Item - 2022.PB32.4

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 147 Church Street in accordance with Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act to allow for alterations substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings dated November 29, 2021, prepared by Graziani + Corazza on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by GBCA Architects, dated November 30, 2021 and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning, all subject to and in accordance with the Conservation Plan satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2. City Council direct that its consent to the application to alter the designated property at 147 Church Street under Part IV, Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage is also subject to the following conditions:

a. That prior to any Ontario Land Tribunal Order issued in connection with the Zoning By-law Amendment appeal, the owner shall:

1. Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City for the property at 147 Church Street in accordance with the plans and drawings dated November 29, 2021, prepared by Graziani + Corazza and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning, the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by GBCA Architects, dated November 30, 2021, and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 2.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 147 Church Street prepared by GBCA Architects, dated November 30, 2021, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

b. That prior to final Site Pan approval the owner shall:

1. Provide final Site Plan drawings substantially in accordance with the approved Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 2.a.2 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, Urban Design, City Planning and thereafter shall implement such Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

4. 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.

5. Submit a Signage Plan for the subject property 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 147 Church Street, 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 2.a.2, 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.

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, Heritage Lighting Plan and Interpretation Plan.

3. 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 USB flash drive 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.

c. That prior to the release of the Letter of Credit required in Recommendation 2.c.2, 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, Heritage Lighting 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.

3. City Council authorize the entering into of a Heritage Easement Agreement under Section 37 of the Ontario Heritage Act with the owner of the property at 147 Church Street in a form and content satisfactory to the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

4. 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 147 Church Street.

Anne Fisher, Program Manager, Heritage Preservation, Urban Design, City Planning gave a presentation on Alterations to a Heritage Property Designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act - Alterations to a Heritage Property and Authority to Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement - 147 Church Street.

This report recommends that City Council approve the proposed alterations to the property at 147 Church Street under Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act and give authority to enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement. This proposal is in connection with a concurrent Zoning By-law Amendment application seeking approval for the construction of a 54-storey mixed use development at 137-149 Church Street. The Zoning By-law Amendment application is currently under appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal and a settlement offer has been made that includes the conservation strategy that forms the basis of the Heritage Permit application that is the subject of this report.

The site contains a 3- storey mixed-use/commercial building that was constructed circa 1910. It is a representative example of the Edwardian Classicism architectural style that was popular for commercial buildings in Toronto in the early 20th century. At its meeting on December 15, 2021, City Council agreed to issue a Notice of Intention to Designate for this property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The proposed alterations to 147 Church Street includes retaining and restoring the front façade while demolishing its rear. The removal of the rear will affect the scale, form and massing of this heritage building however the impact of this is mitigated through the reconstruction of the north facing exterior wall with matching brick and by having the tower set back from the front by 3m and from the north side by 9.5m.  The new building would include a 3-storey street wall that has been designed to relate to the context within this part of Church Street and the height and step backs of the proposed tower would relate to that of the development that was approved for the adjacent site at 131-135 Church Street and 60-64 Queen Street East in 2020.