Description of Historic Place

90-96 Kent Street or Kent House as it was called is a wood framed, Georgian influenced former residence. The home is attached to two buildings on its west side, but the 90-96 Kent Street section has particular heritage value for its well preserved Scottish dormer and top floor section. The designation encompasses the building's exterior and parcel; it does not include the building's interior.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of Kent House lies in its association with various Charlottetown residents; its Georgian influenced architecture; and its role in supporting the Kent Street streetscape.

William Scantlebury constructed Kent House in approximately 1826. His relatives would continue to own the house until the latter half of the Twentieth Century. According to local directories, the home had a number of uses. In 1915, George Scantlebury, a carriage maker and John A Percy, a local fisherman lived at Kent House. Later, in 1922, W.E. Scantlebury, a sign painter, resided there and Mrs. A. Frizzell operated the Parker House out of the residence. By 1950, the home had been converted into Scantlebury Apartments and two local businesses, MacFarland Bros. and Falls Autobody operated from the building. By 1970, Wotton Photography did business from the premises. Currently, the former home is a mix of office space and apartments.

The style chosen for the Kent House shows strong Georgian influences, with a symmetrical front facade of five rectangular six over six windows on the upper floor and a central doorway on the ground floor. The wooden cladding of the upper floor appears to be older than that of the ground floor. The Scottish dormer, which was probably a later addition, adds particular interest to the home. The Georgian style emerged from 18th Century Britain and was intent on expressing confidence, order and balance.

As a well maintained example of a former residence that has been converted into office space; Kent House is an asset to the Kent Street streetscape.

Sources: Heritage Office, City of Charlottetown Planning Department, PO Box 98, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7K2
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Character-Defining Elements

The following Georgian influenced character-defining elements illustrate the heritage value of Kent House:
- The overall massing of the building
- The cladding with contrasting trim and shutters
- The placement and size of the windows, particularly the large six over six windows of the first and second floor facade as well as the dormer windows.
- The central placement and size of the door facing Kent Street
- The pitch of the roof, which was originally a gabled roof
Other character-defining elements of Kent House include:
- The Scottish dormer
- The buildings attached to the west side of Kent House
- The location of the home, set close to the street