Item - 2023.PH7.11

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council approve the alterations to the heritage properties at 220 Cowan Avenue and 1313 Queen Street West, in accordance with Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act to allow for the construction of the Parkdale Hub, on the lands known municipally in the year 2023 as 1303, 1313, 1325, 1337 and 1345 Queen Street West and 220 and 224 Cowan Avenue, with such alterations substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings dated July 7, 2023, prepared by DTAH Architects Limited and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated August 3, 2023, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, all subject to and in accordance with the Conservation Plan satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and subject to the following additional conditions:

a. That the related site-specific 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.

b. That prior to the introduction of the bills for such Zoning By-law Amendment by City Council, the owner, being the City Divisions and Agencies responsible for the alterations and restoration, shall:

1. 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 220 Cowan Avenue and 1313 Queen Street West prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated August 3, 2023, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

c. That prior to Site Plan approval for the proposed redevelopment for the properties located at 220 Cowan Avenue and 1313 Queen Street West, the owner, being the City Divisions and Agencies responsible for the alterations and restoration, shall:

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

2. Provide a Heritage Lighting Plan that describes 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 and thereafter shall implement such Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

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

4. Provide an Interpretation Plan for the subject properties, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and thereafter shall implement such Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

5. Provide a Signage Plan for the subject properties, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and thereafter shall implement such Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

d. That prior to the issuance of any permit for all or any part of the properties at 220 Cowan Avenue and 1313 Queen Street West, 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 the owner, being the City Divisions and Agencies responsible for the alterations and restorations, 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 1.b.1 above, 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.

This report recommends that City Council approve the alterations proposed for the designated heritage properties at 220 Cowan Avenue and 1313 Queen Street West under Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act in connection with a proposed development of the subject properties as part of the City-led Parkdale Hub project.

The subject heritage properties are located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Queen Street West and Cowan Avenue within the Parkdale Main Street Heritage Conservation District (the "HCD"). The HCD was approved by City Council but is currently under appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) and is not in effect.

The City-led Parkdale Hub project is a strategic city-building initiative that aims to revitalize and expand upon an existing cluster of City-owned facilities and community services located at Queen Street West and Cowan Avenue, including the Toronto Public Library Parkdale Branch and the Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre. The Parkdale Hub involves three blocks: a West Block, Centre Block and East Block. The proposed alterations to the heritage properties are associated with the development of the Centre Block of the Parkdale Hub, of which the City will retain ownership. The West and East Blocks will deliver new rental homes as part of the City's Housing Now Initiative and are adjacent to heritage properties but do not contain heritage properties. The Centre Block involves proposed alterations to the heritage properties at 220 Cowan Avenue and 1313 Queen Street West.

The designated heritage properties at 220 Cowan Avenue and 1313 Queen Street West consist of the former Parkdale Curling Club (built in 1898), the former Fire Hall No. 18 (built in 1905) and former Police Station No. 6 (built in 1931-32). These heritage buildings are proposed to be conserved and incorporated into the new building complex, which will be four storeys tall. The former Parkdale Curling Club and Fire Hall No. 18 will be retained as whole buildings with minor alterations to accommodate the new programming and the former Police Station No. 6 will be substantially retained as a  whole building, with minor alterations proposed to ensure universal accessibility and to integrate the building into the new complex. The proposed design also involves the removal and/or relocation of the iron gate on the west side of the property.

The impacts of the proposed development on the heritage properties are appropriately mitigated through the overall conservation strategy and the compatible design of the new construction. In addition, the proposal will serve the public interest by providing at least 231 new rental housing units, of which between 30-50 percent will be new affordable rental housing units in accordance with the City's Housing Now Initiative. Staff are satisfied the proposal meets the intent of the Planning Act, the Provincial Policy Statement (2020), the Growth Plan (2020), the City of Toronto's Official Plan heritage policies and the Council-approved Parkdale Main Street Heritage Conservation District Plan (the "HCD Plan").   

At its meeting on October 10, 2023 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB10.3 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (September 18, 2023) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council approve the alterations proposed for the designated heritage properties at 220 Cowan Avenue and 1313 Queen Street West under Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act in connection with a proposed development of the subject properties as part of the City-led Parkdale Hub project.

The subject heritage properties are located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Queen Street West and Cowan Avenue within the Parkdale Main Street Heritage Conservation District (the "HCD"). The HCD was approved by City Council but is currently under appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) and is not in effect.

The City-led Parkdale Hub project is a strategic city-building initiative that aims to revitalize and expand upon an existing cluster of City-owned facilities and community services located at Queen Street West and Cowan Avenue, including the Toronto Public Library Parkdale Branch and the Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre. The Parkdale Hub involves three blocks: a West Block, Centre Block and East Block. The proposed alterations to the heritage properties are associated with the development of the Centre Block of the Parkdale Hub, of which the City will retain ownership. The West and East Blocks will deliver new rental homes as part of the City's Housing Now Initiative and are adjacent to heritage properties but do not contain heritage properties. The Centre Block involves proposed alterations to the heritage properties at 220 Cowan Avenue and 1313 Queen Street West.

The designated heritage properties at 220 Cowan Avenue and 1313 Queen Street West consist of the former Parkdale Curling Club (built in 1898), the former Fire Hall No. 18 (built in 1905) and former Police Station No. 6 (built in 1931-32). These heritage buildings are proposed to be conserved and incorporated into the new building complex, which will be four storeys tall. The former Parkdale Curling Club and Fire Hall No. 18 will be retained as whole buildings with minor alterations to accommodate the new programming and the former Police Station No. 6 will be substantially retained as a  whole building, with minor alterations proposed to ensure universal accessibility and to integrate the building into the new complex. The proposed design also involves the removal and/or relocation of the iron gate on the west side of the property.

The impacts of the proposed development on the heritage properties are appropriately mitigated through the overall conservation strategy and the compatible design of the new construction. In addition, the proposal will serve the public interest by providing at least 231 new rental housing units, of which between 30-50 percent will be new affordable rental housing units in accordance with the City's Housing Now Initiative. Staff are satisfied the proposal meets the intent of the Planning Act, the Provincial Policy Statement (2020), the Growth Plan (2020), the City of Toronto's Official Plan heritage policies and the Council-approved Parkdale Main Street Heritage Conservation District Plan (the "HCD Plan").