Item - 2021.PB24.5

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

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 685 Queen Street East under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 685 Queen Street East (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 4 to the report (April 21, 2021) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2. If there are no objections to the designation, City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the bill in Council designating the property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

3. If there are objections in accordance with the Ontario Heritage Act, City Council direct the City Clerk to refer the designation to the Conservation Review Board.

4. If the designation is referred to the Conservation Review Board, City Council authorize the City Solicitor and appropriate staff to attend any hearing held by the Conservation Review Board in support of Council's decision to designate the properties.

5. City Council approve the alterations to the heritage property at 685 Queen Street East, in accordance with Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act, to allow for the construction of a five-storey addition on the lands known municipally in 2021 as 685 Queen Street East, with such alterations substantially in accordance with plans and drawings dated February 24, 2021, prepared by Kirkor Architects and the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) dated February 24, 2021, prepared by GBCA Architects, both 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 final Site Plan approval for the proposal, for the property located at 685 Queen Street East the owner shall:

1. Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City for the property at 685 Queen Street East substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings dated February 24, 2021, prepared by Kirkor Architects and the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) dated February 24, 2021, prepared by GBCA Architects, both on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning, and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 5.a.2. below 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 685 Queen Street East prepared by GBCA Architects dated February 24, 2021, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

3. Provide final site plan drawings substantially in accordance with the approved Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 5.a.2. above to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

4. 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, Urban Design, City Planning and thereafter shall implement such Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

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

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

b. That prior to the issuance of any permit for all or any part of the property at 685 Queen Street East, 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. Provide building permit drawings, including notes and specifications for the conservation and protective measures keyed to the approved Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 5.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.

2. 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, Lighting Plan and Interpretation Plan.

c. That prior to the release of the Letter of Credit required in Recommendation 5.b.2. 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, Urban Design, City Planning.

6. City Council authorize the entering into of a Heritage Easement Agreement under Section 37 of the Ontario Heritage Act with the owner of 685 Queen Street East in a form and content satisfactory to the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

7. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary bill in Council authorizing the entering into a Heritage Easement Agreement for the property at 685 Queen Street East.

Marybeth McTeague, Planner and Georgia Kuich, Planner, Heritage Preservation, Urban Design, City Planning gave a presentation on Intention to Designate under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, Alterations to a Heritage Property and Authority to Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement - 685 Queen Street East.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the listed heritage property at 685 Queen Street East under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, approve the alterations proposed for the heritage property in connection with a proposed development of the subject property and grant authority to enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement for the subject property.

Located on the south side of Queen Street East between the East Don Roadway and Broadview Avenue, the property at 685 Queen Street East, contains the Dr. John B. Fraser office and residence.  Constructed in 1903-4, the two-and-a-half storey, brick-clad, hipped and gable-roofed, house-form building is an early example of the medical office-residence typology and is a fine blend of the Richardsonian Romanesque and Edwardian Classical styles. In 1938, the property was converted to contain six apartments and in 1976 it became part of the Riverdale Co-operative Housing Inc. and now provides nine affordable rental housing units. 

The property contributes architecturally as well as typologically to the eclectic mix of late-19th and early-20th century commercial and residential properties which characterize the historic Queen Street East streetscape. The property was included on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register in 2016. It is located within the study area of the Council authorized Riverside - Queen Street East Heritage Conservation District study.

Following city staff's research and evaluation under Ontario Regulation 9/06, the provincial criteria prescribed for municipal designation, it has been determined that the property at 685 Queen Street East merits designation under Part IV Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its design, associative and contextual value.

The designation of the Dr. John B. Fraser House, at 685 Queen Street East, would identify all of the property's cultural heritage values and heritage attributes which shall be conserved.  Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations for the property, enforce heritage property standards and maintenance, and refuse demolition. 

This report also recommends that City Council approve the alterations proposed for the property at 685 Queen Street East in accordance with Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act to alter the property to allow for the construction of a rear five-storey addition in connection with a Site Plan Approval application.

The conservation strategy proposed for the heritage property retains and rehabilitates the original portion of the building and integrates it into the new development.