Montreal Eaton Centre

The Montreal Eaton Centre, or Centre Eaton de Montréal, is a downtown shopping centre and office complex on Saint Catherine Street West in Montreal, Quebec. It is one of Canada's best-known urban retail properties and takes its name from Eaton's, the former Canadian department-store chain whose Montreal flagship once occupied the adjoining building. The centre is not a manufacturing or electrical-equipment brand; it is a commercial property and destination-retail brand serving shoppers, office workers, tourists and transit users. The property opened on November 14, 1990, on the site of the former Les Terrasses shopping mall at 705 Saint Catherine Street West. Les Terrasses had operated from 1976 to 1987 and was notable for its unusual triangular, spiral-like circulation design, with connected levels rising gradually around a central space. It was demolished and replaced after roughly a decade of operation. The new Montreal Eaton Centre retained the site's links to the Montreal Underground City and the Montreal Metro, making it part of a major pedestrian and retail network beneath and around downtown Montreal. The complex later expanded through the integration of the neighbouring building at 677 Saint Catherine Street West. That structure had a long department-store history: it was originally developed for Goodwin's in the early twentieth century, acquired by Eaton's in 1925, expanded in stages during the late 1920s, the early 1930s and the late 1950s, and connected to McGill station in 1967. Its upper level contained the celebrated Eaton's Ninth Floor Restaurant, an Art Deco interior influenced by the dining room of the ocean liner SS Île-de-France. After Eaton's closed its chain in 1999, the building underwent a substantial redevelopment between 2000 and 2002. The exterior facade and portions of the historic ninth floor were retained, while the interior was rebuilt as Complexe Les Ailes, later associated with the office component known as 1500 University. The two properties were brought together in 2018, with the combined complex retaining the Montreal Eaton Centre name. The merger followed a period in which the adjacent property was branded Complexe Les Ailes after Les Ailes de la Mode, a department store that occupied a substantial portion of the building. Following that retailer's closure in 2016, the former department-store area was substantially reoccupied, including by Decathlon from 2019. The integration gave the centre a larger and more coherent retail footprint while reconnecting the former Eaton's building with the Eaton Centre identity. The centre contains approximately 45,000 square metres of gross leasable retail area and approximately 51,000 square metres of upper-level office space marketed as 1500 University. Its offer is based on fashion, sporting goods, food, services and other urban shopping categories rather than on a single proprietary product line. The property also incorporates public-facing cultural and commemorative features, including a bronze statue of hockey player Ken Dryden and a large, three-storey tableau by enamel artist Bernard Séguin Poirier. Its principal competitive advantages are location, transit access, integration with the Underground City, proximity to downtown offices and hotels, and association with the historic Eaton's retail address.

