Item - 2022.PB36.13

The Toronto Preservation Board submits the item to City Council without recommendation.

Georgia Kuich, Planner, Heritage Preservation, Urban Design, City Planning gave a presentation on Alterations to a Heritage Property and Authority to Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement - 537 Broadview Avenue.

This report recommends that City Council approve the alterations proposed for the John D. McPherson House at 537 Broadview Avenue (designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act by By-law No 1078-1021) in connection with a Site Plan Approval application on the subject property. In addition, authority to enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement is also requested.

The subject property is located in the North Riverdale neighbourhood, on the east side of Broadview Avenue between Bain Avenue and Sparkhall Avenue overlooking Riverdale Park. The property contains the residence constructed in 1913 for the Rev. Dr. John McPherson Scott, Presbyterian minister and missionary, and his wife Margaret G. Scott. The two-and-a-half storey, brick-clad, house-form building is a finely-crafted blend of the Queen Anne Revival and Edwardian Classical styles. In 1956, the building was converted to a lodging house, and later a nursing home, and currently contains five dwelling units and seven dwelling rooms.

The development application proposes the in-situ retention of the house in conjunction with the construction of a four-storey rear and side addition.  The full west and north elevations of the house will be restored with the remainder of the building rehabilitated and new construction added to provide a total of 15 affordable and market-rate rental units, including four designated replacement studio rental units.