Three years after acquiring the building, it remains unclear what Queen’s is doing with Kingston Collegiate & Vocational Institute (KCVI).
Donna Janiec, vice-principal (finance and administration), was unable to give The Journal a cost estimate for renovations or confirm the building’s future use.
The University couldn’t provide its renovation plan for the building. The KCVI project wasn’t listed under the major capital projects section in the University’s 2023-24 budget report.
The Board of Trustees won’t approve capital projects if they’re not fully funded, and KCVI needs to be fully renovated, Janiec said during a presentation to Senate at March.
The building is currently being used for storage. Construction vehicles and equipment currently parked outside are for crews working on the JDUC, Janiec said.
While details of the project are unclear, Smith Engineering students in a fourth-year civil engineering class, CIVL 460, are working to provide a structural review of the building while suggesting roof replacement options. Students’ involvement in the transformation of KCVI is part of their capstone projects, Nathan Splinter, manager of energy suitability at Queen’s said in a statement to The Journal.
The University purchased the former KCVI building at 235 Frontenac St. from the Limestone District School Board (LDSB) in June 2021 at an undisclosed price.
Previously, Janiec said the building was going to be transformed into teaching and learning spaces.
The University embarked on nine major capital projects over the past year, including the JDUC revitalization and expansion of Leonard Dining Hall, totaling $234 million.
The Agnes Etherington Art Centre is set to be reimagined with the project estimated to cost around $100 million, primarily funded through alumni donations from the Bader family
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