The history of this street corner in the burough of Little Burgundy is one of boom, bust and a slow recovery. During the second half of the the 19th Century this street would be transformed its residential, and even religious buildings, to give way for “progress” as Notre Dame would becoming one of Montreal’s leading commercial streets. Buildings became more ornate to represent their new commercial status.
In the 20th Century this neighbourhood would see some hard times. The economy suffered and Little Burgundy became infamous as a center of crime. This would continue until the Lachine Canal closed to commercial shipping, and the neighbourhood’s industrial and commercial past would give way to condos, posh shops and other forms of gentrification.
Little Burgundy now dually takes on both aspects of its past. Side by side elaborate condos and government assisted housing, prestigious antique shops line Notre Dame yet empty lots and dilapidated builds are not hard to come by.
Source: The McCord Museum and from personal and anecdotal experience (see Host it All Began in the blog section).
