riginally named the Empress theatre, the edifice was built in 1927 and the venue operated as a profitable and vibrant part of the community, until a fire tragically gutted its interior in 1992.

Designed by the Montreal architect Alcide Chaussé and decorated by Emmanuel Briffa, the Empress has the proud distinction of being one of only five remaining art-deco theatre buildings in Canada, and the only one with an Egyptian theme. It was one of a handful built in North America, and at the time its Egyptian motifs were all the rage because of the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb in 1922. Today, the theatre still boasts a magnificent stone façade decorated with bas-reliefs and hieroglyphic details.

From the beginning, vaudeville and cinema were presented at the Empress. Visitors would take tea at the Empress Tea Room and see a show. During the late sixties, there was even a musical revue for a while called the Royal Follies - modeled after the Folies Bergères. Then, the seventies saw the Tea Room replaced by the Sesame Health Food store and Cinema V became the place to go for movies in the neighbourhood. Many still remember fondly their evenings at Cinema V.

Unfortunately, the fire of 1992 destroyed the interior and the building has lain empty ever since. In 1999, the City of Montreal leased the building for a duration of 60 years to the Empress Cultural Centre Inc., a not for profit corporation composed of volunteers, with the mission to transform the building into a multifunctional performing arts centre for established and emerging professional artists in the visual and performing arts.

In August 2005, thanks to Mr. Domenico d'Alesio's generosity, the former Sesame Health Food store space in the north-east corner of the building was renovated. It is now the headquarters of the Empress project, as well as the home of the Montreal Chamber Music Festival. The room is also used as a performance space for small community and cultural events such as readings, music recitals and book launches.