The Montreal Eaton Centre occupies a site with two related but distinct development histories. The western portion, at 705 Saint Catherine Street West, was formerly occupied by Les Terrasses, a shopping mall that operated from 1976 to 1987. Les Terrasses was built above the former Victoria Street, whose buildings were expropriated to make way for the project. Its design was unusual: the floors formed a triangular, gradually rising circuit that allowed visitors to walk upward through the mall, while escalators were positioned at the three points of the triangle. The interior used colour-coded levels and extensive greenery, including trees, plants and ivy. Despite housing roughly 140 stores, the mall was demolished after about ten years. Following major construction, the site reopened as the Montreal Eaton Centre on November 14, 1990. The new complex benefited from its downtown location and its connections to the Montreal Underground City, the Eaton's department store and the Montreal Metro. These links made it part of a larger enclosed pedestrian system that connects retail, offices, hotels, public transit and other downtown destinations. The property was managed by Rouses Quebec Corporation Development and York Hannover Development from 1978 to 1993. In September 1997, Cadillac Fairview purchased the centre for $113 million from a lender consortium that had taken control of the property in the preceding restructuring period. In July 2000, Cadillac Fairview transferred the centre to Ivanhoe, later known as Ivanhoé Cambridge, in an exchange involving interests in Carrefour Laval and Promenades Saint-Bruno. The second part of the present complex is the building at 677 Saint Catherine Street West. It was originally constructed as a three-storey department store for Goodwin's in the early twentieth century. Eaton's acquired the building in 1925, and it became the company's Montreal flagship. Architecturally significant additions followed: Ross and Macdonald completed an initial three-floor expansion in 1927 and a second three-floor expansion between 1930 and 1931. The uppermost level became home to Eaton's Ninth Floor Restaurant, whose Art Deco interiors were designed from plans associated with Jacques Carlu and drew inspiration from the dining room of the SS Île-de-France. The structure was extended toward de Maisonneuve Boulevard in 1958–1959, and a connection to McGill station was added in 1967. Eaton's remained a defining Montreal department-store institution for decades, but the chain closed in 1999. Ivanhoé Cambridge acquired the former flagship property and undertook a major redevelopment between 2000 and 2002. The interior was gutted and comprehensively redesigned, while the exterior facade and portions of the historic ninth floor were preserved. The redeveloped building became Complexe Les Ailes, named for Les Ailes de la Mode, the department store that occupied approximately one-third of the building and served as its principal retailer. The same redevelopment period also established the office component now marketed as 1500 University. For a time, the Montreal Eaton Centre, Complexe Les Ailes and Place Montreal Trust were presented as a group of Ivanhoé Cambridge shopping properties. Les Ailes de la Mode closed in 2016, and the company later ceased operations. This left the adjacent centre without the tenant whose name it carried and encouraged a new approach to the property's identity and leasing strategy. Ivanhoé Cambridge had announced in 2014 that it intended to combine Complexe Les Ailes with the Montreal Eaton Centre, initially suggesting that the Eaton Centre name might be dropped. The final decision was different: Complexe Les Ailes was incorporated into an expanded Montreal Eaton Centre, and the historic Eaton name was retained. Renovations sought to provide the two buildings with a common appearance and customer experience. The integration was completed in 2018. In 2019, Decathlon occupied the former Les Ailes department-store area, helping replace the lost anchor and giving the merged centre a large sporting-goods tenant. The resulting property comprises approximately 45,000 square metres of gross leasable retail area and an additional approximately 51,000 square metres of office space in the upper levels. Its public identity combines destination shopping, downtown convenience, transit access and architectural memory. Notable features include a bronze statue of hockey player Ken Dryden and a three-storey enamel tableau by Bernard Séguin Poirier. The property remains connected to McGill station and the Underground City and continues to operate as an active downtown Montreal retail and office destination.

1. 2019Decathlon becomes a major tenant

   Decathlon took over the former Les Ailes department-store area, becoming one of the largest tenants in the expanded centre.

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2. 2018The two malls are consolidated

   Complexe Les Ailes was absorbed into the Montreal Eaton Centre, which retained its name after renovations unified the two properties' appearance and operation.

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3. 2016Les Ailes de la Mode closes

   The department-store tenant that gave Complexe Les Ailes its name closed its location and subsequently ended its business.

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4. 2014Combination with Complexe Les Ailes is announced

   Ivanhoé Cambridge announced plans to integrate the adjacent mall with the Montreal Eaton Centre and initially considered changing the combined property's name.

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5. 2002Complexe Les Ailes opens after redevelopment

   The former Eaton's flagship was extensively rebuilt internally and reopened as Complexe Les Ailes, alongside the 1500 University office component.

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6. 2000Ivanhoé Cambridge obtains the centre

   Ivanhoe acquired the property through an exchange of real-estate assets with Cadillac Fairview.

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7. 1999Eaton's chain closes

   The closure of Eaton's ended the operation of the department-store chain for which the shopping centre was named.

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8. 1997Cadillac Fairview purchases the property

   Cadillac Fairview acquired the shopping centre from a consortium of lenders.

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9. 1990Montreal Eaton Centre opens

   The present shopping centre opened on November 14, 1990, on the former Les Terrasses site.

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10. 1987Les Terrasses closes

    Les Terrasses ceased operation after approximately a decade, clearing the way for redevelopment.

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11. 1976Les Terrasses begins operation

    The shopping mall known as Les Terrasses opened on the site that would later become the Montreal Eaton Centre.

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12. 1967McGill station connection opens

    The former Eaton's building gained access to Montreal's Metro through McGill station, reinforcing the site's role in the downtown pedestrian and transit network.

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13. 1925Eaton's acquires the Goodwin's building

    The department-store building at 677 Saint Catherine Street West was acquired by Eaton's and became associated with the company's Montreal flagship.

