1250 René-Lévesque, formerly known as the "IBM-Marathon Tower," is Montreal's second-tallest

skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Most modern sources define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition, other than being very tall high-rise bui ...

, with a roof height of 199 meters (without its spire), and a total height of 226.5 meters including the spire. The height definition follows the city’s National Building Code, which excludes decorative spires, whereas the international Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) includes it, making it Montreal’s tallest building. This 47-story skyscraper was designed by

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) is an American architectural firm based in New York City that provides architecture, interior, programming and master planning services. They engineer different projects including civic and cultural spaces, co ...

and completed in 1992. It was constructed between 1988 and 1992 as a project led by IBM and Marathon Realty with an investment of $250 million to consolidate IBM’s operations in Montreal, relocating 1,000 employees from Place Ville Marie. The building’s location in downtown

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

serves as a visual boundary between the commercial center and the historically residential west side, a concept inspired by KPF’s Westend Tower in

Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. It is located next to Bell Centre and Windsor Station, and is connected to the Bonaventure metro station and Montreal’s Underground City.

Architecture

The building’s architecture combines

postmodern Postmodernism encompasses a variety of artistic, cultural, and philosophical movements that claim to mark a break from modernism. They have in common the conviction that it is no longer possible to rely upon previous ways of depicting the wo ...

and neo-modern styles. Its east and west facades differ distinctly: the west facade is a granite-clad wall with square windows and irregular setbacks, facing the residential periphery, while the east facade features a curved glass curtain wall facing the city center, giving a light, suspended effect. A spire extends along the building’s north side, reaching 31 meters beyond the rooftop, aligning with Mount Royal's peak elevation. Inside, a four-story atrium with a bamboo winter garden, food court, and conference rooms creates a welcoming space. The building connects to Montreal’s Underground City and Bonaventure metro station. 1250RLevesque~2

Location and Urban Integration

Initially positioned as a downtown boundary, the 1250 René-Lévesque now integrates into an expanded skyline featuring nearby Cité du Commerce Électronique towers. The smaller buildings in the west create a staircase effect, guiding the eye from the commercial core toward 1250 René-Lévesque.

Tenants

Major tenants include IBM, Air Liquide, PwC, Deutsche Bank, PSP Investments, and many others in financial, technology, and consulting industries. * Air Liquide Canada *

Bayer Bayer AG (English: , commonly pronounced ; ) is a German multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies and biomedical companies in the world. Headquartered in Leverkusen, Bayer' ...

* BMO Harris Bank * Canaccord Financial Inc * Chubb Corp. * CIBC Wood Gundy *

Credit Suisse Credit Suisse Group AG (, ) was a global Investment banking, investment bank and financial services firm founded and based in Switzerland. According to UBS, eventually Credit Suisse was to be fully integrated into UBS. While the integration ...

Deutsche Bank Deutsche Bank AG (, ) is a Germany, German multinational Investment banking, investment bank and financial services company headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, and dual-listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. ...

* EquiSoft Inc. * International Cospas-Sarsat Programme * Insight Enterprises * Langlois Lawyers LLP * LASIK MD * Lazard * Macquarie Group *

McKinsey & Company McKinsey & Company (informally McKinsey or McK) is an American multinational strategy and management consulting firm that offers professional services to corporations, governments, and other organizations. Founded in 1926 by James O. McKinse ...

* Merrill Lynch Canada * Michael Page International * PSP Investments *

PricewaterhouseCoopers PricewaterhouseCoopers, also known as PwC, is a multinational professional services network based in London, United Kingdom. It is the second-largest professional services network in the world and is one of the Big Four accounting firms, alon ...

* Richardson GMP Limited * Wells Fargo Equipment Finance

Former Tenants

* Club Privé 47 Inc was located on the 47th floor (between 1995-2011) and was a swinger club.Club Privé 47 Inc
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Gallery

File:Montréal Mansfield et De La Gauchetière.jpg, Montreal skyline near Mansfield and De La Gauchetière, showing 1250 René-Lévesque. File:1250RLevesque~2.jpg, Le 1250 René-Lévesque vu de la Place du Canada. File:1250 René-Lévesque Ouest, à Montréal.jpg, View of 1250 René-Lévesque Boulevard. File:St George Anglican Montreal 13.JPG, Saint George Anglican Church in Montreal, located in front of 1250 René-Lévesque. File:1250 René-Lévesque 08.jpg, Close-up of 1250 René-Lévesque.

References

External links

Official website
{{Commons category IBM facilities Kohn Pedersen Fox buildings Office buildings completed in 1992 Skyscraper office buildings in Montreal Buildings and structures in Downtown Montreal Oxford Properties 1992 establishments in Quebec 1990s in Montreal