Item - 2022.PB36.12

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 1196 (entrance address at 2 Birch Avenue), 1202 and 1204 Yonge Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance; 1196-1204 Yonge Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3, to the report, July 5, 2022, from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

2.  City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 1206, 1208 and 1210 Yonge Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance; 1206-1210 Yonge Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 4, to the report, July 5 2022, 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.

Liz McFarland, Planner, Heritage Preservation, Urban Design, City Planning gave a presentation on 1196-1204 and 1206-1210 Yonge 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 1196-1204 and 1206-1210 Yonge Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value. 

Located on the west side of Yonge Street directly north of Birch Avenue within the Summerhill neighbourhood and adjacent to the Deer Park, Ramsden Park and South Rosedale neighbourhoods, the properties at 1196-1204 Yonge Street comprise a main street commercial block building constructed in 1889. The adjacent three properties at 1206-1210 Yonge Street to the north contain 2-storey main street commercial row buildings constructed together in 1907-1908.  

The building anchoring the northwest corner of Yonge Street and Birch Avenue represents a unique architectural adaptation of an existing late-19th century commercial block building by repositioning (lowering) the storefront level to align with the 1914-1916 regrading of this portion of Yonge Street to accommodate a new vehicular underpass/railway overpass across Yonge for the intersecting CPR rail line.

As a collection, the commercial buildings located at the properties at 1196-1210 Yonge Street anchor the northwest quadrant of this historically significant intersection of Yonge Street and the railway crossing. Together they stand as surviving examples of the area's historic Main street streetscape prior to the early-20th century introduction of transportation infrastructure and yields an understanding of the evolution of Yonge Street in Summerhill, culminating in the current configuration at this location.

Staff have completed the Research and Evaluation Report for the properties at 1196-1204 and 1206-1210 Yonge Street and determined that the 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 value. As such, the properties are significant built heritage resources.

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. The Bill 108 Amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act 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 Ontario Heritage Act now restricts City Council's ability to give notice of its intention to designate a property under the Act to within 90 days after the City Clerk gives notice of a complete application.

The City Clerk issued a complete application notice on January 17, 2022 for a November 18, 2021 Zoning By-law Amendment development application proposal for a 15-storey mixed-use building. The existing properties that are the subject of this report at 1196-1204 and 1206-1210 Yonge Street are proposed for demolition. A waiver submitted to the City requires that this Notice of Intention to Designate report must be considered by City Council before July 29, 2022.

A Heritage Impact Assessment completed by ERA Architects Inc. and dated November 22, 2021 was submitted to support the application.  A Heritage Impact Assessment 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.