Tour KPMG

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The Tour KPMG, formerly Maison des Coopérants or Place de la Cathédrale, is a 34 storey skyscraper located in downtown Montreal that was completed in 1987. It is located at 600 de Maisonneuve Ouest. It has an official height of 146 m (479 ft). It is built on a plot of land owned by the Christ Church Cathedral, which lies directly in front of the building when viewed from Saint Catherine Street. The tower was designed by WZMH Architects and was styled in order to relate to the cathedral located directly adjacent to it. The skyscraper incorporates an underground shopping centre known as Promenades Cathédrale as part of the Underground City that is directly connected to the Metro.

The building was originally called Maison des Coopérants for the then-anchor tenant, as can be seen on the inscription in the lobby, however it was later named Place de la Cathédrale. At the end of 2005 the tower was renamed to its current name for KPMG, the new anchor tenant that occupies floors 8 to 15.

Part of its local claim to fame was that the Promenades Cathédrale shopping mall underneath the tower, built at the same time, was built directly beneath the existing Christ Church Cathedral. It was a sight to behold, as the Cathedral was perched on top of cement piles with the soil removed from under it, resulting in a cathedral that seemed to be floating in mid air. From time to time, the building administration runs an exhibit in the shopping mall displaying the construction of the complex. A consequence of this arrangement is that the cathedral no longer has its proverbial basement. The functions traditionally done in the church basement are now performed in a space reserved for the church on the third floor of the tower's east side.

At the time of its opening, the shopping mall had three floors with a food court occupying most of the lower floor. Later renovations converted that shopping floor into a second floor of parking garage.

[edit] References

Emporis.com

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