Design

The Skyscraper Dividing Quebec City

Le Phare would stand 65-stories high in Sainte-Foy, an old, low-lying suburb of the historic city.

The plan for the 65-story Le Phare was first unveiled in 2015, to many residents’ surprise and dismay. Through a sleight-of-hand maneuver, the municipal government tacked it on to the already-approved community plan and then passed two amendments to try and make it fit.Le Phare

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Before it’s here, it’s on the Bloomberg Terminal

By Tracey Lindeman

November 20, 2018 at 9:55 AM EST

Since its founding in 1608, Quebec City has gained a reputation as one of the most beautiful cities on the continent. Its gothic-style Château Frontenac stands on the edge of a cliff, looming over the chilly St. Lawrence river. The imposing building, together with the city’s cobblestone streets and a centuries-old hilltop fortress, are the closest North Americans can get to Europe without crossing an ocean.

But soon, Quebec City might have a new calling card: A 65-story skyscraper in the nearby suburb of Sainte-Foy—and not everybody’s happy about it.

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