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A centrally located, transit-connected urban shopping and office destination that combines contemporary retail with the heritage of Montreal's former Eaton's flagship address.

• Retail shopping centreShopping mall1990

  The core offering is a large downtown enclosed shopping centre with approximately 45,000 square metres of gross leasable area. It accommodates multiple retail categories, including apparel, sporting goods, food, dining and consumer services. Its position within the Underground City and its direct relationship with McGill metro station make it both a destination property and a convenient everyday retail location.

• 1500 UniversityOffice space2002

  The upper levels of the complex contain approximately 51,000 square metres of office space marketed as 1500 University. This commercial component extends the property beyond shopping and supports the downtown business ecosystem surrounding Saint Catherine Street, University Street and the Underground City.

• DecathlonSporting-goods anchor tenant2019

  Decathlon occupies a substantial portion of the former Les Ailes department-store area. Its presence provides the combined centre with a large-format sporting-goods offer and helped replace the department-store function that had previously anchored the adjacent building.

• 2018Consolidation of the two shopping propertiesM&A

  The Montreal Eaton Centre and Complexe Les Ailes were adjacent properties with separate names and histories but overlapping downtown retail roles.

  What changed. The properties were combined after renovations designed to give them a consistent look and feel, with the Montreal Eaton Centre name preserved.

  Aftermath. The combined property gained a larger retail footprint and restored the Eaton name to the building that had once housed Montreal's Eaton's flagship.

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• 2014Plan to integrate Complexe Les AilesStrategy

  The neighbouring Complexe Les Ailes had developed a separate identity after the closure and later decline of its principal department-store tenant.

  What changed. Ivanhoé Cambridge announced a plan to combine Complexe Les Ailes with the Montreal Eaton Centre and initially contemplated removing the Eaton Centre name.

  Aftermath. The final strategy retained the Montreal Eaton Centre name and treated the neighbouring building as an expansion of the existing centre.

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• 2000Transfer of ownership to IvanhoeM&A

  Cadillac Fairview owned the Montreal Eaton Centre after acquiring it in 1997. In 2000, the property was included in an exchange of real-estate assets with Ivanhoe.

  What changed. Ivanhoe acquired the shopping centre in exchange for its interests in Carrefour Laval and Promenades Saint-Bruno.

  Aftermath. Ivanhoe, later known as Ivanhoé Cambridge, became the property's owner and subsequently redeveloped the neighbouring former Eaton's building.

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• 2000Redevelopment of the former Eaton's flagshipStrategy

  Eaton's closed its chain in 1999, leaving the historic department-store building at 677 Saint Catherine Street West without its former anchor.

  What changed. The interior was comprehensively gutted and rebuilt between 2000 and 2002, while the exterior facade and portions of the historic ninth floor were preserved. The building was repositioned as Complexe Les Ailes with an associated office component.

  Aftermath. The project converted a former department store into a mixed retail and office property and created the adjacent complex that was later merged with the Montreal Eaton Centre.

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• 2019Decathlon occupies former Les Ailes department-store space

  Decathlon took over a substantial portion of the former department-store area, becoming one of the largest tenants in the combined centre.

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• 2018Complexe Les Ailes is absorbed into the Montreal Eaton Centre

  The two neighbouring shopping properties were combined into one complex under the Montreal Eaton Centre name, following renovation and an effort to give both buildings a consistent customer experience.

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• 2016Les Ailes de la Mode closes its department-store operation

  The retailer that had provided the Complexe Les Ailes name closed its store and subsequently ceased operations, creating a major vacancy in the adjacent property.

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• 2002Former Eaton's flagship becomes Complexe Les Ailes

  After extensive interior redevelopment, the former Eaton's building reopened as Complexe Les Ailes, with office space identified as 1500 University.

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• 2000Ivanhoé Cambridge acquires the Montreal Eaton Centre

  Ivanhoé Cambridge, then operating under the Ivanhoe name, obtained the property through an asset exchange with Cadillac Fairview.

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• 1990Montreal Eaton Centre opens downtown

  The shopping centre opened on November 14, 1990, replacing the former Les Terrasses development on Saint Catherine Street West.

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1. Montreal Eaton Centre
2. Montreal Eaton Centre official website