The Old Port's Silo 5, out of commission since 1996.

This week the the Lower Main redevelopment saga is drawing to a sad and quiet close: on December 21st, the Ville-Marie borough ordered the demolition  of 1190 to 1220 boulevard Saint-Laurent. The five buildings, which were constructed between 1889 and 1900, have been left vacant since the Société de Développement Angus purchased them in 2009. Given that the owner has not maintained the properties or even heated them during the winter, it's no surprise that the centennial buildings have become so dilapidated that they present a risk to public safety and fire hazard. The ...

[caption id="attachment_12745" align="alignnone" width="435" caption="Image via la Presse"][/caption]   Right after completing her Masters degree in Architecture, Alex got a job with a local firm that designs those condominiums you always see cropping up in the Plateau, Rosemont and Villeray. We have all seen these new constructions and shuddered, or perhaps just sighed it could be worse. The blocks are neither offensive nor inspiring: they're mediocre at best. “We’re creating a generation of condos that are really ugly," Alex says,"It’s as bad as the 'eighties.  Frankly, I think it’s going to be worse.” She runs ...

The Building Project, along with its fellow inhabitants of Montreal, experienced a cold shock earlier this week - literally, somewhat frigid.  Snow, for cripes sake! Snow! As tardy as it was this year (don't we remember crunching across frozen lawns as trick-or-treaters, or enjoying the surprise white precipitate quilt that derails schedules across the city for a day and [less frequently] deems school cancellations in mid-October?), it was beautiful to wake up to the familiar ambient blue glow that saturates the indoors from all daylight sources. Snow is fun for ...

Thank you to those who offered  sage suggestions of camping stools from Canadian Tire for under ten dollars. I will resort to that when I am sick of the camping chair that I found in the garbage this week! Ah, Montreal. Mysteriously benevolent Montreal. How is it that you can provide me with such bounties of free food, cheap coffee, and arts and crafts? You provide me with almost anything for free - all I need is patience and a sharp eye. Currently, said eye is peeled for chairs. Any seating implement ...