Queen’s University and Limestone District School Board (LDSB) have received governance approval for the disposition and sale of the former Kingston Collegiate & Vocational Institute (KCVI) building and property located at 235 Frontenac Street in Kingston. The announcement was made jointly June 14 by Queen’s and LDSB.

“We are pleased with this pending acquisition of KCVI by the university,” says Donna Janiec, Queen’s Vice-Principal (Finance and Administration). “This is a great fit for Queen’s, as it directly adjoins our campus and will allow for the future expansion of our academic programming. It also means the KCVI property, which has played such a meaningful role in the lives of so many in the community, can continue to grow its legacy as a place of learning long into the future.”

The LDSB declared the 1.26 hectare property, located north of the Queen’s campus immediately adjacent to Goodes Hall, surplus to the board’s needs in August 2020. Students were then relocated to the new Kingston Secondary School in December.

Following the requirements outlined in Ontario Regulation 444/98: Disposition of Surplus Real Property, the board offered the building for sale or lease to a list of preferred organizations, and Queen’s opted to pursue the offer.

“The sale of the former Kingston Collegiate & Vocational Institute is bittersweet for the Limestone District School Board,” says LDSB Director of Education Krishna Burra.” The building was home to generations of staff and students who spent a significant amount of time teaching and learning within those hallowed halls.  While the school community has moved from the building and settled into the new Kingston Secondary School, the wonderful memories and legacy of KCVI will forever remain.”

The LDSB hopes to use some proceeds from the sale to support the construction and transition of Kingston Secondary School. The use of proceeds from the disposition process requires Ministry of Education approval.

A re-designation and re-zoning of the property will be necessary prior to the university’s use of the property, and an application will shortly be submitted to the city. When the sale is finalized, the facility may be used on a temporary basis, however the longer term use has not yet been determined.  Any future renovations will preserve the existing façades that have heritage designations.  Queen's has significant experience with Heritage Designations of institutional buildings and maintaining facilities of a similar age, including having successfully repurposed Victoria School, a former primary school, into Goodes Hall.

Both parties hope to officially conclude the purchase and sale of this year later this fall.