Historic Carnegie building in Kingstown being given a facelift

The Carnegie Building, headquarters of the St Vincent and the Grenadines National Trust, is being given a facelift by a Vincentian businessman based in Canada.

Marlon Bute, founder and CEO of District Stairs began work on the exterior of the 113-year-old building last Saturday, December 10.

“We are washing the building and painting sections of the building that were previously painted. And we are doing it to ensure that the integrity of the building is maintained. So a lot of thought was put into this exercise,” Bute told SEARCHLIGHT, adding that the project is expected to take 10 days.

He said District Stairs decided to take on the cleaning of the building because they recognize its immense value; its centrality to our Vincentian civilization.

“It is a heritage site and it is therefore extremely important that we maintain it. After all, it houses our most valuable treasures; artefacts of from whence we came and who we are as a people. Many years from now, hundreds of years from now, when we are long gone, we would wish that it still stands and that our artefacts within its walls remain protected for those generations to come,” the businessman said.

The work, which has been valued at EC$16,000 is being carried out by local tradesmen under Bute’s supervision.

The Carnegie Building is located on Halifax Street in Kingstown and was opened in 1909 to house the Kingstown Public Library. It was constructed using a donation of £2000 from famous American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

District Stairs specialises in the sale and installation of stairs, railings and floors, and has outlets in Ajax and Pickering in Ontario, Canada.