The Decision Document is for preliminary reference purposes only.  Please refer to the Board’s Minutes for the official record.

Minutes Confirmed – September 24, 2009

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends to the Toronto and East York Community Council that:

1.         City Council designate by by-law the area shown on Attachment No. 1 as the Harbord Village Heritage Conservation District Phase 2, in accordance with Section 41 of the Ontario Heritage Act;

2.         City Council adopt by by-law the Harbord Village Heritage Conservation District Phase 2 Plan, dated August 2009, as the district plan for the Harbord Village Heritage Conservation District Phase 2;

3.         If there are any objections to the by-law under Section 41 of the Ontario Heritage Act, the City Solicitor be directed to appear before the Ontario Municipal Board to defend the by-law;

4.         Until such time as the by-law designating the area as the Harbord Village Heritage Conservation District Phase 2 comes into force or is repealed, all properties within the area, unless designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, be listed in the City’s Inventory of Heritage Properties.

The Toronto Preservation Board requested the Director, Policy and Research, City Planning Division to report to the Toronto Preservation Board on the possibility of listing and designating the corner building identified in the Harbord Village Heritage Conservation District Phase 2 study. 

The purpose of this report is to recommend the designation of the Harbord Village Heritage Conservation District (HCD) Phase 2, and to adopt the associated HCD Plan by by-law under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA). The district analysis and plan were led by the Harbord Village Residents Association and completed by Catherine Nasmith Architect.

Heritage Preservation Services Staff have reviewed the proposed designation and the district plan and believe they merit designation and adoption under the OHA.

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends to the North York Community Council that:

1.         City Council include the following 14 buildings or building complexes on York University’s Keele Campus at 4700 Keele Street on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties:

a.         Atkinson College, Phases I and II

b.                  Behavioural Science Building

c.                   Farquharson Life Sciences Building

d.         Founders College and Residence

e.         McLaughlin College and Tatham Hall

f.          Osgoode Hall Law School

g.                  Petrie Science and Engineering Building

h.         Ross Building

i.          Scott Library

j.          Steacie Science and Engineering Building

k.         Stedman Lecture Halls

l.          Tait McKenzie Centre, Phase I

m.        Vanier College and Residence

n.         Winters College and Residence

2.         City Council state its intention to designate the property at 4700 Keele Street, specifically the portion of the site containing the Abraham Hoover House, under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

3.         City Council state its intention to designate the property at 4700 Keele Street, specifically the portion of the site containing the Jacob Stong House and Barn, under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

4.         If there are no objections to the designations in accordance with Section 29(6) of the Ontario Heritage Act, the solicitor be authorized to introduce the Bills in Council designating the properties under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

5.         If there are objections in accordance with Section 29(7) of the Ontario Heritage Act, the Clerk be directed to refer the proposed designations to the Conservation Review Board.

This report recommends that City Council include on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties the 14 buildings or building complexes on York University’s Keele Campus at 4700 Keele Street that are listed in Recommendation No. 1 below.  This report also recommends that City Council state its intention to designate under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act three of the historic structures located on the property at 4700 Keele Street and identified in Recommendation Nos. 2 and 3 below, which are currently listed on the City’s heritage inventory.

Staff have been consulting with the York University Development Corporation about the proposed listings and designations as part of the ongoing discussions concerning the updates to the York University Secondary Plan.  The proposed listings and designations of buildings on the Keele Campus of York University will enable Council to protect the site’s heritage attributes and values while allowing the university to move forward with its future planning objectives.

