The mayors of the MRC des Pays-d’en-Haut intend to put pressure on the government, as well as on the real estate developer Olymbec, so that the former shopping and cultural center of Domaine-de-l’ Esterel. This exceptional building, considered a heritage gem in the art deco style, was illegally destroyed on May 13.
In their joint resolution, the mayors ask “the Ministry of Culture and Communications to take the necessary means to ensure the heritage reconstruction of the building”.
The prefect of the MRC, André Genet, must go to Quebec in the next few days to defend this idea, while maintaining “the candidacy of the former commercial and cultural center of Domaine-de-l’Estérel as Espace bleu de la Laurentian region”.
“I am delighted to see the unanimous support of the MRC council, to ask Olymbec and the Ministry of Culture and Communications that the heritage reconstruction of the building be respected”, indicated the prefect. The council of the MRC considers that, in this way, it confirms “the historic and significant value of the place for the region”. The reconstruction, he still believes, would strengthen the proposal to establish a Blue Space on site, these cultural and heritage places created at the end of the first term of the Legault government.
The curvaceous building, known as an art deco monument, was demolished illegally, acknowledges its owner Olymbec. Large hydraulic shovels knocked down this building, which was in principle protected by law. As for the buildings around it, their demolition had been authorized. Despite the immediate denunciations, the demolition work had continued until the building was nothing more than a pile of rubble.
Joined by The duty, the mayor of Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson, Gilles Boucher, notes that the huge pile of rubble has not moved since. “It spent the whole summer there! And I have a good feeling there’s going to be snow on it soon. A removal plan must be presented by the owner to the CNESST. We can’t even know what’s going on on that side because apparently it’s a private file! But in fact, it affects everyone, this junk that stays there, in the wind. »
Even though the building was recognized for its very high value and was partly cited under the law, it had been left to fend for itself for years. The Order of Architects as well as several heritage defense groups had more than once denounced the laissez faire that the building suffered.
Olymbec, a major real estate developer, claimed that the Domaine-de-l’Estérel had been destroyed by a contractor in its service, the firm NZO Construction, in an “accidental” and “involuntary” way, thus placing the blame on this firm owned by Vince Riccio.
other supports
The Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson and Estérel Historical Society (SHSMLME) and Docomomo Québec, an organization dedicated to the defense and promotion of modern heritage, held a meeting with nearly a hundred stakeholders and heritage specialists, on September 17th. All are in favor of the reconstruction of the Domaine-de-l’Estérel shopping center. They have also undertaken to promote the interest of this project with the public authorities and the private owner, Olymbec.
The Domaine-de-l’Estérel was the fruit of the ambitious American ambitions of a young Belgian baron as wealthy as Crésus. Baron Louis Empain had a unique complex built on the edge of the lake in 1936-1937. Its project had been entrusted to Antoine Courtens, a Belgian architect of international reputation, winner of the Prix de Rome. In 1938, the complex was inaugurated with a grand reception in the ballroom, with none other than Benny Goodman conducting the orchestra, which then got the guests dancing. For years, this center will be a unique social and cultural center in Canada.