NDG’s Empress Theatre to be demolished for outdoor cultural venue

The city of Montreal may be breathing new life into an abandoned, iconic spot.

After more than 30 years sitting vacant,and as it approaches the centenary of its construction, the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce has unveiled a new chapter for the iconic Empress Theatre site.

Located on Sherbrooke Street West, recently ranked one of the coolest streets in the world, the Empress Theatre is an historic building on the border of Westmount and NDG neighbourhoods.

Read more: This Montreal street has been named one of the coolest in the world – ranking higher than New York, Berlin and Brisbane

According to a press release, following technical assessments and consultations with cultural and community stakeholders it became clear that the building’s advanced state of deterioration made full preservation impossible. 

Faced with mounting maintenance costs and significant structural constraints, the borough will move forward with deconstructing the long-abandoned Sherbrooke Street West property—while preserving its emblematic Egyptian Revival façade.

The goal is to return the space to residents as a vibrant, four-season cultural hub—a transitional open-air community space.

Plans envision a dynamic program rolling out as early as fall 2027, with outdoor film screenings, participatory art activities, theatre performances, and a range of live events bringing new energy to the site.

In the longer term, the borough hopes to see a permanent cultural project take root here. A public information session on the transitional plan is scheduled for early summer 2026, and the deconstruction contract is expected to be awarded in the fall, with work potentially beginning in early 2027.

Where is the Empress Theatre?

Located at 5560 Sherbrooke Street West in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, the Empress Theatre first opened in 1928. 

What is the Empress Theatre known for?

Celebrated for its striking Egyptian Revival architecture, it operated as a theatre until 1939, when it closed during the economic crisis. 

The building later reopened in 1963 as the Royal Follies cabaret, before becoming Cinéma V. A devastating fire in 1992 left it severely damaged. 

Owned by the City of Montreal since 1999, its heritage façade remains a powerful symbol of the neighbourhood’s cultural history.

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