Draft:Broom Factory

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The Broom Factory is a mixed-use event and work space conceptualized by its owner RAW Design, and in cooperation with tenants Kingston Canadian Film Festival, Tula Cafe and KPP Concerts.

Operating as a broom factory from 1903-1923, the building has been owned and operated by numerous companies over the past century. It was derelict when RAW Design bought and revitalized it starting in 2016, retaining many of its heritage features. The architectural firm opened its Kingston office within the updated building, now called Broom Factory, in 2021. The Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF) moved in as office tenants, with the shared vision of creating a flexible space for both private and public community events. The Kingston Film & Media Office (2002–2024), KPP Concerts (2002-current), and TULA café (2023–2024) also became tenants in the space.

By day the Broom Factory houses the TULA café and remaining office spaces. On evenings and weekends, most of the building operates as an event space for all ages concerts, film screenings, talks and other artistic pursuits. The Kingston Canadian Film Festival organizes event bookings and rentals from various community and arts groups, as well as their own.

History

The industrial red-brick warehouse running along Cataraqui Street was first constructed in 1894 by the Imperial Oil Company. In 1903, Samuel R. Bailey purchased it to house the newly rebranded Bailey Broom Company, replacing a factory at 299 Queen Street owned and operated as W.B. Broom Co. by his father. In its twenty years of operation, the Bailey Broom Company employed 55 men and produced 1,680 "Universal Cleaner" brooms daily. In 1905, Samuel R. Bailey commissioned local architecture company Newlands & Sons to design a front office on the corner of Cataraqui and Rideau streets.

Upon Samuel R. Bailey's retirement in 1909, John M. Hughes (one of the businesses backers) bought the company and continued broom making operations until its closure in 1923

. The property was then sold to a subsidiary of Imperial Oil, the Queen City Oil Company for their oil distribution operations. They sold the property in 1959 to roofing supply company Quintal & England. When that firm ceased operations in 1994, the building was taken over by Rosen Fuels for storage, and abandoned at some point in the next decade.

In the spring of 2014, the city of Kingston, Ontario purchased the property from Rosen Fuels, conditional upon them demolishing the building. The city's intention was to improve sightlines at the intersection between Cataraqui and Rideau, and/or to clear the way for the Wellington Street Extension, an arterial road planned to go through Douglas Fluhrer Park, since cancelled. Shortly before council was to vote on the sale, neighbours caught wind of it, and community heritage experts including Laura Murray of the Swamp Ward and Inner Harbour History Project gathered information to oppose the demolition. Arguments made included the rarity of surviving industrial built heritage in Kingston, the association with a major Kingston architect, and a general lack of attention to heritage buildings north of Princess Street (Kingston, Ontario). A protest took place outside of Kingston City Hall (Ontario) in early August, which brought artists, activists and local residents together in support of the cause. City counsellors were convinced that the building was an important piece of Kingston heritage, and removed the demolition clause from the purchase agreement. The building then continued to sit empty for 4 more years.

Revitalization

In 2018, Toronto-based architectural firm RAW Design purchased the property with the intention of turning the old Broom Factory into a community hub "serving film, music, design and community."

Today, the building at the corner of Cataraqui and Rideau Streets is an entryway to a street featuring the National Grocers' Building and the Woolen Mill (housing studios, small businesses, office spaces, the Whig Standard, a spa, and more.) The Bailey Broom building stands one block from the river, and right beside the route of the old Hanley Spur.

Sustainability

The building is currently "net zero ready," designed to be ultra-efficient, with the goal of being net-zero energy in the near future. The building is completely electric with no reliance whatsoever on fossil fuels. The space comes with two charging stations for electric vehicles and a tire filling and bike-lock station for bicycles

Notable Performers and Events

The Broom Factory has hosted hundreds of events, primarily, but not exclusively, focusing on film and music.

• Dax (rapper)
• Dizzy (band)
• K-os
• Ras Moshe
• Protest the Hero
• The Sadies
• Corb Lund
• Gord Sinclair of The Tragically Hip
• Robyn Ottolini
• Fred Eaglesmith
• Laura Jane Grace
• Saint Asonia
• Kasador
• Yukon Blonde
• Terra Lightfoot
• The Mahones
• Bruce McCulloch and Kevin McDonald of The Kids in the Hall
• Shane Koyczan
• Alan Cross
• Charlie Kaufman, director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Tenants

As of 2024, the Broom Factory is home to the Kingston branch of RAW Design, the Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF), Tula Cafe, and KPP Concerts. The Kingston Canadian Film Festival handles all third party rentals and bookings for community groups/special events (films, concerts, workshops, various programming).