Bank of Montreal
City of Vancouver
Heritage Building
Bank of Montreal
Architects: W.M. Somervell, 1915; K.G. Rea, 1924
This fine example of a Second Renaissance Revival temple bank served as the Bank of Montreal’s regional headquarters for most of its occupancy (1922 – 2001). It was built as the Merchants Bank in 1915-16 by the same firm that had designed the earlier branch at Hastings and Carrall and the later Bank of Toronto temple bank at Hastings and Seymour. The banking hall was a third of its present size; a central entrance and southern half were added after amalgamation with the Bank of Montreal in 1922. The expansion reflected the westward move of many banks’ regional offices along West Hastings and Granville Streets. The grand banking hall showcases marble columns and ornate plaster work by famed local sculptor Charles Marega.
The building, donated to Simon Fraser University by Joseph Segal and family, was rehabilitated by Paul Merrick Architects and opened as SFU’s Segal Graduate School of Business in 2006. The exterior restoration was made possible by a generous donation from Syd and Joanne Belzberg and Max and Margaret Fugman.
Attribution: Jennie Eggleston (http://www.instagram.com/jeggle)