1250 René-Lévesque

1250, boulevard René-Lévesque
1250 René-Lévesque as seen from downtown Montreal.
General information
Type	Office
Architectural style	Postmodern and Neo-modern
Location	1250 René-Lévesque Boulevard, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Coordinates	45.497323°N 73.570381°W / 45.497323; -73.570381
Completed	1992
Owner	BentallGreenOak (Sunlife)
Management	BentallGreenOak
Height
Architectural	226.5 metres (743 ft)
Antenna spire	226.5 m
Roof	199 metres (653 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	47
Floor area	95,237 square metres (1,025,120 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators	28
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
Structural engineer	LeMessurier Consultants
Website
bentallgreenoakleasing.com/building/7583901489388302059?search=
References
[1][2][3]

1250 René-Lévesque, formerly known as the "IBM-Marathon Tower," is Montreal's second tallest skyscraper, with a roof height of 199 meters (without its spire), and a total height of 226.5 meters including the spire.^[4] The height definition follows the city’s National Building Code, which excludes decorative spires, whereas the international Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) includes it, making it Montreal’s tallest building.^[5]

This 47-story skyscraper was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates and completed in 1992. It was constructed between 1988 and 1992 as a project led by IBM and Marathon Realty with an investment of $250 million to consolidate IBM’s operations in Montreal, relocating 1,000 employees from Place Ville Marie.^[6]

The building’s location in downtown Montreal serves as a visual boundary between the commercial center and the historically residential west side, a concept inspired by KPF’s Westend Tower in Frankfurt, Germany.^[7] It is located next to Bell Centre and Windsor Station, and is connected to the Bonaventure metro station and Montreal’s Underground City.

Architecture

The building’s architecture combines postmodern and neo-modern styles. Its east and west facades differ distinctly: the west facade is a granite-clad wall with square windows and irregular setbacks, facing the residential periphery, while the east facade features a curved glass curtain wall facing the city center, giving a light, suspended effect. A spire extends along the building’s north side, reaching 31 meters beyond the rooftop, aligning with Mount Royal's peak elevation.^[8]

Inside, a four-story atrium with a bamboo winter garden, food court, and conference rooms creates a welcoming space. The building connects to Montreal’s Underground City and Bonaventure metro station.

Le 1250 René-Lévesque vu de la Place du Canada.

View from the North, right beside La Laurentienne Building.

Location and Urban Integration

Initially positioned as a downtown boundary, the 1250 René-Lévesque now integrates into an expanded skyline featuring nearby Cité du Commerce Électronique towers. The smaller buildings in the west create a staircase effect, guiding the eye from the commercial core toward 1250 René-Lévesque.

Tenants

Major tenants include IBM, Air Liquide, PwC, Deutsche Bank, PSP Investments, and many others in financial, technology, and consulting industries.

• Air Liquide Canada^[9]
• Bayer^[10]
• BMO Harris Bank^[11]
• Canaccord Financial Inc^[12]
• Chubb Corp.^[13]
• CIBC Wood Gundy^[14]
• Credit Suisse^[15]
• Deutsche Bank^[16]
• EquiSoft Inc. ^[17]
• International Cospas-Sarsat Programme
• Insight Enterprises^[18]
• Langlois Lawyers LLP
• LASIK MD^[19]
• Lazard^[20]
• Macquarie Group^[21]
• McKinsey & Company^[22]
• Merrill Lynch Canada^[23]
• Michael Page International^[24]
• PSP Investments^[25]
• PricewaterhouseCoopers^[26]
• Richardson GMP Limited^[27]
• Wells Fargo Equipment Finance

Former Tenants

• Club Privé 47 Inc was located on the 47th floor (between 1995-2011) and was a swinger club.^[28]

Gallery

• 
  Montreal skyline near Mansfield and De La Gauchetière, showing 1250 René-Lévesque.
• 
  Le 1250 René-Lévesque vu de la Place du Canada.
• 
  View of 1250 René-Lévesque Boulevard.
• 
  Saint George Anglican Church in Montreal, located in front of 1250 René-Lévesque.
• 
  Close-up of 1250 René-Lévesque.

See Also

• List of tallest buildings in Montreal

References

1. "1250 René-Lévesque". SkyscraperPage.
2. "1250 René-Lévesque". Emporis. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.
3. 1250 René-Lévesque at IMTL.org
4. "Plans du 1250 René-Lévesque" (PDF). Ville de Montréal. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
5. "Measuring Tall Building Height". Retrieved 29 June 2023.
6. Denis Lessard (30 November 1988). "IBM: une tour de $250 millions au centre-ville". La Presse (in French). {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
7. "Westendstraße 1". SkyscraperPage.
8. Rémillard, François (2007). L'architecture à Montréal (in French). Montréal: Café Crème.
9. "Air Liquide Canada Locations > Air Liquide Canada". Archived from the original on 2016-10-05. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
10. Contact Us | Bayer.ca
11. BMO Harris Private Banking Relocates its Montreal Office Archived 2012-08-20 at the Wayback Machine
12. "Canaccord Genuity - Contact Us". Archived from the original on 2013-12-07. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
13. "Chubb Insurance Company of Canada". Archived from the original on 2017-04-16. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
14. CIBC Wood Gundy - Montreal Rene Levesque
15. "Montreal Exchange - Approved participants list". Archived from the original on 2017-09-02. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
16. "Deutsche Bank - Contacts". Archived from the original on 2017-07-01. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
17. "Equisoft: Insurance Software Solutions". Equisoft. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
18. "Insight Enterprises".
19. Lasik MD Montreal
20. "Montreal - AM".
21. Contact - Macquarie Group Canada
22. Montreal|North America|McKinsey & Company Archived 2012-06-29 at the Wayback Machine
23. ML Canada - Branch Offices Archived 2012-06-11 at the Wayback Machine
24. Michael Page International | Montreal Recruitment
25. "Pension fund managers | PSP Investments".
26. PwC office locations in Canada (by city)
27. "Locate a Branch". Archived from the original on 2017-09-01. Retrieved 2017-07-25.
28. Club Privé 47 Inc

External links

• Official website