Item - 2021.PB29.3

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 241 Richmond Street West (including the entrance addresses at 239 Richmond Street West and 137, 139, 141 and 145 John Street) under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, in accordance with the Statement of Significance attached as Attachment 3 to the report, (November 10, 2021) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 133 John Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, in accordance with the Statement of Significance attached as Attachment 4 to the report, (November 10, 2021) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

3.  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.

The Toronto Preservation Board requested the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning, consider new and relevant information regarding 133 John Street's historical association with Ned Hanlan,  renowned Canadian athlete, World Champion sculler and local politician who, along with his family, owned and resided at the property from 1883-1905, and revise the Statement of Cultural Heritage Value as may be necessary prior to the staff report being considered by City Council.

Liz McFarland, Planner, Heritage Preservation, Urban Design, City Planning gave a presentation on 241 Richmond Street West and 133 John Street - Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 241 Richmond Street West and 133 John Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value. 

The subject properties are located on the east side of John Street between Richmond Street West and Nelson Street. The southeast corner of Richmond and John contains the building at 241 Richmond Street West, a two-storey commercial building constructed in three phases (1936, 1940 and 1948) in the Art Moderne style by the leading Toronto architecture firm, Page & Steele. The Second Empire style house-form building at 133 John Street anchoring the same block at Nelson Street represents the only surviving building in a larger grouping of dwellings constructed on the east side of John Street in the 1870s. 

The properties at 241 Richmond Street West and 133 John Street were listed on the City’s Heritage Register on December 5, 2017.  

The subject properties are also identified as contributing heritage properties in the King-Spadina Heritage Conservation District (HCD), which was adopted by City Council in October, 2017 and is currently under appeal.

Heritage Planning staff have undertaken research and evaluation and determined that the two subject properties meet Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under all three categories of design, associative and contextual values. As such, the properties are significant built heritage resources. 

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations for the properties, enforce heritage property standards and maintenance, and refuse demolition. 

In June 2019, the More Homes, More Choice Act, 2019 (Bill 108) received Royal Assent. Schedule 11 of this Act included amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA). The Bill 108 Amendments to the OHA came into force on July 1, 2021, which included a shift in Part IV designations related to certain Planning Act applications. Section 29(1.2) of the OHA now restricts City Council's ability to give notice of its intention to designate a property under the OHA to within 90 days after the City Clerk gives notice of a complete application.

On June 25, 2021 the City received an application to amend the zoning by-law to permit the redevelopment of the site with a 41-storey mixed-use building with a total height of 137.5 metres. The application proposes commercial uses within the ground floor and 470 residential units above. The existing heritage building at 241 Richmond Street West is proposed to be retained and the heritage building at 133 John Street is proposed to be demolished. This application is to be reviewed concurrently with site plan application No. 21-171254 STE 10 SA

The development application currently under review was deemed complete following the new legislation coming into force. This Notice of Intention to Designate report must be considered by City Council before February 10, 2022.

A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) is required for all development applications that affect listed and designated properties and will be considered when determining how a heritage property is to be conserved. Designation also enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the property and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.