Item - 2023.PB11.8

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends to the Toronto and East York Community Council that:

1. City Council approve the alterations to the heritage properties at 90, 90A, 92 and 94 Isabella Street, in accordance with Part IV, Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act, to allow for the construction of a new 69-storey building on the lands known municipally as 90, 90A, 92 and 94 Isabella Street, with such alterations substantially in accordance with plans and drawings dated June 26, 2023, prepared by Diamond Schmitt, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning; and the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), dated September 25, 2023, prepared by GBCA Architects, all on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning, and all subject to and in accordance with a Conservation Plan satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning and subject to the following additional conditions:

a. That the related Zoning By-law Amendment permitting the proposed alterations has been enacted by City Council and has come into full force and effect in a form and with content acceptable to City Council, as determined by the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning;

b. That prior to the introduction of the bills for such Zoning By-law Amendment by City Council, the owner shall:

1. Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City for the properties at 90, 90A, 92 and 94 Isabella Street substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings dated June 26, 2023, prepared by Diamond Schmitt and the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), dated September 25, 2023 prepared by GBCA Architects, all on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning, subject to and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.b.2, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning including execution of such agreement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor.

2. Provide a detailed Conservation Plan, prepared by a qualified heritage consultant that is substantially in accordance with the conservation strategy set out in the Heritage Impact Assessment for the properties at 90, 90A, 92 and 94 Isabella Street, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

3. Withdraw their objection to the designation of the property at 94 Isabella Street under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

c. That prior to final Site Plan approval for the proposal, for the property located at 90, 90A, 92 and 94 Isabella Street the owners shall:

1. Provide final Site Plan drawings substantially in accordance with the approved Conservation Plans required in Recommendation 1.b.2 to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2. Provide a Heritage Lighting Plan that describe how the exterior of the heritage properties will be sensitively illuminated to enhance their heritage character to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning and thereafter shall implement such a plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

3. Provide a detailed Landscape Plan for the subject properties, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

4. Provide an Interpretation Plan for the subject properties, 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.

d. That prior to the issuance of any permit for the work described in the Site Plan application, including a heritage permit or a building permit, but excluding permits for repairs and maintenance and usual and minor works for the existing heritage buildings as are acceptable to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning, the owner shall:

1. Have entered into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City of Toronto required in Recommendation 1.b.1 for properties at 90, 90A, 92 and 94 Isabella Street, including registration on title of such agreements to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor.

2. Have provided a detailed Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.b.2.

3. Have withdrawn their objection to the designation of the property at 94 Isabella Street required in Recommendation 1.b.3.

4. Provide building permit drawings, including notes and specifications for the conservation and protective measures keyed to the approved Conservation Plans required in Recommendation 1.b.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, Urban Design, City Planning.

5. 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, Lighting and Interpretation plans.

e. That prior to the release of the Letter of Credit required in Recommendation 1.d.5, 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, Lighting and Interpretation Plans 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.

2. City Council authorize the entering into of a Heritage Easement Agreement under Section 37 of the Ontario Heritage Act with the owner of 90, 90A, 92 and 94 Isabella Street in a form and content satisfactory to the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to introduce the necessary Bill in Council authorizing the entering into of a Heritage Easement Agreement for the properties at 90, 90A, 92 and 94 Isabella Street.

Georgia Kuich, Senior Planner, Urban Design, Heritage Planning, City Planning gave a presentation on 90, 90A, 92 and 94 Isabella Street - Alterations to Designated Heritage Properties and Authority to Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreements.

This report recommends that City Council approve the alterations proposed for the heritage properties at 90, 90A (formerly 90 Isabella Street), 92 and 94 Isabella Street which are designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The subject properties are located on the north side of Isabella Street between Church Street and Jarvis Street.  90A and 92 Isabella Street contain a pair of three-storey semi-detached house-form buildings dating to 1888-1889 and 94 Isabella Street contains a two-and-a-half storey house-form building constructed c.1885. 90 Isabella Street contains a row of three-storey townhouses situated north of 90A and 92 Isabella Street, which were constructed in the mid-1970s and are not heritage resources.

The proposed development has been submitted in connection with applications for a Zoning By-law amendment and Site Plan Control and involves the construction of a 69-storey residential tower on the site with the in-situ retention of the street-facing (south) elevations and a portion of the east and west return walls and the dismantling and reconstruction of the entire west wall of 90A Isabella Street. Elements of the interior of 90A and 92 Isabella Street will be integrated into new, reconfigured interior spaces.

The proposed alterations are generally consistent with the existing policy framework.  The heritage impacts of the development proposal are appropriately mitigated through the overall conservation strategy.