This avenue is lined with attractive town houses, today occupied by restaurants, art galleries and fashionable stores. Named after Denis-Benjamin Viger, an affluent landowner during the mid-19C, the street was frequented by wealthy Francophones who erected charming Victorian homes. The area became known as Montreal's Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter) when several institutions of higher education were established here during the early 20C. The houses were divided into smaller apartments to accommodate the many students attending these institutions. The area's economic stability suffered when the University of Montreal moved to the north slope of Mt. Royal, and the street only regained its original vibrancy during the 1960s. Cafés, intimate restaurants, small boutiques and bookshops proliferated, drawing a young crowd back to the area. Today, the Rue Saint-Denis is a favourite with Montrealers and tourists alike.