Princess Towers

Princess Towers formally known as Elrond College is a Mixed-use High rise located at the intersection of Princess Street and Division Street also known as "The Hub" in downtown Kingston, Ontario.[1] The towers currently contain 16 storeys and 200 Apartment units, in addition to commercial space at street level.[2]

Princess Towers
Former namesElrond College
General information
Address401 Princess Street
Town or cityKingston, Ontario
CountryCanada
Coordinates44.23350°N 76.49241°W / 44.23350; -76.49241
Opened1972
Height49.8 meters
Design and construction
Architect(s)Irving Grossman
Main contractorVroom Construction
Other information
Number of units200
Website
https://princesstowers.ca/

The project was originally launched by Queen's University in the late 1960s as a cooperative student residence[3] and the building was completed in 1972.[4][5] The residence was closed in 1981 and the building was sold and subsequently turned into an apartment block and with the ground floor facing Princess Street being converted into retail space.

At the time of its completion in 1972, Princess Towers was the first high-rise constructed in Kingston becoming the tallest building in the city at the time.[6] Currently it is the fourth tallest building in Kingston with a height of 49.8 meters.[7] The building was designed with Split Level Apartments, with elevators only stopping at certain floors, this was done to reflect the projects community minded ideology encouraging residents to pass other residents before reaching their rooms.[8]

History

The concept behind Elrond College originated from students in the late 1960s who were frustrated with conventional accommodations, limiting landlords, and the constant lack of housing in Kingston. The co-op, inspired by a character from Lord of the Rings whose home offered relief from exhaustion, fear, and sorrow, aimed to establish a coeducational residence where "the 'they' is 'you,' and the rules are your own," as initial advertising materials stated.[5][9]

With backing from the Alma Mater Society, Queen's administration, and the federal government, the students had ambitious expectations for a new chapter in student housing when the co-op was launched in 1972. However, the 16-story endeavor encountered numerous financial difficulties, including a lawsuit filed by its construction firm and an ongoing struggle to occupy its 400 beds.

Initially, the co-op operated reasonably well, with all residents contributing a few hours of cleaning and cooking tasks each week. But by the mid-1970s, the system started to falter, and the building's condition deteriorated.

Following an extensive journey of financial distress, the visionary project ultimately shut down in 1981. The building was subsequently sold and has since functioned as a privately-owned apartment complex renamed to Princess Towers.[10]

References
  1. "The Hub Project - Princess Street Sidewalk Project". Get Involved Kingston. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  2. "Princess Towers || Our Features". princesstowers.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  3. "How a 1960s Queen's student utopia fell from grace". Queen's University Journal. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  4. Larsen, Espen (Aug 14, 2001). "Kingston's biggest building gets fixup". Kingston Whig - Standard. p. 2.
  5. "Princess Towers | Queen's Encyclopedia". www.queensu.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  6. "Kingston Architecture: Chronology". www.mckendry.net. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  7. "Princess Towers, Kingston - SkyscraperPage.com". skyscraperpage.com. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  8. "How a 1960s Queen's student utopia fell from grace". The Journal. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  9. whereishereblogger (2012-09-30). ""Merely to be there was a cure for weariness, fear and sadness"". Where is Here?. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  10. "Princess Towers". #SOSBRUTALISM. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
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