Queen’s University has revealed plans to demolish two “vacant and aging houses” on 154 and 160 Stuart Street, which once housed the Queen’s Film and Media department.
The buildings were initially slated to be demolished in 2015 after the Queen’s Film and Media department moved to the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts.
However, Queen’s University withdrew its applications after City of Kingston officials requested a more thorough study of the old Film and Media Studies building.
A City of Kingston report to Heritage Kingston in March 2022 found that the property was found to have “limited cultural heritage value” and required about $3 million in repairs. Given its condition, the report recommended demolishing the aging structure.
The university says that its near-term plan is to “retain the site as green space for future redevelopment,” and maintain the mature trees.
Following the demolition of the building this month, Queen’s University intends to draw up plans to demolish the Lasalle Building, which previously served as the Student Wellness Centre and is currently housing several Alma Mater Society offices as the JDUC undergoes redevelopment.
140 Stuart Street, currently known as the “Yellow House,” will continued to be preserved through a heritage designation. It will also be one of the last residential structures on Stuart Street.
In the long term, Queen’s University said in a report to the City of Kingston that it intends to build a “significant institutional building,” where the aging buildings currently stand.
