQ initially and so SITQ (Hines at the time) designed around the Ben’s lot. When the family finally decided to sell, SITQ was no longer interested and the lot was eventually bought by SIDEV
There were plans for another building on the rest of the parking lot. I hope they are still on but I am not sure. I think you are actually talking about that building when you say they were going to building around Ben’s.
Ben’s had a certain run-down cachet, but I think the new building is a definite improvement on the old….
C’était un magnifique bâtiment streamline. Très très très dommage.
Je suis d’accord avec Sophie.
Ben’s was always a hole when I knew it: ’89 to ’94. Never understood it why it had any name. Schwarz’s was an institution you could appreciate, though overrated even then: and not worth the lines I have seen the past few years.
Hopefully the cooks at the new restaurant in the hotel won’t use too many tomatoes.
http://www.montrealmirror.com/2007/011807/news1.html
As much as the new building looks awefully cheap and gives off no particular architectural feats, ingenuity, or anything of the sort, Ben’s had no particular heritage value.
Montreal definitely needs to step up in regards to private investment and the quality of building they offer.
This new building looks like a revamped 1960’s bunker.