The Great Canadian Skyline Thread! II - Page 194

Chadillaccc · #**3861** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 7:20 PM**

Yeah, I agree with all of what is being said this morning. I just am dumbfounded when people don't realize how much larger cities are than theirs, or how the thought of because it's in the west it must be a podunk shithole. We live in Canada, all of the information in the world is right at our fingertips. We learn it in elementary school for gods sake! I guess I just don't understand how some people have no interest in other places. That is my issue though, I guess. I'm just a traveller, I've lived in and experienced a significant amount of the cities in this country in only a short time, since I left home. The only city I have lived in that I miss(moreso than I enjoy living in Calgary) is Vancouver. The only major cities(over 1 million) I haven't lived in are Montreal and Edmonton, though I have stayed in Edmonton, I've never set foot in Montreal. Lived in Gatineau though!

Pavlov · #**3862** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 7:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I've never set foot in Montreal.

You, my friend, are missing out.

Chadillaccc · #**3863** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 7:43 PM**

Yeah

vanman · #**3864** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 7:58 PM**

Definitely. Montreal left a lasting impression on me from the very first time I visited. I've only visited the city twice and both times were during winter and I always managed to have a great time. (I'm looking at you Igloofest!) Can't wait to experience a summer in that awesome city!

Anyways, welcome to condoland......

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow Fever

Martin Mtl · #**3865** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 8:41 PM**

Montreal is gorgeous during summer.

I want winter to be over. Now.

My pics

Ramako · #**3866** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 8:59 PM**

I've visited Montreal three times. The first time was in the winter when it was unbearably cold. The second time was in the spring, but I was literally hammered the entire time (due to a bachelor party) and cannot remember what the climate was like. The third time was in the summer when it was unbearably hot.

One of these days I'm hoping to experience a nice, pleasant day in Montreal.

Tone · #**3867** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 9:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kw5150

For a skyscraper nerd, I definitely wouldn't want to live in Montreal......theres a good urban realm in montreal though......but the skyline, nothing special.

Thats not true!

Ramako · #**3868** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 9:14 PM**

I think Montreal's got a great skyline, but given that all the major towers are from either the '60s or the early '90s, it's become a little... stale. Montreal's got a great set of pre-war, international style and PoMo towers, but a couple of bright and shiny neo-modern towers would really freshen it up. Thankfully, those are well on their way.

kw5150 · #**3869** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 9:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tone

Thats not true!

Yes it is. Montreal only has 5 tall ones. The rest are small to medium.

Surrealplaces · #**3870** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 9:52 PM**

Agreed. When you look at aerial shots of Montreal you see that most of the high rises are in the core area, so most of those 689 high rises would be downtown area.

IMO Montreal has a great looking skyline and is easily on par for a city of 4 million. Sometimes people think its skyline is disappointing because they compare the skyline to Toronto who's skyline is on steroids, but compare Montreal to an American city of 4 million and it compares very well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanatox

Good question. Montreal is not Toronto or Vancouver as far as highrises outside the core but there is still a good number of highrises all over the city. However, there is not that much building over 12 floors in the suburbs (outside the Island). Maybe 20-25 including Longueuil, Brossard, Laval...?

davidivivid · #**3871** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 9:55 PM**

Glad to know we've finally agreed that the only important aspect of a great skyline is height...

niwell · #**3872** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 10:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kw5150

Thanks for the "support", but Calgary has more tall buildings in the west end of the skyline than Montreal has in the entire downtown. For a skyscraper nerd, I definitely wouldn't want to live in Montreal......theres a good urban realm in montreal though......but the skyline, nothing special.

I know this is a skyscraper forum, but do people actually live places based on skyline alone? I figured that's what pictures on the internet were for...

In any event having seen both in person many times I find Montreal comes off as much more substantial from almost any vantage point. I like the context of dense older midrises though, someone who prefers newer glassy stuff could maybe go for Calgary.

Chadillaccc · #**3873** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 10:52 PM**

Well Detroit is 4.6 million(urban), and it has a much larger/taller skyline, Boston is 4.5 million and significantly taller and larger, San Francisco is 4.3 million - same story. Lots more

Not trying to demean Montreal, but the city did go through decades of stagnation, we can't just compare it to any American metro of similar size and say they're comparable. Even Seattle is significantly smaller, yet significantly taller and more dense.

Beedok · #**3874** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 11:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Well Detroit is 4.6 million(urban), and it has a much larger/taller skyline, Boston is 4.5 million and significantly taller and larger, San Francisco is 4.3 million - same story. Lots more

Not trying to demean Montreal, but the city did go through decades of stagnation, we can't just compare it to any American metro of similar size and say they're comparable. Even Seattle is significantly smaller, yet significantly taller and more dense.

Montreal is 3.9 million though, is officially taller than Detroit, and has more highrises than the other two as far as I can tell.

floobie · #**3875** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 11:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramako

I think Montreal's got a great skyline, but given that all the major towers are from either the '60s or the early '90s, it's become a little... stale. Montreal's got a great set of pre-war, international style and PoMo towers, but a couple of bright and shiny neo-modern towers would really freshen it up. Thankfully, those are well on their way.

