The British Whig Building on Historic Market Square in Kingston stands as a monument to the history and growth of Kingston and Upper Canada.

Early History
The Historic Market Square area appears in the original town survey of 1784. Its presence, formally established in 1801, favoured early commercial development in the area. Around 1790, the United Empire Loyalists built St. George’s church on the land now occupied by the British Whig Building. Named after the patron saint of England, the church sat on what was part of a large wedge-shaped parcel set aside for the Church of England. In 1825, the stone church was dismantled, moved and reassembled as a newer and grander cathedral on the present site of St. George's one block away.

St. George's retained ownership of the original site. Acting as developer and landlord, the church used the rents and eventually the sale of properties to finance its major building campaigns of the 1840s, 1860s and 1890s. The diocese continued to own the land under the British Whig Building until Kincore Holdings Limited bought it in 1998.

Commercial Development
Commercial development of the site of the British Whig Building began after the relocation of St. George’s in 1825. Although no evidence of the church remains, parts of the first commercial building on the site form the predominant interior architectural feature. Remnants of the 2-storey Georgian limestone buildings were used as bearing walls for new construction and were covered with lath and plaster.

Changing Architecture
In 1895, the Georgian buildings were replaced by an asymmetrical classical revival building. The classical façade created a sense of stability and dignity.  In 1942, the façade was enlarged to accommodate the needs of the CKWS radio station. Architectural modesty prevailed at the time, so the original classical elements of the façade, such as cornices, the pediment and urns, were removed in favour of a more restrained symmetry.

The building underwent another major retrofit in 1963. Postmodern style was in vogue, and the majority of the remaining classical features were removed and replaced with smooth Queenston limestone and green marble. This was the façade Kincore Holdings Limited inherited.

Enter Kincore
Recent restoration and reconstruction work have brought classical grace back to the facade of the British Whig Building, and the interior and the rear elevation have also been rebuilt. A rational façade now makes way for a more pragmatic interior. Early fireplaces seem to float above floor level. The range of historical building materials creates a patchwork quilt, and the walls are strikingly irregular. Ultimately, the restored classical façade and the exposure of the original interior elements reveal a tapestry richly woven through time. Therein lies the intrigue and beauty of the revitalized British Whig Building

See the picture gallery under Kincore Properties for a pictorial collection of the restoration of The British Whig Building.