Many McGill students live in this area, which is characterized by a mix of rowhouses and low- to mid-rise apartment buildings.

There is a movement against this nomenclature because it suggests that the area is completely inhabited by extra-provincial anglophone students, while it is also home to many families, working professionals and long-term residents.

[6] In the 1970s, community activists were concerned that the vast La Cité mixed-use complex (consisting of apartments, offices, a mall, and a hotel – now McGill's New Residence) would destroy the neighbourhood's character.

[7] A campaign to stop further redevelopment was led by a residents' coalition and the then-newly formed historic preservation group Heritage Montreal.

[9] In 2009, McGill University purchased a second hotel (Four-Points on Sherbrooke) and transformed it into another student residence for use starting in the 2009–2010 school year.