Item - 2023.RA5.4

The Board of Directors of CreateTO recommends that:  

1.  City Council adopt the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts Design Competition jury's selection of Hariri Pontarini Architects, LMN Architects, Tawaw Architecture Collective, Smoke Architecture and SLA as the winning submission for the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts Design Competition.

2. City Council direct the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, to transition this project  to the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management.

At its meeting of May 11, 2022, City Council adopted EX32.10 which endorsed the building program for a new reimagined St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts ("STLC") developed through a consultation process with the performing arts and creative communities. Council also directed CreateTO in consultation with TO Live to:

- Explore options for and complete the schematic design process to reimagine the STLC, informed by current capital funding (i.e., SOGR), the heritage approach and the building program developed through a consultation process;

- Complete an updated Class D cost estimate;

- Explore the opportunity for a renovation budget for the existing building; and

- Provide an update to the project budget and funding strategy (funding strategy to be addressed by TO Live in their report back to their board).

The STLC is managed by TO Live and located at 27 Front Street East, in the heart of the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood. The purpose of the report is to provide the Board of Directors of CreateTO (the "Board") with the results of the design competition to develop a winning schematic design, report on a renovation option, and seek approval to transition the project to Corporate Real Estate Management, Project Management Office to manage the design and construction of the new STLC pursuant to the Major Capital Project Approval Process. TO Live, as part of their reporting, will present an update on the funding strategy to support the new STLC outlined in this report to the TO Live Board on June 28, 2023.

Executive Committee and Council will consider recommendations from the CreateTO and TO Live Boards on this matter at its meeting on July 11 and July 19-21, 2023, respectively.

The STLC has played a key role in the evolution of the City's cultural fabric. Constructed by the City of Toronto as a Canadian centennial project, the STLC opened its doors in February 1970. For 52 years the building, alongside its counterpart, Meridian Hall, has served performers and hosted performances that have entertained citizens and visitors. Today, following the impacts of the pandemic, a new cultural landscape is emerging that calls for a reimagining of the STLC that builds upon the renewed values and themes heard through the consultation process, and which aligns with the TO Live five-year Strategic Plan - programing priorities; flexible spaces; equity, access and affordability; creative process; and delivery systems that will support the next generation of artists, performers, creatives and the local community.  

The proposed rebuild of the STLC will create a cultural ecosystem where renewed cultural spaces, innovative spaces and gathering spaces will anchor the STLC as a cultural and civic hub along the important Front Street cultural corridor. A new STLC will support the following key objectives:

- Build cultural capacity in the City, which will secure longevity of space for the creative community;

- Create new spaces that will serve the functional needs of the cultural and creative sector and the local community based on the following key principles which emerged from consultation process;

   - dynamic and highly flexible spaces;

   - a building constructed for extreme usability;

   - a bold and open building that fits the neighbourhood; and

   - a future facing building for a decarbonized world.

- Enable the versatility of spaces to serve performance and presentation, creation and incubation and the local artistic community as well as enable TO Live to showcase the world's most innovative artistic programs through presentation;

- Create a new state-of-the-art cultural hub and community asset for the City that will be equipped with cutting-edge broadcast technology and livestreaming equipment, virtual and augmented reality technology and high-speed connectivity to support the next generation of creatives and generate economic activity in Toronto;

- Support the cultural and retail importance of Front Street East as a "Cultural Corridor and Retail Priority Street" in the City's Downtown Plan;

- Contribute to the enhancement of the public realm with improved connections to Berczy Park, Scott Street and Meridian Hall and a new outdoor plaza on Scott Street; and

- Comply with Version 4 of the Toronto Green Standards, for City Agency, Corporation and Division Owned Facilities to meet the City's TransformTO objectives.

CreateTO, in collaboration with TO Live and Corporate Real Estate Management, pursuant to the City's Major Capital Project Approval Process, and as directed by Council through Item2020.EX12.6 and Item2022.EX32.10, have completed the following tasks as part the Phase One - Concept Design:

- Development of a building program through community consultation (refer to Attachment 2);

- Development of a design concept as established by the STLC Design Competition with the selection of the winning submission by Hariri Pontarini Architects, LMN Architects, Tawaw Architecture Collective, Smoke Architecture and SLA (collectively the "PH Design Team") (refer to Attachment 1); and

- A Class D Cost Estimate

Upon Council's adoption of the recommendation contained in this report and the funding strategy proposed by TO Live, the design and construction of the project will be transitioned to the City's CREM's Project Management Office.