Item - 2021.TE26.20

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1354 Queen Street West (including active entrances at 2, 4, and 6 Brock Avenue and 1356 Queen Street West), under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 1354, 1358, and 1360 Queen Street West (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (May 25, 2021) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1358 Queen Street West under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 1354, 1358, and 1360 Queen Street West (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (May 25, 2021) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

3. City Council state its intention to designate the property at 1360 Queen Street West under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 1354, 1358, and 1360 Queen Street West (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (May 25, 2021) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

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

5. 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.

6. 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 property.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 1354 (including active entrances 2, 4 and 6 Brock Avenue and 1356 Queen Street West), 1358, and 1360 Queen Street West under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value for their design and physical, historical and associative and contextual values. The properties were included on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register on December 16, 2020 and are located in the Parkdale Main Street Heritage Conservation District Plan study area.

The properties at 1354, 1358, and 1360 Queen Street West are important in defining, maintaining, and supporting the character of the historic Village of Parkdale. Located at the corner of Queen Street West and Brock Avenue, 1354 Queen Street West is comprised of a three-storey brick and stone, rectangular-form building with two-bays fronting Queen Street West. It was constructed in c.1881 by J. C. Mussen as part of a business block that he erected west of the toll-gate at present-day Brock Avenue.

To the west are 1358 and 1360 Queen Street West, which contain two, two-storey rectangular-form buildings, that were also likely constructed as part of the J. C. Mussen Block in c.1881. Together these buildings are valued as representative examples of the Italianate style and for their association with J. C. Mussen, a prominent businessman in Parkdale who was responsible for building several houses in the area.

The J. C. Mussen Block comprising of the properties 1354, 1358, and 1360 Queen Street West, are physically, functionally, visually and historically linked to their surroundings, including the neighbouring properties on the north side of Queen Street West from O'Hara to Brock Avenues, the properties east of Brock Street on the north side of Queen Street West, and those on the south side of the street across from the subject properties between Dunn and Cowan Avenues.

The properties at 1354, 1358, 1360 Queen Street West are also valued for their later association from the 1950s with two prominent members of the Parkdale community, Sheldon and Beverly Fainer, who owned and operated their fabric, trim, and hardware business, Designer Fabrics (originally Central Bargain House) at this location for 64-years until they retired in 2018.

Following research and evaluation undertaken according to Ontario Regulation 9/06,

the provincial criteria prescribed for municipal designation, it has been determined that the properties at 1354, 1358, and 1360 Queen Street West merit designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their design and physical, historical and associative and contextual value.

On September 29, 2020, Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications were submitted for the properties at 1358-1360 and 1354-1356 Queen Street West and 8-10, 12 and 14 Brock Avenue ("1354 Queen Street West"), proposing to amend the Official Plan, Zoning By-law 569-2013 and Zoning By-law 438-86 to permit the construction of a new nine-storey mixed-use building. The application was appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (the "LPAT") on March 5, 2021.

Properties on the Heritage Register will be conserved and maintained in accordance with the Official Plan Heritage Policies. Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations for the property, enforce heritage property standards and maintenance, and refuse demolition.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 1354 (including active entrances 2, 4 and 6 Brock Avenue and 1356 Queen Street West), 1358, and 1360 Queen Street West under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value for their design and physical, historical and associative and contextual values. The properties were included on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register on December 16, 2020 and are located in the Parkdale Main Street Heritage Conservation District Plan study area.

The properties at 1354, 1358, and 1360 Queen Street West are important in defining, maintaining, and supporting the character of the historic Village of Parkdale. Located at the corner of Queen Street West and Brock Avenue, 1354 Queen Street West is comprised of a three-storey brick and stone, rectangular-form building with two-bays fronting Queen Street West. It was constructed in c.1881 by J. C. Mussen as part of a business block that he erected west of the toll-gate at present-day Brock Avenue.

To the west are 1358 and 1360 Queen Street West, which contain two, two-storey rectangular-form buildings, that were also likely constructed as part of the J. C. Mussen Block in c.1881. Together these buildings are valued as representative examples of the Italianate style and for their association with J. C. Mussen, a prominent businessman in Parkdale who was responsible for building several houses in the area.

The J. C. Mussen Block comprising of the properties 1354, 1358, and 1360 Queen Street West, are physically, functionally, visually and historically linked to their surroundings, including the neighbouring properties on the north side of Queen Street West from O'Hara to Brock Avenues, the properties east of Brock Street on the north side of Queen Street West, and those on the south side of the street across from the subject properties between Dunn and Cowan Avenues.

The properties at 1354, 1358, 1360 Queen Street West are also valued for their later association from the 1950s with two prominent members of the Parkdale community, Sheldon and Beverly Fainer, who owned and operated their fabric, trim, and hardware business, Designer Fabrics (originally Central Bargain House) at this location for 64-years until they retired in 2018.

Following research and evaluation undertaken according to Ontario Regulation 9/06,

the provincial criteria prescribed for municipal designation, it has been determined that the properties at 1354, 1358, and 1360 Queen Street West merit designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their design and physical, historical and associative and contextual value.

On September 29, 2020, Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications were submitted for the properties at 1358-1360 and 1354-1356 Queen Street West and 8-10, 12 and 14 Brock Avenue ("1354 Queen Street West"), proposing to amend the Official Plan, Zoning By-law 569-2013 and Zoning By-law 438-86 to permit the construction of a new nine-storey mixed-use building. The application was appealed to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (the "LPAT") on March 5, 2021.

Properties on the Heritage Register will be conserved and maintained in accordance with the Official Plan Heritage Policies. Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations for the property, enforce heritage property standards and maintenance, and refuse demolition.