Project Background
Work on the re-development of the J.K. Tett Centre began in 2005 when the City of Kingston hired Artscape Inc., a Toronto firm with broad experience in developing and managing arts clusters or multi-tenant art centres, to develop a feasibility study to guide this project.
Artscape met with the public and various stakeholders on numerous occasions and facilitated a "visioning exercise" that lead to the creation of the "J.K. Tett Complex: Creative Cluster Feasibility Study" presented to City Council in May 2006 (see link at right). A "J.K. Tett Complex: Preliminary Business Model" was submitted in October 2006 and an updated "J.K. Tett Centre 2009 Business Plan" was submitted in October 2009.
In July 2006 City Council approved the sale and purchase of the former Morton Brewery site (see History of Site at right) to Queen's University, which included: the Stella Buck Building, the Tercentennary Lodge, the building previously occupied by the Domino Theatre and the surrounding property. At the time, the City retained ownership of the J.K. Tett Centre to be re-developed as an arts cluster in recognition of its recent history.
This project included a 'Call for Tenants' by the Arts Advisory Committee that resulted in the nomination of 11 prospective tenants to occupy the (J.K.) Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning when it is completed. An updated "Business Plan, J.K. Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning" (see link at right) was also approved by City Council in March 2010 and funding for this project was subsequently approved in April 2010.
Renovation of the J.K. Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning is expected to get underway in 2012 with work being completed by the late summer of 2013.
Contact
If you have questions about the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning please contact Brian McCurdy, Cultural Director for the City of Kingston, at bmccurdy@cityofkingston.ca.
