Comments on: Québec’s Église Saint-Vincent-de-Paul

By: Blaine

Blaine — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 12:55:42 +0000

Shameful! such a beautiful facade. It has been pulling me in for years. It should be a used for community centre, soup kitchen, shelter, low income housing or something indicative of its name sake... certanily not capitalist gain. French Catholic fervor move over. St Anne's, pray for your future.

By: Pat in Paris

Pat in Paris — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 11:11:01 +0000

Yes such destruction of obviously quality buildings is shameful, and all for short term investment. We are destroying grand monuments, thus our own cultural heritage. The west is repeating the errors of the past, thus expressing a deep and growing problem within it's collective consciousness. People here in Paris observe this destruction with utter dismay. From here it is inconceivable that this can happen, as so much here has been destroyed by war, Quebec's monuments are bombarbed by ignorance and greed.

By: Alanah Heffez

Alanah Heffez — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:34:45 +0000

Sean, the link posted by Patrick in the first comment above should answer your question. Basically, the church was sold to a private developer who neglected it until it wasn't fit to be recycled and had to be torn down.

By: Sean

Sean — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:40:17 +0000

What exactly put the church in this condition? I saw it on a recent trip to the city and cannot find any information about it.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:42:55 +0000

This news makes me spectacularly glad I shot it when I was there this summer. If I'd missed this I would have hated myself, it's such an astonishingly beautiful facade.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nightimages/3883432342/in/set-72157622097460945/

By: Alanah Heffez

Alanah Heffez — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:40:23 +0000

UPDATE Dec 9th: Mayor Regis Lebaume asks that the facade be demolished ASAP and replaced with a hotel. According to the mayor, the developer's architectural plans are "spectacular" although they are not yet public. The building will include some kind of arch that recalls the presence of a church. The mayor assured the public that other lots in the area will "probably be dedicated to residential development"

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/actualites/la-capitale/200912/07/01-928878-st-vincent-de-paul-pour-en-finir-avec-la-facade.php

By: A.R.

A.R. — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:34:21 +0000

The facade is attractive and to say it's not heritage is purely political and not grounded in reality.

By: Maria Gatti

Maria Gatti — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:43:08 +0000

Yes, this is a very sad case. There was something very impressive about that church façade when walking up or down the Côte. Definitely warrants expropriation.

By: marie

marie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:07:52 +0000

Thanks for that info ... I love the pics and the story about it made it more interesting

By: Patrick

Patrick — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:28:02 +0000

This is sad. The developer acted in bad faith from day one, has consistently refused to speak to the press, and presented a sub-par project better suited for the outer rings of suburbia. Now the city gives in when it should be expropriating him. This facade is the only tangible reminder of the charitable work of Saint Vincent de Paul in Quebec City, and could be skillfully integrated by a good architect.

See: http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2006/10/21/facadectomy-in-the-making/