Kent Brewery Site

Kent Brewery Site

Description:
The Kent Brewery was established in 1859. It became the third largest brewery in London, after Carling's and Labatt's. In 1889, Goodspeed described the premises as “one of the oldest landmarks in the city”. Events in the brewery's history were covered by The Globe, suggesting a brewery of more than local significance. The brewery was closed in response to prohibition in 1916. Since its brewing days, the building has served as a winery, a cheese factory, and a cigar factory, among other uses. The main Kent Brewery building at 197 Ann Street remains the “largest surviving brewery artifact from Victorian London-Middlesex. 

The house next door to the brewery, at 183 Ann Street, was built by brewer Joseph Hamilton in 1893. The Kent Brewery is one of the few brewery sites in Canada where the brewer’s home remains intact alongside their brewery. (Alexander Keith's brewery, in Halifax, is another). 

Threats:
York Developments has proposed a student apartment building on the site. Their original proposal would have demolished all of the buildings on the site. This met with community opposition. It is reported (Planning and Environment Committee, November 16, 2020) that the applicant is developing a revised proposal which will “incorporate heritage elements.” Phrases like “heritage elements” can sometimes signal tokenism, rather than retention. When the applicant releases the new proposal, it will be worth paying close attention to the details of the applicant’s revised plan and, in particular, to their revised Heritage Impact Assessment.

It is worth mentioning that York Developments purchased the old Courthouse and its grounds in November 2019, with plans to redevelop that site at some point in the future. How York Developments approaches the redevelopment of the Kent Brewery site, and how they address heritage concerns, will be important to note.

Recommendations:
The buildings are flexible and can accommodate a variety of uses. Currently, the main brewery building is rented as apartments. The rear of the property is used for the Williams Downtown Automotive Service. Absent development, the current uses remain viable.

An ideal use for the brewery, given its history, would be a brew-pub like the CEEPS. Alternatively, industrial heritage buildings have been popular sites for office type working spaces like Innovation Works, InfoTech and The Roundhouse.

The architectural details on Joseph Hamilton's house would make it suitable as an amenity space for the apartment complex, as was done with 300 Queens Ave, or as a signature building, as with the Sir Adam Beck Manor Estates.