Item - 2020.PB16.3

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

1. City Council approve the alterations to the heritage property at 1 Front Street West, in accordance with Sections 33 and 42 of the Ontario Heritage Act, to allow for the construction of a new mixed used development incorporating the heritage building on the lands known municipally in the year 2020 as 1 Front Street West, with such alterations substantially in accordance with plans and drawings dated July 19, 2018 and revised April 13, 2020, prepared by Architects Alliance, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated July 23, 2018 and revised July 15, 2020, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning , all subject to and in accordance with a Conservation Plan satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning and subject to the following additional conditions:

a. That prior to any Local Planning Appeals Tribunal Order issuing in connection with the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment appeal, the owner shall:

1. Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City for the property at 1 Front Street West in accordance with the plans and drawings dated July 19, 2018 and revised April 13, 2020, prepared by Architects Alliance, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning, the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated July 23, 2018 and revised July 15, 2020, and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.a.2, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning including registration of such agreement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor.

2. Provide a detailed Conservation Plan, prepared by a qualified heritage consultant, that is consistent with the conservation strategy set out in the Heritage Impact Assessment for 1 Front Street West prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated July 23, 2018 and revised July 15, 2020, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

3. Enter into and register on the property at 1 Front Street West one or more agreements with the City pursuant to Section 37 of the Planning Act to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning with such facilities, services and matters to be set forth in the related site specific Zoning By-law Amendment giving rise to the proposed alterations and securing such matters generally as set forth in these Recommendations.

b. That prior to final Site Plan approval for the proposed Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment by City Council, for the property located at 1 Front Street West the owner shall:

1. Provide final site plan drawings substantially in accordance with the approved Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.a.2. above to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2. Have obtained final approval for the necessary Zoning By-law Amendment required for the subject property, such Amendment to have come into full force and effect.

3. Provide a Heritage Lighting Plan that describes how the exterior of the heritage property will be sensitively illuminated to enhance its heritage character to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and thereafter shall implement such Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

4. Provide a detailed landscape plan for the subject property, satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

5. Provide an Interpretation Plan for the subject property, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and thereafter shall implement such Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

6. Submit a Signage Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

c. That prior to the issuance of any permit for all or any part of the property at 1 Front Street West, including a heritage permit or a building permit, but excluding permits for repairs and maintenance and usual and minor works for the existing heritage building as are acceptable to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning, the owner shall:

1. Have obtained final approval for the necessary Zoning By-law Amendment required for the subject property, such Amendment to have come into full force and effect.

2. Provide building permit drawings, including notes and specifications for the conservation and protective measures keyed to the approved Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.a.2. above, including a description of materials and finishes, to be prepared by the project architect and a qualified heritage consultant to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

3. Provide a Letter of Credit, including provision for upwards indexing, in a form and amount and from a bank satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning to secure all work included in the approved Conservation Plan, Heritage Lighting Plan, and Heritage Interpretation Plan.

4. Provide full documentation of the existing heritage property, including two (2) printed sets of archival quality 8” x 10” colour photographs with borders in a glossy or semi-gloss finish and one (1) digital set on a CD in tiff format and 600 dpi resolution keyed to a location map, elevations and measured drawings, and copies of all existing interior floor plans and original drawings as may be available, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

d. That prior to the release of the Letter of Credit required in 1.c.3. above, the owner shall:

1. Provide a letter of substantial completion prepared and signed by a qualified heritage consultant confirming that the required conservation work and the required interpretive work has been completed in accordance with the Conservation Plan and Interpretation Plan and that an appropriate standard of conservation has been maintained, all to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2. Provide replacement Heritage Easement Agreement photographs to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

2. City Council authorize the entering into of a heritage easement agreement under Section 37 of the Ontario Heritage Act with the owner of 1 Front Street West in a form and content satisfactory to the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary bill in Council authorizing the entering into of a heritage easement agreement for the property at 1 Front Street West.

Paul Maka, Senior Planner, Heritage Preservation, Urban Design, City Planning gave a presentation on - Alterations to a Designated Heritage Property in the Union Station Heritage Conservation District Under Parts IV and V of the Ontario Heritage Act and Authority to Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement - 1 Front Street West.

This report recommends that City Council approve the alterations proposed for the heritage property located at 1 Front Street West, the Dominion Public Building, in connection with a proposed redevelopment of the subject property and that Council grant authority to enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement for the subject property.