Faubourg elevator to close in spring for upgrade

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

One of the city’s more distinctive features is about to undergo a major overhaul. As of Sept. 4, work began on the exterior of the Faubourg public elevator, connecting Rue Saint-Vallier Est in the Saint-Roch district with Rue Saint-Réal in the Saint-Jean-Baptiste neighbourhood in Upper Town.

The exterior work will continue into December; all the while both the elevator and the restaurant will continue to function.

Come spring, though, the iconic Art Deco tower will be closed for about 10 weeks to allow for the replacement of the elevator machinery.

In a Sept. 3 news release, the city said it planned the $1.975-million elevator makeover in two phases “to limit the impacts on citizens as much as possible, in particular by keeping this important mechanical link operational during the winter period.”

Some short-term closures may be necessary during the first phase, and the city has said it will give notice when they are about to occur. Dur- ing the long-term closure in the spring, “measures will be put in place to allow citizens to travel from Upper Town to Lower Town.”

The elevator has considerable historical as well as functional value, according to the city’s architectural directory. It was designed by prominent architect Wilfrid Lacroix, who designed the Gérard-Morisset Pavilion of the Musée national des Beaux-Arts du Québec and collaborated on the design of Collège des Jésuites and the Édifice André-Laurendeau on Parliament Hill.

The structure has undergone various renovations over its 80- year lifespan; the most recent, in 1997, gave the exterior its current look of beige brick.

The city said up to 400 people use the elevator each day.