SEPT/OCT 2014
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stand the test of time thanks to the exception-
ally skilled work that goes into a restoration
project. Among their numerous projects, the
masonry stabilization of McGill University’s
MacDonald Stewart Library in Montreal was
one of their more complicated and complex
tasks. It involved erecting scaffolding on the
roof at different angles in order to dismantle
parts of the walls, repairing and resetting the
old stones and reconstructing the walls. An-
other memorable project was Linton Apart-
ments on Sherbrooke Street in Montreal, an
historic building dating back to 1905. The
13-storey-high building constructed with terra
cotta was a multi-million-dollar project. The
magnificent classic façade was restored by 30
skilled masons. “It turned out to be a project
that we are very proud of,” Matthew said.
“One of our largest projects involved an old
Montreal girls’ school which is being convert-
ed into prestigious condominium units. M sur
la Montagne was a unique and complex site
with very specific requirements such as three-
storey windows,” Matthew explained. “We
had to engineer new structures to compen-
sate for the masonry that was being removed
and pierce through 30 inches of stone in a
straight line from top to bottom while keeping
the structural integrity of the building during
the restoration. It was extremely challeng-
ing, we had to invent a type of shoring for the
structural work that we had to do; nothing off
the shelf. It had to be drawn up by one of our
engineers,” Matthew stated.
One of the interesting aspects of restoration
work is the adherence to regulations. Unless
specified in the project’s specs, the build-
ing only has to be brought back to the origi-
nal construction code but that does not stop
Atwill-Morin from giving an old building a
better than new facelift. They apply modern
techniques to classic architectural styling.
The company has over 20 people in manage-
ment and approximately 150 certified masons
and apprentices. Atwill-Morin Group believes
“We are a specialised company that works on some of the most difficult
and complex projects in eastern Canada and there is no project too
difficult or too complex for us. We thrive on the challenge.”
