herr2ck: First Second Empire

August 2025.

The Molsons Bank Building is a petite standout compared to the neighboring early skyscrapers in Old Montreal. It has an interestingly detailed Second Empire facade, and it still stands today despite redevelopment of its original surroundings during the late 19th and early 20th century.

The Molsons Bank Building is located at 288 Rue Saint-Jacques in the Old Montreal neighborhood of Montreal, Quebec. It is bordered by the Insurance Exchange Building to the north and east, Rue Saint-Pierre and the Royal Bank Tower to the south, and Rue Saint-Jacques and Le St.-Regis to the west.

History

Watercolor of the original building. Note the now-absent Rue Saint-Pierre entrance. (McCord Stewart Museum)

Molsons Bank was opened in 1837 by brothers William and John Molson Jr. It was incorporated in 1855 and granted a charter by the city of Montreal, and the bank moved to a building on Rue Saint-Jacques that year. However, it was quickly outgrown, and an architectural competition was held to determine the architects for a new building in 1863. Architects George Browne and his son John James Browne were selected, and their Second Empire design was the first Montreal building to be built in that style. The existing building was completed in 1866, and the bank originally occupied the first floor and basement, accessed from Rue Saint-Jacques; while the remainder was office space, accessed from a separate entrance on Rue Saint-Pierre (since removed).

c. 1897 photo of the building. (McCord Stewart Museum)

Molsons Bank continued to expand throughout the 19th century, and the bank opened its first branches in 1870, the 1866 building serving as the main branch. By 1883, the bank occupied the entire floor space of the building, and two additions were made in 1901 and 1911 to expand its footprint. These are the two-story portions that abut the Insurance Exchange Building.

In 1925, Molsons Bank was purchased by BMO, and its building and 125 branches were absorbed by the bank. BMO maintained a branch and its international services inside the Molsons Bank Building until 1981. A training center was opened inside afterwards, but this too closed in 1999. Today, the building is used as offices by law firms and the government, and the Molsons currently own the Montreal Canadiens.

Photos

The small stature of the Molsons Bank Building is due to a sensibility of the time to design banks to appear as urban mansions or clubhouses. Indeed, its three-story nature is much different from its towering neighbors:

Although the entire building is a Second Empire design and owes a great debt to French architecture of the time, it actually borrows from Italian Renaissance architecture, too. The base’s height and rusticated stone, contrasted with the more slender levels above, are clearly influenced by the palazzo form of the Renaissance. It does lack a mansard roof, the #1 distinction of Second Empire architecture, but the hipped roof with iron railings on top is fitting.

The principal Rue Saint-Jacques facade:

Tons of classical ornamentation slathered across this facade, much different from the more logical expression of Greek temples. Second Empire simply put it everywhere because it looked opulent (which it does).

Entrance detail:

I’m willing to bet this building has never seen an exterior restoration. Time and acid rain have taken their toll:

The base’s arched windows have reliefs of faces on the keystones, with money bag carvings on either side:

Note the triglyphs above each pier and keystone, which would be an unusual and nonsensical move in more literal classical architecture, but a decorative one here.

Above the entrance are four Corinthian columns with identical red stone shafts, which support a cornice jutting out simply for textural effect:

The second floor’s corner pier, which has three Corinthian pilasters surrounding floral festoons and supporting an entablature above:

The third floor has curlicue corbels and beavers sitting atop branches with oak leaves trailing downward:

Note the caduceus carving centered above each window, the lion heads above the corbels, and the statues of classical-looking people on the parapet. The central shield is the Molson coat of arms.

The corner: