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Because History repeats itself...
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Ben’s Delicatessen
990 De Maisonneuve Boulevard West
Despite the best efforts of Heritage Montreal and many other concerned citizens to convince the City of Montreal and the Québec Government, the demolition of Bens Restaurant was authorized and demolished in 2008.
Architectural Value
The building that currently houses Ben´s Delicatessen was constructed in 1950. Its architect, Charles Davis Goodman, also designed Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital and the old Laurentian Hotel, which was torn down in the 1980s. It may be described as Streamline Moderne, a style distinctive for its curving forms inspired by the aerodynamic design of cars, trains and planes of the day, and exemplified here by the building’s rounded front corner and its horizontal ribbons of windows framed in stainless steel. The interior décor of the dining room is remarkably intact, with its geometric pattern terrazzo floor, the vintage laminate wall covering, the ceiling and its indirect lighting coves, the wall of celebrity photos, the furnishings and the long deli counter reminiscent of a classic postwar diner.
Historic Value
Established in 1908 by the Kravitz family, recent arrivals from Lithuania, Ben´s Delicatessen has a rich history attesting to the wide-ranging contribution to Montreal’s identity and culture made by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Its smoked meat recipe and its American diner décor earned it an international reputation, recognized by all the guidebooks and the National Geographic Society, and attracted countless personalities from the arts and politics. Open practically round the clock, the restaurant played an important part in the city’s nightlife, welcoming entertainers, downtown workers, professional athletes and students pulling all-nighters. It was a place where customers from all social spheres and cultures rubbed shoulders.
The Threat
An institution on Montreal’s downtown business scene, Ben´s has been under increasing pressure by real estate development for a number of years. However, it was mainly a strike by employees in 2006 that made the founding family decide to close the restaurant for good. In May 2007, SIDEV Realty Corporation bought the building and announced its intention to put up a boutique hotel on the site, which will soon be hemmed in by a planned office tower. Converting the former restaurant is not part of the project, and a demolition application was filed with the Borough of Ville-Marie in February 2008.
Initiatives of Héritage Montréal
As early as 1987, Héritage Montréal asked the City of Montreal to designate Ben´s has a historical monument under the Cultural Property Act. Since nothing came of that request, Héritage Montréal applied to the municipal authorities once again in June 2007 to have them recognize the building’s heritage value. The organization also approached Borough Mayor Benoît Labonté, asking him not to grant a demolition permit but, instead, commit his administration to working out a new plan with the developer. Such a plan would incorporate the interior décor of the dining room and other distinctive architectural features. Héritage Montréal has also joined with Art Deco Montreal in making representations to the Quebec government.
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