MONTBRIANT, [or MONTBRIAND], Louis Roch (1860-1923), a prolific architect active in Montreal and the designer of dozens of residential, commercial, institutional and ecclesiastical works in that city and in nearby towns. Born in Lachenaie, Que. on 1 March 1860, he was educated at Plateau Academy and received his architectural training under the supervision of Adolphe Levesque, a prominent Montreal architect. Montbriant opened his own office in 1885 and joined the Province of Quebec Association of Architects in December 1890. He had a successful career spanning over thirty years, and his name can be linked with the design of schools, fire halls, churches, clubs, theatres, duplex and triplex apartments, row housing, retail stores, and factories, many of them constructed with the characteristic Montreal grey stone facades so prevalent throughout the city. He employed a rugged Romanesque Revival style in many of his institutional works (such as the Police & Fire Station House No. 16, 1891), and made use of classical revival styles in his ecclesiastical projects. One of the largest commissions which he completed during his career was for Notre Dame de la Defense Roman Catholic Church, serving the Italian-Canadian community in Montreal (1918-19). This unique work, executed almost entirely in brick, incorporates three identical facades located on the west, south and east sides of the site that was developed from the profile and the square plan configuration of the Greek cross.
In 1904 he was one of three competitors who submitted designs for the new Observation Pavilion on the top of Mount Royal, overlooking downtown Montreal. The other competitors included J.O. Marchand (who was later declared the winner), and the landscape architect Frederick Todd. The design by Montbriant appeared in La Presse [Montreal], 2 Nov. 1904, 11, illus. Montbriant continued to work as a professional architect until early 1923, and died in Montreal on 16 March of that year (obit. Gazette [Montreal], 17 March 1923, 7; Le Devoir [Montreal], 17 March 1923 and 20 March 1923, 3; La Presse [Montreal], 17 March 1923, 19; biog. La Presse [Montreal], 3 Sept. 1910, 39; Who’s Who and Why in Canada, Vol. 1, 1912, 358). A photographic portrait of Montbriant can be found in L. Prince et al, Illustrated Montreal Old and New, 1915, 287.
L.R. MONTBRIANT (Residential works in Montreal unless noted)
LAVAL AVENUE, a triplex house for Eugene Dubois (erroneously listed in the Contract Record [Toronto] as "Joseph Reinhardt", 1891, and still standing in 2022 at No. 3697-3701 Laval Avenue (Le Prix Courant, 16 Oct. 1891; C.R., ii, 17 Oct. 1891, 2; inf. Justin Bur, Montreal)
WELLINGTON STREET, at Liverpool Street, six houses for Mr. Mercier, 1892 (C.R., iii, 30 April 1892, 2)
ST. HUBERT STREET, two houses for G.B. Demers, 1892 (C.R., iii, 30 April 1892, 2)
ONTARIO STREET, for B. Lefevre, 1892 (C.R., iii, 24 Sept. 1892, 2)
BEAUDRY STREET, two tenements for Mrs. M. Lapierre, 1896 (C.R., vii, 2 April 1896, 3)
ST. DENIS STREET, store and dwelling for A.R. Archambault, 1896 (C.R., vii, 2 April 1896, 3)
BLEURY STREET, two tenements for Joseph Levesque, 1896 (C.R., vii, 18 June 1896, 3)
ST. ANDRE STREET, two houses for W. Corcoran, 1896 (C.R., vii, 9 July 1896, 3)
BEAUDRY STREET, three houses for Edmond Morin, 1896 (C.R., vii, 16 July 1896, 3)
ST. ANDRE STREET, two houses for G.W. Crossan, 1896 (C.R., vii, 23 July 1896, 3)
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL, cottage for Henri Boisineau, 1896 (C.R., vii, 6 Aug. 1896, 4)
MONTCALM STREET, for A. Collins, 1896 (C.R., vii, 27 Aug. 1896, 2)
ESPLANADE AVENUE, row of four tenements for Joseph Martel, 1896 (C.R., vii, 29, Oct. 1896, 2)
ESPLANADE AVENUE, for Charles Gratton, 1896 (C.R., vii, 29 Oct. 1896, 2)
ST. DENIS STREET, two tenements for Gedeon Lebel, 1897 (C.R., vii, 28 June 1897, 2, t.c.)
