Thursday, May 04, 2006
The Wing-Standard
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The Kingston Whig-Standard
Tuesday, May 4, 2006
Page: 4
Section: Local News
Some City Hall workers will move to historic but costly new digs. Councillors approved a plan to pay Kincore Holdings roughly $1.7 million over the next five years to lease space to house city staffers in the restored, century-old British Whig building on King Street, adjacent to City Hall.
The landmark building has bee empty since The Whig-Standard moved its editorial and business operations to the Woolen Mill in 1996.
Kincore bought it in 1998 and spent years restoring the building, using cherry wood, copper and meticulous stone work to recreate the historic façade.
More than 100 city employees are expected to occupy 24,00 square feet of space on three floors.
The city will pay Kincore $14 per square foot in a five-year lease with an option to renew. The city also will spend up to $500,000 to configure the space for its employees.
“What a wonderful building to house our staff in, “councillor Leonore Foster said.
Councillor Rick Downes said Kincore has a reputation for paying careful attention to Kingston’s architectural legacy and restoring historic sites.
The money paid to Kincore will be reinvested, he suggested, in other historic renovations and construction projects.
“Anything we can do to help this firm is a good thing, “Downes said.
Councillor George Stoparczyk said administrative staff should have historic quarters since politicians occupy the city’s most significant building, City Hall.
Several councillors questioned the cost.
“That just seems like an awful expense,” said Councillor Kevin George.
He wondered if the city shouldn’t consider buying rather than leasing.
Staff recommended the deal, part of a long-term city strategy to move more administrative functions out of the City Hall building.
It was approved in an 8-4 vote. Councillors George, Steve Garrison, Sara Meers and George Sutherland voted against the plan.
The city has been looking for several years for space downtown to house its growing workforce. Construction of a new building was ruled out.
Kincore was considered the preferred bidder among firms that offered to provide space.
The lease of the British Whig building also will permit the eventual closing of the city’s Midland Avenue complex, which could be sold, politicians were told, for as much as $2 million.
Planning, engineering and building inspection functions will be consolidated at city offices on John Counter Boulevard.
It’s uncertain yet which departments will shift to the British Whig building but they’re expected to move in by September.
Kincore president Kim Donovan said the deal with the city meets his longstanding objective of putting one tenant into the entire space.
“WE lowered our asking rent significantly from what we wanted to get from it,” he said in an interview outside the council chamber.
The King Street site includes the renovated Ontario Bank building on the corner of King and Clarence streets.
The ground floor now houses a Keg restaurant
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