A former Montreal hospital was redeveloped into a 299-unit rental housing project that preserves and converts the heritage Grace Dart building into 36 apartments.

Located in the city’s Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighbourhood, the Mellem Grace Dart project includes a new 263-unit addition.

Designed by Provencher_Roy, the project is located on Sherbrooke Street near Cadillac Station. The design retains the historic building at the centre of the site, with a six-storey addition to the rear.

The project began in 2019 and involved rezoning, public consultation, technical planning, and construction. The five-year planning and approval process involved residents and organizations. The Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal said the project responded to local expectations.

“The skillful contrast between the two eras is handled with finesse,” says Roch Cayouette, senior partner and architect at Provencher_Roy. “Past and present exist side by side to create a cohesive whole.”

The new addition appears as a ribbon extending east to west across the rear of the property. Its alignment follows the geometry of the historic building while preserving views of the former hospital from Sherbrooke Street.

Heritage work

Heritage work focused on retaining the building’s defining features. The project restored the monumental entrance, structural brick facades, and wrought-iron details. The new windows retain the original opening mechanism.

Inside, the apartments follow the former hospital’s institutional structural grid. High ceilings and varied layouts reflect the building’s original structure. A former nurses’ annex now houses a neighbourhood cafe.

A glass pavilion on the new building’s roof opens onto a shared terrace and pool, offering views of downtown Montreal, Mount Royal, the Montérégie Hills, and the Laurentians.

Retaining the former hospital also reduced the project’s environmental impact, according to Provencher_Roy. The firm says a life cycle assessment found that preserving the existing structure reduced the project’s overall environmental impact and construction waste.