The Van Horne Mansion was a classic greystone house in the Golden Square Mile district of Montreal that once belonged to Canadian railway magnate William Cornelius Van Horne. It existed on Sherbrooke Street at the corner of Stanley Street. It was torn down by developer David Azrieli in 1973 under the mayoralty of Jean Drapeau to make way for a sixteen storey tower. The destruction of this architectural gem was controversial. The mansion's destruction sparked the creation of the heritage preservation group Save Montreal.[1] The building had been damaged by a fire on Monday, April 3, 1933, which had also led to the loss of part of Van Horne's private art collection. The Sofitel Hotel today stands at the spot occupied by the Van Horne mansion.[2]