Place Ville Marie turns 50 today

Place Ville Marie, a property jointly-owned by Ivanhoé Cambridge and Alberta Investment Management Corp. (AIMco), today celebrates its 50th anniversary. Several activities have been planned for this special day marking the jubilee. “After all these years, it’s fantastic to see that Place Ville Marie remains among Montreal’s most prestigious addresses, and one of the buildings most sought after by large companies that want to be at the heart of where the action is,” said Daniel Fournier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ivanhoé Cambridge.

Place Ville Marie’s scale, architectural quality and originality inspired an entire new generation of Montreal skyscrapers. Right from the groundbreaking ceremony, “Montreal’s Grande Dame,” as the office tower came to be affectionately known, left its mark on its era in diverse ways, not least as the first major construction project in Montreal to be entirely managed by Quebecers.

Place Ville Marie has 10,000 occupants and attracts some 360,000 visitors every week, making it one of the city’s key business hubs.

Among the activities being organized to mark this anniversary is the unveiling of a commemorative work of art by Montreal artist Nicolas Baier on the building’s outdoor esplanade. “This is a significant contribution to public art in the city that will enrich our cultural heritage, and it is a wonderful gift for the future generations who will come to Place Ville Marie,” noted Helen Fotopulos, City of Montreal Executive Committee Member responsible for Culture, Heritage, Design and the Status of Women.

The celebrations will also include the launch of the souvenir book Place Ville Marie: Montreal’s Shining Landmark (in French, Place Ville Marie : L’immeuble phare de Montréal), a comprehensive chronicle of the building’s rich history; the dedication of a time capsule; and a gala evening to be hosted by journalist and television host Stéphan Bureau and attended by 50th-anniversary partners along with several personalities from the business, architecture, urban-planning and fashion-design communities. The gala program will include a tribute to Place Ville Marie’s architect, Henry N. Cobb.

Lastly, members of the public are invited to take part in the festivities at an urban picnic to be hosted by television personality Geneviève Borne. Taking place on the esplanade on Friday, September 14, from noon to 1 p.m., it will be a celebration of 50 years of Montreal and international music and culture.

ABOUT PLACE VILLE MARIE

An architectural jewel designed by I.M. Pei (creator of the famous pyramid at the Louvre) and Henry N. Cobb, the Place Ville Marie complex stands out with its famous cruciform tower, the highest of its type in Canada (188 metres). Still very contemporary, Place Ville Marie has evolved with the times and has metamorphosed with its technological, energy-related and environmental innovations. Today Place Ville Marie has become, as suggested by the visionary spirits who conceived it in 1962, a “city within a city” and forms the heart of Montreal’s business centre. The Galerie Place Ville Marie still moves to the beat of the major trends while providing a site filled with warmth and dynamism. Nearly 80 renowned restaurants and shops can be found there. To learn more, visit www.placevillemarie.com.

ABOUT IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE

Ivanhoé Cambridge is one of the world's 10 largest real estate companies. As at December 31, 2011, its assets totalled more than C$30 billion and could be found in over 20 countries around the world. Ivanhoé Cambridge is a real estate subsidiary of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (www.cdpq.com), one of Canada's leading institutional fund managers. For more information, visit www.ivanhoecambridge.com.