Brock/Wellington Heritage Impact Statement

This important street corner in Kingston’s historic downtown had undergone many changes since it was first developed in the early 19th century. Most of the changes marred the architectural details of the buildings and removed important features. The proposed redevelopment for residential and commercial uses entailed conversion of three individual properties into a single building while retaining the heritage attributes. Bray Heritage, working with a local historian, prepared a chronology of site development, an inventory and evaluation of the potential cultural heritage resources of these properties, and recommendations for conservation of identified heritage attributes. Historical research revealed that one of the properties had been the site of one of Sir John A. Macdonald’s first law offices while another had an early Masonic Hall on an upper floor. Archival images showed the massing and detailing of the missing elements such as a decorative corner tower. This historical documentation informed the design process and provided information for site interpretation and commemoration. Carl Bray worked with the development team to prepare a conservation and mitigation strategy that accompanied the final design and he prepared the Heritage Impact Statement submitted as part of the rezoning application. The project, now completed, conserves and restores key heritage attributes. These include ornamental architectural detail on the restored exterior walls, re-created late 19th century shopfronts, and a replica of the missing tower (all based on archival photographs and site investigations).