POINTE AUX TREMBLES, three cottages for O.M. Ange, 1897 (C.R., viii, 10 June 1897, 2)
SHERBROOKE STREET EAST, for Arsene Brosseau, 1897 (Le Prix Courant, xx, Week No. 3, 1897; Montreal, Les Residences, 1987, 92-3, illus.)
LORD & BROS., two stores and tenements for Edmond Lord, Ste. Catherine Street, 1897 (C.R., viii, 24 June 1897, 3)
PANET STREET, for Jean Baptiste Racette, 1897 (C.R., viii, 29 July 1897, 2, t.c.)
DORCHESTER STREET, three tenements for O. Gauthier, 1897 (C.R., viii, 9 Sept. 1897, 2)
ST. LAURENT BOULEVARD, four tenements and a store for J. Bernard, 1897 (C.R., viii, 9 Sept. 1897, 2)
DESERY STREET, for F.X. Robillard, 1897 (C.R., viii, 4 Nov. 1897, 3)
VISITATION STREET, for J.G. Gratton, 1897 (C.R., viii, 25 Nov. 1897, 4)
ALBERT STREET, nine tenements for A. Menier, 1898 (C.R., ix, 2 March 1898, 3)
CADIEUX STREET, for M. Fortin, 1898 (C.R., ix, 13 April 1898, 3)
ST. URBAIN STREET, four houses for J.P. Martel, 1898 (C.R., ix, 27 April 1898, 4)
BLUE BONNETS AREA, for Thomas A. Trenholme, 1898 (C.R., ix, 11 May 1898, 3)
ESPLANADE AVENUE, three cottages for Leandre Ouimet, 1898 (C.R., ix, 18 May 1898, 3)
DESERY STREET, for Jean B. Zappa, 1898 (C.R., ix, 17 Aug. 1898, 4)
LAVAL AVENUE, two tenements for Jseph Charlebois, 1900 (C.R., xi, 22 Aug. 1900, 3)
SHERBROOKE STREET, for R. Deslaurier, 1900 (C.R., xi, 10 Oct. 1900, 3)
MENTANA STREET, three tenements for F. Dansereau, 1900 (C.R., xi, 24 Oct. 1900, 3)
ESPLANADE AVENUE, house for Leandre Ouimet, 1902 (C.R., xii, 15 Jan. 1902, 2)
WESTMOUNT, for E. Emery, Olivier Avenue, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 26 March 1902, 3)
ST. DENIS STREET, for Napolean Deslaurier, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 26 March 1902, 3)
PAPINEAU SQUARE, for Joseph Lesperance, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 9 April 1902, 4)
ST. ANDRE STREET, two houses for the architect, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 30 April 1902, 3)
ST. DENIS STREET, three houses for Mrs. Narcisse T. Gagnon, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 20 Aug. 1902, 3)
PRINCE ARTHUR APARTMENTS, St. Urbain Street at Prince Arthur Street, 1905 (Montreal, Les Appartements, 1991, 342-3, illus.)
HUTCHISON STREET, apartment block for D. Dagenais, 1908 (Const., ii, Dec. 1908, 66)
OUTREMONT, residence for Ovide Lepage, Bloomfield Avenue, 1909 (Outrement b.p. 235, 30 June 1909)
ST. LUKE APARTMENTS, Maisonneuve Boulevard West near Fort Street, 1909 (Montreal, Les Appartements, 1991, 137-9, illus.)
OUTREMONT, residence for Jean Baptiste Raby, McDougall Avenue, 1912 (Outrement b.p. 658, 25 June 1912)
OUTREMONT, The Newcastle Apartments, Querbes Avenue, for M. Dagenais, 1913 (C.R., xxvii, 22 Oct. 1913, 71, t.c.; Outrement b.p. 858, 13 Oct. 1913)
OUTREMONT, two houses for M. Dagenais, Rockland Avenue, 1916 (Outrement b.p. 1044, 10 July 1916)
OUTREMONT, two small apartment blocks for M. Dagenais, Lajoie Avenue at Querbes Avenue, 1916-17 (Outrement b.p. 1071, 21 Dec. 1916)
OUTREMONT, row of houses for Napoleon Deslauriers, Champagneur Avenue, 1919 (Outrement b.p. 1208, 7 July 1919)
L.R. MONTBRIANT (Institutional & Ecclesiastical Works in Montreal unless noted)
POLICE & FIRE STATION NO. 16, Rachel Street at Amherst Street, 1891 (Gazette [Montreal], 7 July 1891, 2; Montreal, Les Edifices Publics, 1981, 212-13, illus.)