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends to the Toronto and East York Community Council:

1.         City Council approve the alterations to the heritage properties at 606-618 Yonge Street, 5 - 9 St. Joseph Street and 15 - 25 St. Nicholas Street, substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings prepared by ERA Architects dated September 15, 2009, and on file with the Manager, Heritage Preservation Services subject to the following conditions:

a.         prior to Zoning By-Law Amendment approval, the owner shall:

submit a Conservation Plan to include drawings, to the satisfaction of the Manager of Heritage Preservation Services that provide “blow-up” elevations and sections of all heritage building façades at 1:50 scale including, but not limited, to the following: (1) storefront design; (2) window specifications for all heritage facade elevations; (3) reconstruction plan for roof dormer/parapet/cornice details; (4) return side wall details; etc.

b.         prior to Site Plan approval, the owner shall:

provide additional information to be submitted, based on the proposed Conservation Strategy, to include documentation substantially in accordance with that outlined within Section 8.0 (page 44) of the submitted Heritage Impact Statement. Specifically, a detailed plan shall also be submitted to outline mitigations measures that address construction impacts relative to the on-site heritage structures.

enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement for the properties at 606 –  618 Yonge Street with the City.

amend the existing Heritage Easement Agreement registered on the site, Instrument No. E171218 dated June 1, 1998, at 5 St. Joseph Street and 9 – 15 St Nicholas Streets, to address the proposed construction and permitted alterations;

c.         prior to the issuance of any building permit, including a permit for the demolition, excavation, and/or shoring on the subject property, the owner shall:

provide a Letter of Credit in a form and in an amount satisfactory to the Manager, Heritage Preservation Services to secure all work included in the Conservation Plan;

provide final plans satisfactory to the Manager of Heritage Preservation Services;

d.         prior to the release of the Letter of Credit the applicant shall:

provide evidence and documentation that the project scheme has been implemented, per approved Conservation Plan, satisfactory to the Manager of Heritage Preservation Services.

2.         City Council include the following properties on the City of Toronto’s Inventory of

Heritage Properties:

a.         606 Yonge Street

b.         608 Yonge Street

c.         614 Yonge Street

d.         616 Yonge Street

e.         618 Yonge Street

3.         City Council state its intention to designate the following properties under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.  (Please note 610 and 612 Yonge Street are listed on the City of Toronto’s Inventory of Heritage Properties)

a.         606 Yonge Street

b.         608 Yonge Street

c.         610 Yonge Street

d.         612 Yonge Street

e.         614 Yonge Street

f.          616 Yonge Street

g.         618 Yonge Street

4.         If there are no objections to the designations in accordance with Section 29(6) of the Ontario Heritage Act, the solicitor be authorized to introduce the Bills in Council designating the properties under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

5.         If there are any objections in accordance with Section 29(7) of the Ontario Heritage Act, the Clerk be directed to refer the proposed designations to the Conservation Review Board.

6.         City Council grant authority for the execution of a Heritage Easement Agreement under Section 37 of the Ontario Heritage Act with the owners of the following properties:

a.         606 Yonge Street

b.         608 Yonge Street

c.         610 Yonge Street

d.         612 Yonge Street

e.         614 Yonge Street

f.          616 Yonge Street

g.         618 Yonge Street

7.         The City Solicitor be authorized to introduce the necessary bill in Council authorizing the entering into a Heritage Easement Agreement.

8.         City Council grant authority for the necessary amendments to the Existing Heritage Easement Agreement (Instrument No. E171218).

This report addresses an application to permit a 45 storey mixed use development containing approximately 38,775 square metres of residential gross floor area and approximately 2,800 square metres of non-residential gross floor area on a 0.267 hectare site located on the south side of St. Joseph Street between Yonge Street and St. Nicholas Street. The site is municipally known as 606 - 618 Yonge Street, 5 - 9 St. Joseph Street, and 15 - 25 St. Nicholas Street.

This report recommends that City Council approve the proposed alterations to the heritage properties at 606 - 618 Yonge Street, 5 - 9 St. Joseph Street; and 15 - 25 St. Nicholas Street and designate seven properties at 606, 608, 610, 612, 614, 616 and 618 Yonge Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value as contributing to a historic and contextual streetscape that has defined Toronto’s primary commercial street since the late 19^th century.

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends to the Toronto and East York Community Council that:

1.         City Council approve the application to alter 84 Crescent Road received September 15, 2009 from the applicant, Kelly Buffey of AKB Atelier Kastelic Buffey.

