Item - 2023.TE6.29

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council approve the alterations to the heritage property at 224 Davenport Road, in accordance with Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act to allow for the construction of a 35-storey (plus mechanical penthouse) mixed-use building, on the lands known municipally in the year 2023 as 148-158 Avenue Road and 220-234 Davenport Road, with such alterations substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings dated May 12, 2023, prepared by Chris Dikeanos Architects Inc. and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated June 25, 2021, revised May 12, 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. 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. 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 property at 224 Davenport Road substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings dated May 12, 2023, prepared by Chris Dikeanos Architects Inc. and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated June 25, 2021, revised May 12, 2023, subject to and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.b.2. below, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, including execution of such agreement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor; and

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 property at 224 Davenport Road prepared by ERA Architects Inc., dated June 25, 2021, revised May 12, 2023, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

c. prior to Site Plan approval for the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment for the property located at 224 Davenport Road, the subject owner shall:

1. provide final Site Plan drawings substantially in accordance with the approved Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.b.2. above to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

2. provide a Heritage Lighting Plan that describes how the exterior of the heritage property will be sensitively illuminated to enhance its 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 property, satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

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

5. submit a Signage Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

d. prior to the issuance of any permit for all or any part of the property at 224 Davenport Road, including a heritage permit or a building permit, but excluding permits for repairs and maintenance and usual and minor works for the existing heritage building as are acceptable to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, the owner shall:

1. have entered into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City required in Recommendation 1.b.1. above;

2. 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.2. 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;

3. provide a Letter of Credit, including provision for upward indexing, in a form and amount and from a bank satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning to secure all work included in the approved Conservation Plan, Heritage Lighting Plan and Interpretation Plan; and

4. provide full documentation of the existing buildings at 148 and 156-158 Avenue Road, including two (2) printed sets of archival quality 8” x 10” colour photographs with borders in a glossy or semi-gloss finish and one (1) digital set on a USB flash drive in tiff format and 600 dpi resolution keyed to a location map, elevations and measured drawings, and copies of all existing interior floor plans and original drawings as may be available, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and

e. prior to the release of the Letter of Credit required in Recommendation 1.d.3. above, 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 Plan, Heritage Lighting Plan and Interpretation Plan and that an appropriate standard of conservation has been maintained, all to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and

2. provide replacement Heritage Easement Agreement photographs to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage 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 the property at 224 Davenport Road 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 City Council authorizing the entering into of a Heritage Easement Agreement for the property at 224 Davenport Road.

This report recommends that City Council approve the alterations proposed for the heritage property at 224 Davenport Road under Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act, in connection with the development of the subject site.

The development site at 148-158 Avenue Road and 220-234 Davenport Road contains the former head office of Canada's largest bakery, the Canada Bread Company, at 224 Davenport Road. Developed at the crossroads of two of the City's earliest annexed neighbourhoods, the Canada Bread Building is valued as a commercial property with historic, physical and visual links to its surroundings since the late-19th and early 20th century. The property at 224 Davenport Road is designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act and has design and physical, historical and associative, and contextual values.

The development application, which will be considered by Toronto and East York Community Council in June 2023, proposes a 108-metre (35-storey excluding the mechanical penthouse) mixed-use building containing 330 dwelling units and 500 square metres of grade-related retail space. The front façade of the Canada Bread Building is proposed to be retained and incorporated into the development as part of the base building.

Staff are of the opinion that the proposed alterations conserve the heritage property at 224 Davenport Road and are consistent with the existing policy framework. The heritage impacts of the development proposal are appropriately mitigated through the overall conservation strategy.

At its meeting on June 12, 2023, the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB7.6 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (May 23, 2023) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council approve the alterations proposed for the heritage property at 224 Davenport Road under Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act, in connection with the development of the subject site.

The development site at 148-158 Avenue Road and 220-234 Davenport Road contains the former head office of Canada's largest bakery, the Canada Bread Company, at 224 Davenport Road. Developed at the crossroads of two of the City's earliest annexed neighbourhoods, the Canada Bread Building is valued as a commercial property with historic, physical and visual links to its surroundings since the late-19th and early 20th century. The property at 224 Davenport Road is designated under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act and has design and physical, historical and associative, and contextual values.

The development application, which will be considered by Toronto and East York Community Council in June 2023, proposes a 108-metre (35-storey excluding the mechanical penthouse) mixed-use building containing 330 dwelling units and 500 square metres of grade-related retail space. The front façade of the Canada Bread Building is proposed to be retained and incorporated into the development as part of the base building.

Staff are of the opinion that the proposed alterations conserve the heritage property at 224 Davenport Road and are consistent with the existing policy framework. The heritage impacts of the development proposal are appropriately mitigated through the overall conservation strategy.