The highrise construction boom currently reshaping downtown Montreal is not only adding more vitality to the streets, it is also transforming the city's skyline. Mostly concentrated along Boulevard René-Lévesque, the new skyscrapers are rapidly growing to form a glassy cluster around the Centre Bell. Last year, developer Canvar announced the construction of another tower in the area. The mixed-use 40-storey building will include a Holiday Inn hotel at its base and a series of residences on top.

Holiday Inn Montreal as of April 14th, image by Forum contributor skahhigh

In 2014, the hotel group moved out of their former location on rue Sherbrooke and will soon relocate to their new Architex Group-designed edifice at the corner of Boulevard René-Lévesque and rue Lucien-L'Allier. A total off 225 rooms, including 30 suites, will occupy the building's first 10 storeys, where customers will have access to free Wi-Fi, a spa, as well as an indoor swimming pool. Above, the upper 30 storeys will be occupied by 250 rental apartments, a growing trend in Montreal where rental projects are becoming more common.

Holiday Inn Montreal as of April 1st, looking north, image by Forum contributor skahhigh

The tower will be covered in what appears to be sleek blue-tinted glazing with highly insulating properties, and be interrupted only by horizontal precast stripes. The slender residential portion of the building will include balconies and terraces, providing the residents with an outdoor space for the summer months. To further match some of the Green EngageMD requirements for environmentally friendly highrise buildings, the $75 million CAD structure will also include energy saving light bulbs.

Holiday Inn Montreal, image via Canvar and The Architex Group

The tower is scheduled for completion during the spring of 2017. In the meantime, additional images and information about the project can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread — where more construction photos are available — or leave a comment at the bottom of this page.