 This report recommends that City Council refuse the application to alter an “A” rated house in the South Rosedale Heritage Conservation District (SRHCD) in accordance with Section 42(1) of the Ontario Heritage Act. 

This application requests the removal and replacement of the existing sun room.  Staff recommends the refusal of this application as it would result in the removal of a heritage attribute of a significant heritage house in South Rosedale.  This attribute is visible from the street, in good condition and contributes to the heritage character of the neighbourhood.

The consent under the Ontario Heritage Act is in addition to a demolition permit required under the Building Code Act and the approval of any variances to the existing zoning by-law.

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends to the Toronto and East York Community Council that:

1.         City Council support the demolition and reconstruction of the 2 walls of 251 King Street East and 37 Sherbourne Street, in accordance with Section 30(2) and 34 (1) of the Ontario Heritage Act, and further that this demolition and reconstruction be secured in the same fashion as the demolition and reconstruction of 832 Bay Street, with Letters of Credit and Heritage Easement Agreement.

2.         If the refusal of the demolition permit under the Ontario Heritage Act is appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board, the City Solicitor and City staff be authorized to appear before the Ontario Municipal Board in support of City Council's refusal.

3.         Should City Council approve the proposed rezoning application No. 08 186000 STE 28 OZ for the development of lands at 251-255 King Street East and 37 Sherbourne Street, including the demolition of the entire heritage structure at 251 King Street East and the reconstruction of the north and west facades, the following conditions be required prior to the submission of the Bill to City Council for enactment:

a.         applicant shall retain a consultant archaeologist, licensed by the Ministry of Culture under the provisions of the Ontario Heritage Act (R.S.O 1990 as amended) to carry out a Stage 1 archaeological assessment of the entire development property and follow through on recommendations to mitigate, through preservation or resource removal and documentation, adverse impacts to any significant archaeological resources found. The assessment is to be completed in accordance with the Final Draft – Standards and Guidelines for Consulting Archaeologists, September 2006, Ministry of Culture;

b.         should the archaeological assessment process continue beyond a Stage 1 assessment, any recommendations for Stages 2 - 4 mitigation strategies must be reviewed and approved by Heritage Preservation Services prior to commencement of the site mitigation;

c.         the consultant archaeologist shall submit a copy of the relevant assessment report(s) to the Heritage Preservation Services Unit in both hard copy format and as an Acrobat PDF file on compact disk;

d.         no demolition, construction, grading or other soil disturbances shall take place on the subject property prior to the City’s Planning Division (Heritage Preservation Services Unit) and the Ministry of Culture (Heritage Operations Unit) confirming in writing that all archaeological licensing and technical review requirements have been satisfied.

This report recommends that City Council refuse the proposed demolition of the designated heritage property at 251 King Street East.

The rezoning application for this property seeks permission for a 17-storey residential building to be constructed on the lands know municipally as 251-255 King Street East and 37 Sherbourne Street. The proposal includes the demolition through disassembly of the entire heritage building, and the reconstruction using salvaged materials of the north and west elevations of the heritage building, for incorporation as part of the new development.  In accordance with the Parks Canada document “Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada” endorsed by City Council, staff do not consider this approach to be a legitimate conservation strategy given the extent of alteration proposed and the potential for rehabilitation of the resource. As such, staff cannot support the proposed demolition.  

Located within the original 10 blocks of the Town of York, Toronto’s birthplace, the further impact of a 17 storey tower on this site and on the broader heritage context of the Old Town neighbourhood, is a significant issue of concern that staff has raised throughout their review of this application. Staff advise that further development intensification that proposes height significantly above that which is historically characteristic of this neighbourhood, should reasonably be assessed in the context of a Heritage Conservation District Study for this area.

a.         Etobicoke York Community Preservation Panel

i.          Minutes of the meeting held on October 5, 2009

b.         North York Community Preservation Panel

i.          Minutes of the meeting held on July 20, 2009