This old Victorian home has a secret: it's part of the Montreal Metro system

Unlike its neighbours, the house at 1423 Towers St. in downtown Montreal seems to have withstood the test of time. While its stone Victorian walls appear unchanged, the building itself is hiding a secret: it's not a house at all — at least, not anymore.

For years, Montreal's transit authority has been discreetly building a sprawling ventilation system within — and below — the abandoned building. Behind its snow-crusted front steps lie the hidden depths of the city's Metro system.

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Allard explained that the building had been empty for decades, often used by squatters and in disrepair. The wooden structure wasn't salvageable and little of the original interior was left intact behind the stone walls, he said.

To make sure it was rebuilt properly, the STM scanned the front of the building, numbering each stone and marking its place on the facade so it could be rebuilt exactly as it was. The outdoor woodwork was rotten, but a craftsman was able to make identical replacements, Allard said.

The original stained glass window above the door was restored. Allard said they had to dig through 364 layers of paint to find the original colour of the wood frame — it was green.

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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/victorian-home-metro-1.6659859