I agree with that assessment. Montreal has some nice, iconic buildings (I LOVE Tour de la Bourse), but it is sort of lacking in 21st century "bling" that cities like Toronto, Calgary, or Vancouver have. That's hardly a bad thing, though. For those after the more "classic" skyline feel, Montreal is where it's at. I'm definitely itching to finally visit it.

The last few pages of the thread have been interesting to read through. Perceptions are all over the place, and I think Calgarian hit the nail on the head as to why: Canadians just aren't that well traveled within Canada. I mean, the furthest east I've been in Canada is Drumheller! I've been all over Europe and dabbled in the states, but I've only really experienced Alberta and BC in Canada. People in the west tend to travel within the west, and I'm guessing it's the same case in the east.

Martin Mtl · #**3876** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 11:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by floobie

I agree with that assessment. Montreal has some nice, iconic buildings (I LOVE Tour de la Bourse), but it is sort of lacking in 21st century "bling" that cities like Toronto, Calgary, or Vancouver have. That's hardly a bad thing, though. For those after the more "classic" skyline feel, Montreal is where it's at. I'm definitely itching to finally visit it.

The last few pages of the thread have been interesting to read through. Perceptions are all over the place, and I think Calgarian hit the nail on the head as to why: Canadians just aren't that well traveled within Canada. I mean, the furthest east I've been in Canada is Drumheller! I've been all over Europe and dabbled in the states, but I've only really experienced Alberta and BC in Canada. People in the west tend to travel within the west, and I'm guessing it's the same case in the east.

I'm sure it's true for a lot of us. I'll more easily go to New York or Boston, than Calgary or Vancouver. It's closer and it feels right.

Chadillaccc · #**3877** Posted **Mar 8, 2013, 11:56 PM**

The Renaissance Center's central tower's roof height of 221 meters is a bit more meaningful than Montreal's Le 1250 Boulevard René-Lévesque's spire height of 230 meters. But if you want to get technical, the Renaissance Center's central tower's antenna goes up to 230 meters as well

As far as # of highrises over 50 meters built/UC go...

Montreal - 269
San Francisco - 251
Boston - 177
Seattle - 160
Minneapolis - 120
Detroit - 99

Those cities may not have as many towers, but all of them are significantly taller, and seem to have denser concentrations when it comes to their primary core (such as how Toronto has its 3 tallest within a block of each other)...

I should stop arguing though. I'm just saying not all American skyline punch below their weight.

Wigs · #**3878** Posted **Mar 9, 2013, 12:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

....The only major cities(over 1 million) I haven't lived in are Montreal and Edmonton, though I have stayed in Edmonton, I've never set foot in Montreal. Lived in Gatineau though!

man, that's worse than me attending college/uni in Buffalo and never making it to NYC! (couldn't be further apart distance wise in NY State ~6hours)

Gatineau to Montreal is what, 2 hours!

Wigs · #**3879** Posted **Mar 9, 2013, 1:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTLskyline

My guess: It was not long ago that Montreal was Canada's largest city, the financial centre, and even arguably the best skyline (in the early-to-mid 1960s). Toronto usurped those three things from Montreal starting in the late 1960s and accelerating in the decades that followed. It was a tough blow to Montreal's ego. Montrealers really view Toronto to be their city's only rival on the same level. A lot of Montrealers aren't even aware how much bigger Toronto is (everyone knows it is larger, but I wouldn't be surprised if many thought it was only a few hundred thousand larger)...

great explanation!

Having lived in Buffalo I can understand how Montrealers feel in living in a city that is past its peak or prime. (and I know Montreal is still #2 in Canada in population, and in my opinion tops in culture--I loves me some Montreal!)

before I get flack for "how dare you even say that!" hear me out first:
A little known fact is that Buffalo in 1901 (pop. 352k) was larger than both Toronto(267k) and Montreal (208k).
By 1950 the small city limits peaked at 580k while Toronto was 675k and Montreal was the first Canadian city to hit 1 million!
By 1970 the Buffalo-Niagara MSA peaked at 1.3M and in 2012 is now stagnating/still slowly declining at 1.1M (while Montreal CMA is approaching 4 Million and Toronto CMA 6 Million!) and Buffalo-Niagara MSA is now smaller than say Calgary or Edmonton CMA.
From once the 8th largest city in the U.S. to now smaller than midsize (by US standards) Canadian cities! and barely clinging to a Top 50 U.S. MSA.

In Montreal's case, Calgary is now speculated to overtake it in terms of amount of CBD office space by 2016. quite disturbing to imagine for a city that was once the alpha dog for Canada. That being said, Montreal will still be #2 in population for decades to come!

Vertigo3000 · #**3880** Posted **Mar 9, 2013, 1:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I should stop arguing though. I'm just saying not all American skyline punch below their weight.

Most American cities are growing out and leaving holes inside the city where no one lives anymore, very sprawly if thats a word.