Iconic ninth floor Eaton Centre restaurant set to reopen in May
There was once a beautiful restaurant on the ninth floor of the former Eaton's department store. It closed 25 years ago, but many in Montreal still talk about it.
Soon, it will open to diners once again.
When Lady Eaton comissioned the space in 1931, she wanted to transport shoppers to the luxurious dining rooms of transatlantic liners.
Architect Jacques Carlu made the space into a temple of art-deco design, including the frescos by his wife Natasha.
"You can feel the investment," said architect Georges Drolet. "In the design, the furniture he chose, the tableware, the silverware. Apparently he even consulted on the uniforms of the personnel."
The Eaton Centre's ninth floor restaurant as it was. (Ivanhoe Cambridge)
For years, the restaurant was the place to go for special occasions, but by the time it closed in 1999, it was in disrepair.
Drolet's job was to restore it to its original beauty.
"It’s very personal for me, I have to say, to be able to show it now because it’s been quite a process," he said.
The restaurant on the ninth floor of the Eaton Centre was once the place to go. (Ivanhoe Cambridge)
Any renovation project involves red tape, but as an indoor heritage property, there were even more hurdles.
The materials they were using, including the marble and polished metal from the 1930s, were no longer available.
The peach colour of the walls, as well, was a relic of the 1980s.
"So we only had black and white images of the original, but we could see something was not quite right," said Drolet. "So we actually tested them by scratching the layering of the paint going back to the original colour."
Now, after years of painstaking work and an undisclosed investment, its owners, Ivanhoe Cambridge, are launching it once again as a restaurant and event space.
"Le 9ieme" will open its doors to the public on May 17.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Here's what 'the hinge' move is, how to do it correctly
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.
Trump heading to Jersey Shore to rally 'mega crowd' in weekend break from hush money trial
After a long week in court, Donald Trump is heading to the Jersey Shore. And his campaign says he'll be joined by "tens of thousands" of his friends.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Fine dining, at a new high. A Michelin-starred chef will take his cuisine to our upper atmosphere
Six guests are set to ascend aboard Spaceship Neptune to the stratosphere, where they will enjoy an immersive dining experience served up by Danish Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk.