Opinion
Spectrum: a matter of public interest
Stephen Coutu, Intern Architect and holds a Master of Architecture and Urban Design, the author steers the coalition Save the Spectrum.
Le Devoir, edition of Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Friday 9 March we submitted to the City of Montreal a printed copy of the online petition against the destruction of the Spectrum with 15,464 signatures and comments Many signatories. This petition was the initiative of citizens opposed to the proposed real estate company SIDEV, who plans to demolish this place sensitive culture in Montreal to make room for an office tower of 15 floors and a big box retail space. Its signatories are demanding that municipal authorities refuse to issue a permit demolition of the property owner for as long as he has not revised its plans to include a theater that would replace the Spectrum.
Some wonder why have initiated a petition against the destruction of the Spectrum. There is great misunderstanding in this regard. It has often been portrayed as the initiators of the petition for those wishing to preserve an element of Montreal's heritage. In reality, the building in which is the Spectrum offers absolutely no heritage value in itself. It is old and ugly, and the roof must be rebuilt in the apparently complete.
What signatories of the petition insisted on recognition by cons is the unique contribution to the cultural heritage of Montreal offered by the institution that is the Spectrum. It would be a huge loss for the city if this room would be closed without being replaced. And it is the defeatism that prevailed in the Montreal art world during the announcement of the coming destruction of the Spectrum that caused the idea to organize a response to prevent the occurrence of the irreparable.
Moratorium required
We obviously welcome enthusiastically the draft SPP (Special Planning Project ") has presented Mayor Gerald Tremblay last week for the Quartier des spectacles. It seems that this step comes a bit late. Given the intensity taken by the speculation in this sector since the announcement of the creation of the Partnership's entertainment district, one can see a good eye this significant gesture which will oversee the real estate development and is expected to confirm the vocation cultural district.
The bad news, however, is that when the master plan will be adopted by council, the Spectrum is already destroyed and construction of the project will probably SIDEV being, regardless of what may propose this plan. It would
perhaps more appropriate to impose a moratorium on projects in the area covered to ensure they are subject to the same scrutiny that future projects that will comply with the intentions of the SSP. Only decisive action from the Mayor of Montreal could allow imposing such a moratorium. Such a move would allow him to exercise leadership to ensure that the Partnership's entertainment district, which he himself created, gets the best start.
This is not the impression that the mayor gave us last week when he said, about the destruction of the Spectrum, it was a private matter and that this room was to survive, find financing in this sector. Pretending to wash his hands, he passes the buck to private, as if this matter was outside of him! What should we expect of a mayor who leaves the fate of one of the most popular rooms of Montrealers on the goodwill of the private sector? His role is he not to regulate property development, precisely in order to prevent the private do anything and transformed the city into a vast gray city without a soul?
urban development, for it is done intelligently, must be marked and supervised by the municipal authorities in the interests population, including by demonstrating political courage necessary to promote the cultural potential of this unique neighborhood.
Another large area
Several aspects suggest that the current draft SIDEV would never be acceptable if it were to be judged by the PPU to come. A 15-story building at this location would block forever the wonderful view of downtown we have now from the Place des Arts. We would lose this natural setting is perceived above the central stage of the International Jazz Festival, or the Tower of Place Ville-Marie, with its lighthouse in constant rotation overnight. This project block his view of this masterpiece of architect IM Pei, one of the few buildings in Montreal to be signed by an architect of international renown.
Instead, we will have a big box store - another! - In offices and shade.
should be worried about what will happen with this project. The fact that we have mentioned that discussions were ongoing with Best Buy provides us a good idea what kind of commerce that will settle on the ground floor of the project.
Another area of huge megastores there a place on a street as Rue Sainte-Catherine in what should be the entertainment district? Might we not lose the dynamism and richness that allows many different storefronts over a large piece of curtain wall where there will be more interaction with the sidewalk?
And if, at least here was a trade that was central to this project! In a draft of the Spectrum complex, which was to give the place of festivals, it was a store Archambault Music which was to be there. Of course, Archambault now belongs to the powerful Quebecor Group, but would not it better to install another big American company who nothing to gain with our cultural differences and try to sell us the same thing it already sells an across the continent? Asking the question answers itself.
The lost identity
And if one thinks in terms of sustainable development, the destruction of this island and the construction of the new project will produce many tons of heavy debris? Is there any evidence that could keep or recycle within the new project? Probably we do it will not linger, preferring to release the entire site will run for several floors of underground parking garage. Not only do we destroy a quality structure that could be used again if it was renovated, we will replace it as a huge box with no soul, whose construction will certainly be of poor quality compared to what was done previously.
And what about the identity of the place? The tiny lights from the walls of the Spectrum, that people everywhere can recognize as a clear sign of the identity of this room would give way to a cold neon light of a hundred hanging lamps, an interior that could be anonymous here or anywhere in the United States.
The facade of a store large surface of a U.S. chain in the heart of Montreal's summer festivals will Does our new business card? Good luck to organizations dedicated to the development of tourism in Montreal, you'll need great!
Coalition Save the Spectrum is beholden to anyone. It is a group of citizens who simply share their love for culture and whose word has reached over 15,000 people asking the City to prevent the loss (without replacement) one of the venues most important in Montreal. Now that this petition is in the hands of municipal authorities, we expressed our expectations with respect to our elected and stay alert to their actions in this matter.
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