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MONTREAL — A skyscraper is considered by some as one of the most visible signs of economic progress.

The Gherkin in London, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the One World Trade Center in New York and the CN Tower in Toronto all stand out prominently in their cities’ skylines as beacons of prosperity.

This venerable list will soon be joined by another gleaming sentinel.

Described as “inspired and bold,” the plans for Le Phare de Québec were unveiled in the province’s capital city Wednesday by Michel Dallaire, CEO of Groupe Dallaire, the company responsible for the project’s construction.

“Over a year ago, the Mayor of Quebec City called on us to create a flagship building at the city’s western gateway,” he said in a statement.

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“Today, we are answering that call and delivering this one-of-a-kind project whose distinctiveness will become synonymous with the city itself and resonate far beyond our borders.”

The imposing, two-million-square-foot real estate project will be built on the former site of the Auberge des Gouverneurs, which was demolished last year.

The complex will feature four towers and offer office, commercial, residential and hotel space.

“Le Phare de Québec, with its sleek lines reminiscent of the sails of these tall ships, will stand as a reminder of how they shaped our history,” said Daillaire.

The complex will be complemented by three sister towers of between 25 and 30 storeys each. Groupe Dallaire Inc.

At 65 storeys, the site’s tallest tower is expected to become the highest building east of Toronto.

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It will be accompanied by three further towers, each expected to be between 25 and 30 storeys each.

The funds for the project’s $600-million price tag have come entirely from private investors.

Construction is slated to start next year and is expected to take approximately 10 years to complete.

A look at Le Phare de Québec by the numbers

2016: when construction is expected to kick off

600: million dollars in private investment

360: degree panaramic view on the public observation deck

350: construction jobs over a 10-year period

65: storeys in the main tower

4: towers in the complex

2: million square feet of total floor space

Fun fact: Did you know that nearly half of the world’s skyscrapers have been built since 2000?