After belonging to the same owner for decades, the BELGO, an emblematic building in downtown Montreal and a flagship venue for contemporary art, begins a new chapter in its history with its acquisition by the Avenir Immobilier group.
Seduced by the absolutely singular character of the building, by its history and by the place it occupies in the cultural imagination of Montreal, the Avenir Immobilier group intends to place its arrival in a logic of continuity, respect and enhancement. The new owner wishes to preserve what has been the strength of BELGO for so many years: a lively place deeply rooted in the artistic community, where galleries, artists, creators and curious audiences coexist.
For several decades, BELGO has played a determining role in the influence of contemporary art in Montreal. Behind its discreet facade, it has established itself as an essential landmark of Montreal cultural life, a space for discovery and the circulation of ideas, but also as a rare ecosystem, shaped over time by the presence of art galleries, workshops and committed players in the field.
For the Avenir Immobilier group, this acquisition goes far beyond the scope of a real estate transaction. It represents an opportunity to protect and sustain a place with a strong identity, whose quality rests as much on its architecture, its memory and its strategic location as on the community it shelters and the creative impulse it showcases. This vision extends Avenir Immobilier’s lasting commitment to the arts, already embodied by the integration of works (frescoes, sculptures and mosaics) in several of its projects.
“The Belgo is much more than a building: it is a place deeply anchored in the cultural history of Montreal. We were seduced by its unique identity, by the artistic energy it brings together and by the essential role it has played for years in the ecosystem of the city’s art galleries. Our desire is clear: to preserve this vocation, respect the spirit of the place and contribute to its sustainability for years to come,” declared Frédérick Lizotte as vice-president in charge of leasing at the Avenir Immobilier group.
Aware of the symbolic and concrete importance of BELGO for the visual arts community, the Avenir Immobilier group wishes to work in a spirit of dialogue with the occupants and stakeholders of the sector, in order to ensure the continuity of this exceptional place and support its vitality.
“Here we are before a component of the Montreal cultural ecosystem, where the spirit of the place is based as much on its contribution to the artistic history of Montreal as on its strategic location in the heart of the city. The exercise that was asked of us poses a fundamental question: how to intervene while promoting what is already there? The challenge is not to freeze BELGO in time or to make it a museum, but to preserve its memory and the character that has generated its interest for decades. This is a real opportunity to demonstrate that it is possible to combine vision and heritage sensitivity, recognizing that culture is not a program among others, but a structuring component of the place and the city. We are currently working on the heritage study to know its stories in depth. This will allow us to develop the vision and support the work of requalification, the basic idea being to continue to shape BELGO as one of the emblematic buildings of downtown Montreal,” explains Geneviève Richard, Ph.D., heritage and development consultant for the Avenir Immobilier group and co-founder of Gris Orange.
“The Belgo is a significant hub for the accessibility and recognition of contemporary art in Canada. This is why AGAC is happy to learn that the new owner is committed to maintaining its cultural vocation and supporting the sustainability of galleries, artist centers and workshops,” comments Anie Deslauriers, general director of the Association of Contemporary Art Galleries (AGAC)
“The Belgo is the heart of my journey, from my first visit as a student at Cégep, where I knew I would become a gallery owner, to today, where it welcomes, for example, our team on the way to the Venice Biennale. It is a unique place: a generous and complementary community, an obligatory stop where international artists and curators visit Montreal in search of talent. It is located in a dream triangulation between three universities, three museums and a multitude of head offices and yet, an accessible space which allows you to create, to dare and to make Montreal shine,” recalls Hugues Charbonneau of the Gallery of the same name located on the top floor of the Belgo.
In a city where authentic cultural spaces are more precious than ever, the BELGO remains a strong marker of Montreal’s artistic identity. By choosing to focus on preserving its vocation, the Avenir Immobilier Group reaffirms the inestimable value of this iconic building in the cultural fabric of the metropolis.
About Avenir ImmobilierAvenir Immobilier is a community-focused real estate agency dedicated to rethinking the way Canadians experience commercial space. Through its commitment to thoughtful design and innovation, the company develops and manages a carefully selected portfolio of office, commercial, retail and coworking spaces to support entrepreneurs, businesses and the communities they serve.
About BELGOArchitects Finley & Spence are designing the building for Belgo-Canadian Realty. From its beginnings, Belgo has embodied modernity and urban ambition. A large store designed in the spirit of the Chicago School and among the first reinforced concrete buildings in Montreal, the Belgo reflects the commercial growth of the city center at the beginning of the 20th century. From the 1920s to the 1990s, there were mainly textile manufacturing workshops. From 1986, the building became a major place for dissemination and artistic creation. Today, the BELGO is recognized as one of the main contemporary art centers in North America, bringing together 24 galleries and a dynamic cultural community. Welcoming tens of thousands of visitors each year, it has established itself as a lasting pillar of the Montreal artistic landscape, at the crossroads of heritage and contemporary artistic vitality.