Old Canadian Bank of Commerce Building, Montreal facts for kids
The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building is a historic building. You can find it at 265 Saint Jacques Street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It's also known as the Édifice Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
Building History
This impressive building was constructed between 1906 and 1909. It has five floors. The famous architects Darling and Pearson designed it. They used a style called Edwardian Baroque. This style is grand and fancy.
The front of the building has a huge entrance. It features a "portico" with six tall columns. These columns are in the Corinthian style. They are carved from grey granite. This special granite came from Stanstead in Quebec's Eastern Townships.
From Bank to Event Venue
The building first opened as the main Montreal branch for the Canadian Bank of Commerce. Later, in 1961, this bank joined with the Imperial Bank of Canada. Together, they formed the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). The main CIBC offices moved out in 1962. This happened when the new CIBC Tower was finished. However, a bank branch stayed active in the building. It operated there until 2010, when the building was sold.
In 2012, new owners bought the building. They also own The Rialto Theatre in Montreal. They renamed the old bank building The St. James Theatre. Today, it is a popular place for private events. The owners made sure to keep its beautiful original design.
A Link to the Titanic
This building also has a fascinating connection to history. From 1909 to 1939, it was home to the Montreal offices of the White Star Line. This was the shipping company that owned the famous RMS Titanic. In fact, tickets for the Titanic's voyage were sold right here!
Before this grand bank building, other structures stood on the same spot. From 1889 to 1890, there was the Temple Building. Even earlier, from 1845 to 1888, a church called St. James Church was located here.
