 View from Place Ville Marie. | |
 Interactive map of McGill College Avenue | |
| Native name | avenue McGill College (French) |
|---|---|
| Location | BetweenRoddick Gates andPlace Ville Marie |
| Major junctions |  R-138 Sherbrooke Street |
| Construction | |
| Construction start | 1857 |
McGill College Avenue (officially inFrench:avenue McGill College) is a street indowntownMontreal,Quebec, Canada. Named forMcGill University, the street was widened in the 1980s and transformed into a scenic avenue with McGill'sRoddick Gates onSherbrooke Street at its north end and thePlace Ville Marie plaza at its south end.
The street was first laid out in 1857, on the axis leading up to the original McGill College Building, now the Arts Building of McGill University. Proposals to widen McGill College date back to at least 1952, when the French architectJacques Greber submitted a design to theCity of Montreal.[1]
In 1983, the plan to widen McGill College as a scenic avenue was imperiled by a proposal to house aconcert hall inPlace Montreal Trust, with a design for an office tower that would have partially obstructed the view ofMount Royal. The plan encountered public opposition, including from architectural activistPhyllis Lambert, a member of the board of directors ofCadillac Fairview, the project's developer. This idea of a concert hall on McGill College was abandoned in favour of a design for Place Montreal Trust with a wider setback.[2] Montreal's concert hall would instead be built further east, as part of thePlace des Arts complex.
Only four blocks in length, buildings along McGill College include1981 McGill College1253 McGill College,1501 McGill College, Place Montreal Trust and its adjoiningBell Media Tower,2000 McGill College andCentre Eaton. Public art on the street includes the sculptureThe Illuminated Crowd byRaymond Mason, in front of1981 McGill College.[3] TheMount Royal Tunnel runs directly under the avenue.[4]
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During the summer, the west sidewalk is the site of photography exhibitions by the nearbyMcCord Museum.[5]
Since 2001, the street has been the site of the Montréal Fashion and Design Festival, which takes place each year in early August.[6]
By location | |
| "Big four" | |
| Others | |
| See also | |
45°30′08″N73°34′18″W / 45.502181°N 73.571778°W /45.502181; -73.571778
