The Goode house is up for sale again. Built in 1840, this Westmount residence linked to the colonial history of Canada is the only building of its kind whose interior is in principle protected under the power granted by Quebec to municipalities for the protection of heritage. However, this provision of the law is practically not used. The case of the Goode house has been an exception since 2020 only.
Recent plans to modify the house, endorsed by Westmount, have been strongly questioned by Héritage Montréal. According to the municipality, the redevelopment project for the house involved “the downward extension of three existing openings on the rear facade to allow the main building to be connected to the planned addition”, a modern style annex.
Conrad Peart, commissioner of urban planning and architecture for the City of Westmount, tweeted that the city refused to talk about “demolition” unless part of the envelope was removed. The plan accepted by the municipal administration did however indicate “demolition work”. Projections of the expansion of the house and indications of its interior redevelopment have been published by local media.
For higher category buildings in Westmount, we speak of “demolition” when part of the envelope is removed. Here, the entrance vestibule will be rebuilt as it is and some rear openings will be enlarged. Otherwise, the building envelope remains intact. pic.twitter.com/DamxzNNJP1
—Conrad Peart (@ConradPeart) September 2, 2022
In the wake of objections made publicly by Héritage Montréal, the Goode house has just been put back up for sale. The listed price is $1.9 million. According to the listing produced by the real estate agency mandated by the seller, “this emblematic heritage property and rare pearl, is the second oldest building in Westmount” (sic). The Goode house remains for the moment the only one in Quebec to enjoy municipal protection for its interior.
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