FIRE STATION, Mullins Street, 1891 (Gazette [Montreal], 7 July 1891, 2)
ST. LOUIS DU MILE END SCHOOL, Beaubien Street at St. Eugene Street, 1895 (C.R., vi, 8 Aug. 1895, 2)
MOUNT ROYAL PARK, a large outdoor public shelter building, 1897; and a large public greenhouse, 1902 (Montreal Daily Star, 1 June 1897, 6; Gazette [Montreal], 16 May 1902, 5, t.c.)
ST. DENIS WARD, workshops and stables for the City of Montreal Health Dept. on the Amos property, 1898 (C.R., ix, 25 May 1898, 3, t.c.; Montreal Daily Star, 12 April 1899, 7)
LOGAN PARK, park shelter, 1900 (C.R., xi, 13 June 1900, 3)
FLETCHER'S FIELD PARK, public washroom building, 1902 (Gazette [Montreal], 16 May 1902, 5, t.c.)
LAFONTAINE PARK, public washroom building, 1902 (Gazette [Montreal], 16 May 1902, 5, t.c.)
MONTREAL CITY HALL, extensive renovations and alterations to the interiors of the Recorder's Court, within the City Hall, 1902 (Gazette [Montreal], 20 June 1902, 6, descrip.)
FIRE STATION NO. 19, Amity Street at Fullum Street, 1903-04 (Gazette [Montreal], 19 June 1903, 7; C.R., xiv, 5 Aug. 1903, 3, t.c.; Montreal, Les Edifices Publics, 1981, 214-15, illus.)
EASTERN CATTLE MARKET, addition of several buildings, 1903 (C.R., xiv, 2 Sept. 1903, 3, t.c.)
CITY WEIGH HOUSE, Atwater Avenue at St. Emelie Street, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 7 Nov. 1906, 2, t.c.)
FIRE HALL NO. 20, Craig Street at Chenneville Street, 1907-08 (La Presse [Montreal], 18 Oct. 1907, 8, illus.; 1 July 1908, 8, illus.)
CLUB LEMIEUX, Lafontaine Street East near Iberville Street, 1907-08 (La Presse {Montreal], 14 Dec. 1907, 10, illus.)
ST. JEAN BAPTISTE MARKET, St. Laurent Boulevard at Rachel Street, 1907-08 (La Presse [Montreal], 30 Dec. 1907, 1, illus. & descrip.; Gazette [Montreal], 5 June 1908, 7, t.c.)
MOUNT ROYAL WARD FIRE STATION, [also called Fire Hall No. 27], Mountain Avenue at Marechal Street, 1908-09 (Montreal Daily Star, 6 Nov. 1909, 25, t.c.; Montreal, Les Edifices Publics, 1981, 220-21, illus.)
MONTREAL POLICE, large horse stables for the police patrol, perhaps in or near Jacques Cartier Square, 1907-08 (Montreal Daily Star, 11 Jan. 1908, 25)
JACQUES CARTIER SQUARE, a civic building containing the Recorder's Court, Police Station and health offices, 1908 (Const., ii, Dec. 1908, 63)
FIRE HALL NO. 28, Pine Avenue at Cedar Avenue, 1909 (La Presse [Montreal], 12 Aug. 1909, 1, illus.; Montreal Daily Star, 14 Aug. 1909, 23, descrip.)
POLICE & FIRE STATION NO. 13, Ste. Catherine Street East near Darling Street, 1919-10 (La Presse [Montreal], 5 Nov. 1909, 1, illus. & descrip.)
ST. JEAN BAPTISTE ACADEMY, Henri Julien Avenue, 1909 (C.R., xxiii, 20 Oct. 1909, 20, t.c.)
POLICE & FIRE STATION NO. 26, Mount Royal Avenue East at Erables Street, 1909 (C.R., xxiii, 10 Nov. 1909, 20, t.c.; La Presse [Montreal], 5 Nov. 1909, 1, illus.)
