Seamlessly combining architectural history with modern design, the amenities, which exude class, include a lobby, gym, yoga studio, terrace, coworking area, kitchen and lounge with a central fire table. The urban sanctuary houses a hot bath, cold plunge, Finnish sauna, Himalayan salt wall and relaxation area to offer the perfect balance between comfort, well-being and sophistication.
From Standard Life to Le Samuel: Montreal's most ambitious office-to-residential conversion whose doors open this summer
Rediscover the historic building with open houses held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Author of the article:Ursula Leonowicz
Published May 21, 2025
The Standard Life Assurance Company building, now Le Samuel.
George Armoyan Jr. was regularly walking by the then vacant Standard Life Assurance Company building at 1245 Sherbrooke St. W. With office vacancy rates surpassing the 20 per cent mark in 2023, the investor had a vision: to transform it into a luxury apartment tower with his family’s signature, By Armoyan.
“I lived close by, walked by often and had seen it empty for quite some time,” says Armoyan Jr., who oversees NexArm Investments’ real estate projects in Quebec. “Eventually, it went up for sale and though we lost our first bid, we were able to purchase it eventually.”
NexArm Investments, which is a division of the Armoyan Group of Companies, was founded in 1982 by Armoyan Jr.’s father, George Sr., and is behind such projects as Le George, located across from the Bell Centre.
“The idea of taking on new challenges has always been part of our DNA,” Armoyan Jr. says.
“We saw the Standard Life Building as a major opportunity to not only convert unused office space but also contribute to the city in a positive way, which makes it very rewarding.”
Located across from the Ritz-Carlton hotel and with Mount-Royal Park as its backyard, the building had been vacant since 2015, when Standard Life was acquired by Manulife. It had great bones to start with, which is one of the reasons the family was so drawn to it.
With a prime location and a 12,500 sq.ft. floorplate, the property is quite unique.
“The idea of being able to take something that is part of Montreal’s history and bring it into the future, and add to its history, was quite exciting for us,” says Armoyan Jr. about the skyscraper that was one of the first in Montreal to be built by a local architecture firm in 1961.
“In terms of the building itself, it’s part of Montreal’s history. The pink granite throughout was quarried in Quebec and is engraved in two locations, inside, by former mayor Jean Drapeau, who inaugurated the building in 1962.”
The building is rectangular, so you can avoid oddly-shaped units, and it’s a steel structure, so there aren’t any concrete columns in the middle that would break up rooms and make the space awkward for residential units.
“While the project has presented its fair share of surprises, the city was supportive of it, which helped move it forward smoothly,” Armoyan Jr. says.
An exciting, local Montreal restaurant has been lined up to occupy the space left by Presse-Café, which residents will have direct access to as part of a room-service type concept available for tenants.
As for the units themselves (sizes ranging from one to three-bedrooms), they are spread out over 21 storeys and each comes with picturesque views. All the lavish living spaces come fully equipped with six high-end appliances, high-speed internet, blinds, electricity and indoor parking, plus nine-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows.
While NexArm preserved the façade of the building and the pink granite in the lobby, they brought the building down to its bones indoors.
Le Samuel’s lobby
“It’s incredible how much of the city you can see from the huge windows,” says Armoyan Jr. as he explains the major updates made to the building.
They changed all the windows, incorporating a new system devised to make them more useful, efficient and environmentally-friendly. The top floor of the building, which used to house mechanical equipment, is being transformed into usable amenities and two penthouse units that are double height.
“From preserving the building’s historical character to upgrading it to meet modern standards while giving it a more contemporary look, this innovative project is about pushing boundaries, reimagining urban potential and creating long-term value for both the city and its residents,’ says Armoyan Jr.
“Our goal is definitely to set an example with it, which is why we’re putting my brother and grandfather’s name on it, Samuel, because of how proud we are.”
Rediscover the historic icon and learn how you can be part of it by attending open houses that are held every Tuesday and Thursday from 3p.m. to 6p.m., and every Saturday from 1p.m. to 4p.m. Le Samuel is located at 1245 Sherbrooke St. W., and occupancy is scheduled for September 2025. To find more information, visit lesamuel.ca, email louer@samuel.ca or call 514-268-7008.