Tour Telus
Encyclopedia
Tour Telus is an office building at 630 René Lévesque Boulevard
West in Montreal
. It was built for Canadian Industries Limited
from 1960 to 1962, given the name CIL House. Designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft
from the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
with local architects Greenspoon, Freedlander and Dunne, it stands 131 m (430 ft) and 34 storeys tall. In 1960, Bunshaft had recently completed his seminal work, Lever House
in New York City.
During the 1960s when Montreal's financial district shifted from its St. James Street epicenter to midtown, The CIL House also became the annex headquarters of the Bank of Montreal
when it added a main banking branch there. Then-named Dorchester Boulevard West became the financial center of Montreal and Canada with the largest Canadian banks and insurance companies having a presence. In later years, CIL moved its head office operations to Ontario. The Royal Trust
later received naming rights to the building when it located its head office there until the merger with the Royal Bank of Canada
. The name Royal Trust Tower now refers to another building in Toronto.
Today, it is home to the Montreal operations of Telus
, but also houses the local offices of Accenture
, Roche, Canada Life
, Citibank
as well as a Bank of Montreal
branch
.
René Lévesque Boulevard
René Lévesque Boulevard is one of the main streets in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.It is a main east-west thoroughfare passing through the downtown core in the borough of Ville-Marie. The street begins on the west at Atwater Avenue and continues until it merges with Notre Dame Street East just east...
West in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. It was built for Canadian Industries Limited
Canadian Industries Limited
Canadian Industries Limited, also known as C-I-L is a Canadian chemicals manufacturer. Products include paints, fertilizers and pesticides, and explosives. It was formed in 1910 by the merger of five Canadian explosives companies...
from 1960 to 1962, given the name CIL House. Designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft
Gordon Bunshaft
Gordon Bunshaft was an architect educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1988, Gordon Bunshaft nominated himself for the Pritzker Prize and eventually won it.-Career:...
from the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP is an American architectural and engineering firm that was formed in Chicago in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings; in 1939 they were joined by John O. Merrill. They opened their first branch in New York City, New York in 1937. SOM is one of the largest...
with local architects Greenspoon, Freedlander and Dunne, it stands 131 m (430 ft) and 34 storeys tall. In 1960, Bunshaft had recently completed his seminal work, Lever House
Lever House
Lever House, designed by Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and located at 390 Park Avenue in New York City, is the quintessential and seminal glass-box skyscraper built in the International style according to the design principles of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Completed in 1952, it was...
in New York City.
During the 1960s when Montreal's financial district shifted from its St. James Street epicenter to midtown, The CIL House also became the annex headquarters of the Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal , , or BMO Financial Group, is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded on June 23, 1817 by John Richardson and eight merchants in a rented house in Montreal, Quebec. On May 19, 1817 the Articles of Association were adopted, making it...
when it added a main banking branch there. Then-named Dorchester Boulevard West became the financial center of Montreal and Canada with the largest Canadian banks and insurance companies having a presence. In later years, CIL moved its head office operations to Ontario. The Royal Trust
Royal Trust
Royal Trust may refer to:* The Princess Royal Trust for Carers * Royal Trust * Royal Trust, part of Royal Bank of Canada since 1993...
later received naming rights to the building when it located its head office there until the merger with the Royal Bank of Canada
Royal Bank of Canada
The Royal Bank of Canada or RBC Financial Group is the largest financial institution in Canada, as measured by deposits, revenues, and market capitalization. The bank serves seventeen million clients and has 80,100 employees worldwide. The company corporate headquarters are located in Toronto,...
. The name Royal Trust Tower now refers to another building in Toronto.
Today, it is home to the Montreal operations of Telus
TELUS
Telus is a national telecommunications company in Canada that provides a wide range of telecommunications products and services including internet access, voice, entertainment, video, and satellite television. The company is based in Burnaby, British Columbia, part of Greater Vancouver...
, but also houses the local offices of Accenture
Accenture
Accenture plc is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company headquartered in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. It is the largest consulting firm in the world and is a Fortune Global 500 company. As of September 2011, the company had more than 236,000 employees across...
, Roche, Canada Life
Canada Life Financial
Canada Life Financial Corporation is a Canadian company that offers life, health, and disability insurance for groups and individuals.Founded in 1847, it was acquired by The Great-West Life Assurance Company in 2003, after rejecting a hostile takeover bid by rival Manulife.Hugh Cossart Baker, Sr...
, Citibank
Citibank
Citibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
as well as a Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal , , or BMO Financial Group, is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded on June 23, 1817 by John Richardson and eight merchants in a rented house in Montreal, Quebec. On May 19, 1817 the Articles of Association were adopted, making it...
branch
Branch (banking)
A branch, banking center or financial center is a retail location where a bank, credit union, or other financial institution offers a wide array of face-to-face and automated services to its customers....
.