Item - 2023.PH7.12

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 570 Sherbourne Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 570 Sherbourne Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (September 26, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 572 and 574 Sherbourne Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 572 and 574 Sherbourne Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 4 to the report (September 26, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 576 Sherbourne Street and 37 Linden Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 576 Sherbourne Street and 37 Linden Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 5 to the report (September 26, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

4.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 29 Linden Street under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 29 Linden Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 6 to the report (September 26, 2023) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

5.  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.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 570, 572, 574 and 576 Sherbourne Street and 37 Linden Street and 29 Linden Street and under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value.

Located on the west side of Sherbourne Street at the southwest corner of Linden Street, the properties at 570, 572, 574, 576 Sherbourne Street and 37 Linden Street were originally constructed by City of Toronto Alderman and land developer, Edward Hewitt. Constructed between 1888 and 1889 as a row of large brick-clad three-storey attached house-form buildings in a mix of the Richardson Romanesque and Queen Anne styles, the row has the appearance of large houses to match the scale of the Upper Jarvis area mansions along Sherbourne Street that define the neighbourhood character, including the James Cooper and Charles Gooderham (Selby Hotel) mansions immediately to the north of the subject properties. 576 Sherbourne Street is associated with acclaimed Toronto author Shirley Faessler (1921–1997) as it was her residence from the late 1940s until the early 1990s. She owned the property and operated a boarding house catering to artists and performers.

Further west, on the south side of Linden Street, the property at 29 Linden Street consists of a two-and-a-half storey red-brick residential structure that was constructed in 1882. Designed in the Second Empire style, the building features a Mansard roof and contrasting buff-coloured decorative brickwork. The property forms part of a large collection of late-nineteenth century residential structures located along Linden Street and in the area bounded by Sherbourne, Selby, Huntley, and Isabella Streets.

Staff have determined that the properties at 570, 572, 574 and 576 Sherbourne Street and 37 Linden Street, which is a row of five attached house-form buildings built together, and 29 Linden Street meet Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under the categories of Design/Physical and Contextual value. Staff have determined that the property at 576 Sherbourne Street also has Historical/Associative value.

A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

As of January 1, 2023, should a property be subject to an Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and/or Draft Plan of Subdivision Application that would trigger a Prescribed Event, the property must be listed in the heritage register prior to the Prescribed Event occurring to designate a property under Section 29(1.2)1 of the Ontario Heritage Act. This requirement does not apply to a Prescribed Event that has occurred prior to January 1, 2023.

The properties at 572, 574, 576, and 37 Linden Street (formerly known as 578 Sherbourne Street) were listed on the City's Heritage Register on August 18, 1976.

The properties at 570 Sherbourne Street and 29 and 31 Linden Street were listed on the City's Heritage Register on February 7, 2023.

On April 27, 2023, the City received Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment, and Site Plan Approval applications related to the proposed redevelopment of the subject properties that would retain the front elevation and portions of the return walls of 576 Sherbourne Street and 37 Linden Street. The listed properties at 29 and 31 Linden Street and 570-574 Sherbourne Street are proposed to be demolished.

A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) 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. An HIA has been prepared by GBCA - Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects and was submitted on June 15, 2023.

The City Clerk issued a complete application notice on June 30, 2023. Council must make its decision at or before its December 13-15, 2023 meeting to provide sufficient time for the City Clerk to issue a notice of intention to designate before the waiver provided by the owner expires on January 1, 2024.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the properties and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.

At its meeting on October 10, 2023 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB10.1 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (September 26, 2023) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 570, 572, 574 and 576 Sherbourne Street and 37 Linden Street and 29 Linden Street and under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value.

Located on the west side of Sherbourne Street at the southwest corner of Linden Street, the properties at 570, 572, 574, 576 Sherbourne Street and 37 Linden Street were originally constructed by City of Toronto Alderman and land developer, Edward Hewitt. Constructed between 1888 and 1889 as a row of large brick-clad three-storey attached house-form buildings in a mix of the Richardson Romanesque and Queen Anne styles, the row has the appearance of large houses to match the scale of the Upper Jarvis area mansions along Sherbourne Street that define the neighbourhood character, including the James Cooper and Charles Gooderham (Selby Hotel) mansions immediately to the north of the subject properties. 576 Sherbourne Street is associated with acclaimed Toronto author Shirley Faessler (1921–1997) as it was her residence from the late 1940s until the early 1990s. She owned the property and operated a boarding house catering to artists and performers.

Further west, on the south side of Linden Street, the property at 29 Linden Street consists of a two-and-a-half storey red-brick residential structure that was constructed in 1882. Designed in the Second Empire style, the building features a Mansard roof and contrasting buff-coloured decorative brickwork. The property forms part of a large collection of late-nineteenth century residential structures located along Linden Street and in the area bounded by Sherbourne, Selby, Huntley, and Isabella Streets.

Staff have determined that the properties at 570, 572, 574 and 576 Sherbourne Street and 37 Linden Street, which is a row of five attached house-form buildings built together, and 29 Linden Street meet Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under the categories of Design/Physical and Contextual value. Staff have determined that the property at 576 Sherbourne Street also has Historical/Associative value.

A property may be designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, if it meets two or more of the nine criteria.

As of January 1, 2023, should a property be subject to an Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and/or Draft Plan of Subdivision Application that would trigger a Prescribed Event, the property must be listed in the heritage register prior to the Prescribed Event occurring to designate a property under Section 29(1.2)1 of the Ontario Heritage Act. This requirement does not apply to a Prescribed Event that has occurred prior to January 1, 2023.

The properties at 572, 574, 576, and 37 Linden Street (formerly known as 578 Sherbourne Street) were listed on the City's Heritage Register on August 18, 1976. 

The properties at 570 Sherbourne Street and 29 and 31 Linden Street were listed on the City's Heritage Register on February 7, 2023.

On April 27, 2023, the City received Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment, and Site Plan Approval applications related to the proposed redevelopment of the subject properties that would retain the front elevation and portions of the return walls of 576 Sherbourne Street and 37 Linden Street. The listed properties at 29 and 31 Linden Street and 570-574 Sherbourne Street are proposed to be demolished.

A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) 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. An HIA has been prepared by GBCA - Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects and was submitted on June 15, 2023.

The City Clerk issued a complete application notice on June 30, 2023. Council must make its decision at or before its December 13-15, 2023 meeting to provide sufficient time for the City Clerk to issue a notice of intention to designate before the waiver provided by the owner expires on January 1, 2024.

Designation enables City Council to review proposed alterations or demolitions to the properties and enforce heritage property standards and maintenance.