ROSEMONT FIRE STATION, in St. Mary's Ward, Third Avenue at Masson Street, 1909 (Montreal Daily Star, 6 Nov. 1909, 25, t.c.; C.R., xxiii, 10 Nov. 1909, 20, t.c.)
FIRE HALL No. 14, St. Dominique Street, 1910-11 (La Presse [Montreal], 24 Dec. 1909, 9, illus.; C.R., xxv, 29 Nov. 1911, 58, t.c.)
ACADEMIE CHRISTOPHE COLOMB, Christopher Columbus Avenue, 1910 (Montreal, Les Edifices Scolaires, 1980, 28-9, illus.)
SAULT AU RECOLLET, major addition to the Institut St. Janvier, 1910 (La Presse [Montreal], 21 May 1910, 21, illus.)
ECOLE AHUNTSIC, a 3 storey Roman Catholic Boys School, Gouin Boulevard, 1910 (Montreal Daily Star, 20 Sept. 1910, 6, descrip.; C.R., xxiv, 28 Sept. 1910, 24; La Presse [Montreal], 17 June 1911, 14, illus.)
CARTIERVILLE, QUE., rest home or retirement home, 1913 (C.R., xxvii, 23 July 1913, 71)
ST. LEONARD DE PORT MAURICE, QUE., a school for girls and boys, 1915 ( Montreal Daily Star, 6 March 1915, 12, t.c.)
ECOLE PELTRIE, Laverdure Street, 1916 (Montreal, Les Edifices Scolaires, 1980, 108-09, illus.)
NOTRE DAME DE LA DEFENSE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH (Italian), Henri Julien Avenue at Alma Street, 1918; presbytery for the church, 1919 (C.R., xxxii, 4 Sept. 1918, 722, illus. & descrip.; Montreal Daily Star, 10 June 1919, 22)
L.R. MONTBRIANT (Commercial & Industrial Works in Montreal unless noted)
DAY & DEBLOIS CO., Visitation Street at Logan Street, shop and apartments, 1891 (Le Prix Courant, viii, 23 April 1891; Montreal, Les Magasins Les Cinemas, 1985, 202-04, illus.)
BLACKSTONE CIGAR CO., St. Lawrence Street in St. Louis de Mile End, for G. Villeneuve, 1894 (C.R., v, 5 April 1894, 2)
ST. LAWRENCE STREET, two buildings for Benjamin Voyer, 1896 (C.R., vii, 2 April 1896, 4)
STE. CATHERINE STREET, factory for Bernard Major, 1896 (C.R., vii, 29 Oct. 1896, 2, t.c.)
DESERY STREET, store for J.A. Madore, 1897 (C.R., vii, 28 Jan. 1897, 3; Montreal, Les Magasins Les Cinemas, 1985, 262-3, illus.)
CLARKE STREET, building for Alderman Lemoine, 1897 (C.R., viii, 29 July 1897, 3)
AMHERST STREET, near Marie Anne Street, store and two apartments for Ald. Leandre Ouimet, 1897 (C.R., viii, 12 Aug. 1897, 2, t.c.)
ST. HUBERT STREET, for Eugene Dubois, 1897 (C.R., viii, 21 Oct. 1897, 3)
RACINE BROS., Ste. Catherine Street East, remodelling store, 1898 (C.R., ix, 13 April 1898, 5)
T. BRISSON & CO., Commissioners Street, extensive alterations to warehouse, 1898 (C.R., ix, 27 April 1898, 4)
ST. DENIS STREET, two stores for A.R. Archambault, 1898 (C.R., ix, 25 May 1898, 3)
JACQUES CARTIER SQUARE, store and residence for A.L. Hurtubise, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 12 March 1902, 3)
LASSARD & HARRIS CO., St. Elizabeth Street, factory, 1902 (C.R., xiii, 27 Aug. 1902, 2)
EASTERN CATTLE MARKET, 1903 (Gazette [Montreal], 29 Aug. 1903, 8, t.c.)
STE. CATHERINE STREET EAST, at Visitation Street, store for N. Ethier, 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 11 May 1910, 27)
PAPINEAU AVENUE, meat factory for J.D. Villeneuve, 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 25 May 1910, 32)
PIERRE BRAULT CARRIAGE CO., St. Antoine Street, factory, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 22 March 1911, 58)
STUART CO., Laurier Avenue West at Mance Street, bakery, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 27 Sept. 1911, 61)