This historically important site was purchased from the crown in 1797 by Alexander Chisholm. Following a succession of owners the site was purchased by David Demorest Bogard in October of 1871. He hired John Forin (the builder of the city hall) in 1872-73 as his architect and builder to construct a retail and office building with a carriageway in the centre. Forin utilized the architectural elements that he had applied in many other buildings in Belleville: the rusticated masonry arcade across the first floor front, the arched stone lintels with projecting keystones over the windows in the brick second and third storeys, and the heavy cornice with sculptured frieze.

The building has been associated with the news and printing business since its completion, as which time Bogart leased part of the building to the Ontario Publishing Company. The latter had been publishing the daily and weekly Ontario newspaper since 1873, with W. J. Carman as editor. His brother, T. S. Carman, acquired the newspaper and bought the block from Bogart a few years later.The Intelligencer) was published here until 1965 and the building continued to be used as a commercial property until 1983. The property was purchased by the city of Belleville in 1986 and sold to Teddington Limited in 1988. During the preparation of the site for redevelopment, the building collapsed. Teddington Limited salvaged the existing first floor stone facade as a tribute to the role of this historic building in the life of the city.

Dedicated 1993. Restoration Architect W. R. White Architect Limited. Restoration Contractor Canadian Structural Restoration Limited.

GPS co-ordinates: 44º 09" 44.91" N 77º 23' 01.08" W (44.16.22222 77.3836111) Street Address: Opposite City Hall at 169 Front Street.