I'm quite fond of Montreal's built form of building walk ups and houses up to almost the sidewalk on side streets and having healthy street trees either in a little front yard or between the sidewalk and the road. It makes the built form the focus of the street, yet the trees also soften the streetscape and make it more pleasant.
The lack of front yards allows for more density even within historic low-rise areas.
Here's an example. In many areas, the street trees are quite healthy being planted this way, despite presumably coming into contact with plenty of salt. I'm not sure how they do it, but it looks great.
Another thing that's praiseworthy about Montreal is that when they do a public realm project in a high-profile area, they often do it with great design sense and without cutting corners. As such, they achieve impressive spaces. Take
Victoria Square, for instance.
The public realm is exemplary. There are beautiful grey granite slab-paved pedestrian spaces, granite curbs, lush trees, uniquely designed and impressive ornamental street lights, aesthetically pleasing traffic signals that don't block sight lines, complimentary litter bins, and working fountains. There's heritage sensitivity. The public art is interesting. The private buildings are generally well maintained around the space. Utilities are buried.
Their ability to commit to a major project and execute it to a very high standard, both on the public and private sides, is impressive. They also tend to maintain these spaces well over time. Victoria Square's revitalization dates back to the early 2000s, yet it still looks great.
