Located at 606 Victoria Street, it was first built in 1897 and additions were made in 1902 and 1929. The section furthest from Josephine Street, in the rear, was the original jail and city offices. The use of stone in the construction arose from the need of a non-combustible and secure construction material.
Over the years the original building was used as office, warehouse, then an electrical substation. The rear section is now re-purposed as the Kootenay School of the Arts, while the front is occupied by the City Substation.
The building has been declared a heritage site by the City of Nelson Historical Society.
The building was awarded the City of Nelson's "
Heritage Building of the Year" award in 1996.
See number 28 of the
Nelson Heritage Register
and number 25 of the
Walking Tour of Nelson’s Heritage Buildings.