The city is looking for ways to revitalize Old Montreal's Silo #5 (RENDERINGS)

Feb 1 2019, 11:17 pm

The Old Port of Montreal is undeniably beautiful but there is one building that sticks out as an eyesore: Silo #5.

Though historic, the silo, owned by the Canada Lands Company, has stood abandoned since 1996 and is suffering from a lack of maintenance and zero public access.

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Silo #5 (not to be confused with Lou Bega’s 1999 smash hit “Mambo #5”) is the last vestige of Old Montreal’s 20th-century grain exportation.

The heritage site, completed in 1906, has been recognized by the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office.

Silo #5

Heritage Montreal

Montreal’s Minister of Tourism, Mélanie Joly, on behalf of the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility and the Old Port of Montreal Corporation has launched a request for proposals to revitalize the Pointe-du-Moulin and Silo #5 sector and transform it into an “emblematic project for the city,” according to a statement.

More than 25 years since its closure, the old silo is being requested to be transformed into a mixed-use district where residences, shops, hotels and tourist attractions can coexist.

The announcement marks the beginning of a process that will last seven months that will allow the committee to evaluate how to go forth with a project that would be the most “inspiring project for Montreal.”

The committee plans to enhance the industrial history of both Pointe-du-Moulin and Silo #5 while preserving the building’s historic integrity.

Even as it stands decrepit, Silo #5 offers spectacular views of the city, Mont-Royal, the Lachine Canal and the Montérégie region.

mwhoomp/Instagram

“The time has come to breathe new life into Silo 5 and Pointe-du-Moulin,” says Mélanie Joly, Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and Francophonie. “Today, we are launching the search for a project that reflects Montréal: ambitious, creative and proud of its rich heritage. This project will have a positive impact on the development of the city and improve its tourism offer.”

Canada Lands Company posted two renderings of the site’s potential construction zone and a look at green space and a revamped structure:

Canada Lands Company

Canada Lands Company

“This is the beginning of a flagship project for Montréal and eagerly awaited by Montréalers. This is a strategic area of the city that is being revitalized to meet the needs and aspirations of Montréalers,” added Mayor Valérie Plante.

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