An historic building with a colourful past is being given a new life thanks to the construction of a new hotel in Montreal, Canada.

The George Stephen House, formerly the Mount Stephen Club – a gentlemen’s club between 1926 and 2011 – will be expanded to create a hotel which aims to deliver luxurious accommodation.

Designed by Canadian architecture firm Lemay, the 12-storey building will provide 500-capacity banquet facilities, meeting rooms, spa and fitness centre and underground parking. At an estimated cost of $25 million, the hotel will be expanded from 2,400 square metres to 6,500 square metres.

The design aims to highlight the Mount Stephen Club site for its architectural history by integrating the surrounding vacant land around the building into the new hotel. This allows the developers to consolidate the site and retain the original building in its urban context.

The site is located in the Golden Square Mile, one of the wealthiest areas in Canada at the start of the 20th century. Rich industrialists, politicians, notaries and merchants came to this area to construct Victorian mansions.

The hotel will match the width of the former club and will be built on the rear of the site, six metres from the historic club building. The hotel will be connected to the club through a continuous plinth planned to connect all the site’s functions on one level.

Mount Stephen Club Montreal

Mount Stephen Club Montreal.

In addition to modernising the old building, the redevelopment will implement the following sustainable methods and design elements:

  • The compact overall design of the building shape will reduce heating and cooling needs
  • Green roofs will be added to the Mount Stephen Club building
  • The restoration of the current building means materials can be reused
  • Rain water will be collected for use in the building’s sanitary facilities and in the irrigation of the site’s landscape
  • The building envelope will incorporate concrete panels with recycled glass as the main aggregate
  • Heating and cooling of the building will be managed through the use of loops in concrete slabs
  • Reclaimed and recycled wood has been used as wall paneling in many areas
  • Natural light is prioritised through the generous inclusion of glazing throughout the building, including in skylights and lightwells.

The development is aiming for LEED Silver certification and a BOMA Best certificate.