Item - 2023.TE6.30

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council approve the alterations to the heritage property at 1420 Yonge Street (including entrance addresses at 1418, 1422, 1424, 1426 and 1428 Yonge Street), in accordance with Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act, to allow for the construction of a 50-storey building, with such alterations to be substantially in accordance with architectural drawings dated April 18, 2023, prepared by IBI Group and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and the Heritage Impact Assessment for 1404-1428 Yonge Street, prepared by Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects, dated February 9, 2023 and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, all subject to and in accordance with a Conservation Plan which is satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and subject to the following conditions:

a. that the owner:

1. enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City for the property at 1420 Yonge Street in accordance with the plans and drawings dated April 18, 2023, prepared by IBI Group and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, the Heritage Impact Assessment for 1404-1428 Yonge Street prepared by Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects, dated February 9, 2023, and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.a.2. below, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, including registration 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 consistent with the conservation strategy set out in the Heritage Impact Assessment for 1404-1420 Yonge Street prepared by Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects, dated February 9, 2023, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

b. prior to final Site Plan approval for the properties located at 1404-1420 Yonge Street (including entrance addresses at 1418, 1422, 1424, 1426 and 1428 Yonge Street) the owner shall:

1. provide final Site Plan drawings substantially in accordance with the approved Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.a.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 properties will be sensitively illuminated to enhance their heritage features 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 for the subject property to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning;

c. prior to the issuance of any permit for all or any part of the properties at 1404-1420 Yonge Street (including entrance addresses at 1418, 1422, 1424, 1426 and 1428 Yonge Street), 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 shall:

1.  have entered into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City required in Recommendation 1.a.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.a.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 heritage properties, 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 original drawings as may be available, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and

d. prior to the release of the Letter of Credit required in Recommendation 1.c.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 approve the request to remove the buildings at the heritage properties at 1404 and 1406 Yonge Street under Section 34 of the Ontario Heritage Act, to allow for the construction of a 50-storey building, with such removal to be undertaken substantially in accordance with architectural drawings dated April 18, 2023, prepared by IBI Group and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and the Heritage Impact Assessment for 1404-1428 Yonge Street, prepared by Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects, dated February 9, 2023, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, subject to the following additional conditions:

a. prior to the issuance of any permit for all or any part of the property at 1406 Yonge Street, including a heritage permit or a building permit, the owner shall:

1. enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City for the properties at 1420 Yonge Street in accordance with the plans and drawings dated April 18, 2023, prepared by IBI Group and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, the Heritage Impact Assessment for 1404-1428 Yonge Street prepared by Goldsmith Borgal & Company Ltd. Architects, dated February 9, 2023 and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.a.2. above, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, including registration of such agreement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor; 

2. provide building permit drawings for the development at 1404-1420 Yonge Street, including notes and specifications for the conservation and protective measures keyed to the approved Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.a.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 heritage properties at 1404 and 1406 Yonge Street, 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 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.

3. City Council authorize the entering into of a Heritage Easement Agreement under Section 37 of the Ontario Heritage Act with the owner of 1420 Yonge Street (including entrance addresses at 1418, 1422, 1424, 1426 and 1428 Yonge Street) in a form and content satisfactory to the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

4. 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 1420 Yonge Street (including entrance addresses at 1418, 1422, 1424, 1426 and 1428 Yonge Street).

This report recommends that City Council approve the revised heritage permit application for the heritage properties at 1404-1420 Yonge Street under Part IV, Section 33 and Section 34 of the Ontario Heritage Act. The revised heritage permit application is in conjunction with Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendment applications that were approved by Council in 2022 for a 50-storey building at the subject lands.

Approval was granted by City Council in July 2022 for alterations to the heritage property at 1420 Yonge Street and for the demolition of the building at the heritage property at 1406 Yonge Street in connection with the above noted Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendment applications. The heritage permit application has now been revised to also seek approval for the demolition of the heritage property at 1404 Yonge Street and to amend the conservation strategy for the heritage property at 1420 Yonge Street.

Located on the west side of Yonge Street just south of St. Clair Avenue within the Deer Park neighbourhood, the properties at 1404-1406 Yonge Street form the end of a row of 3-storey main street commercial buildings that were constructed in 1932 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, and which are designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. To their immediate north and separated by a driveway entry into St. Michael's Cemetery, the adjacent 1420 Yonge Street contains a complete block of four, 2-storey main street commercial row buildings that were also constructed in 1932 and designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The demolition of 1404 Yonge Street will provide open space adjacent to the proposed new 50-storey building and allow improved views of the St. Michael's Cemetery from Yonge Street. Demolition of 1404 Yonge Street, combined with the existing approval for 1406 Yonge Street would trigger Official Plan rental replacement policies. The proposal is considered acceptable from a heritage perspective within a framework that considers several city and area priorities for this site, including the restoration of the front of 1420 Yonge Street. The remaining row of Spanish Colonial Revival style commercial buildings within this part of Yonge Street allows the eclectic mix of early 20th-century main street commercial properties that characterize the streetscape of this part of Yonge Street to be maintained.

The proposed change to the conservation strategy for 1420 Yonge Street includes the introduction of a double height space for the new residential entrance lobby. This will result in the reintroduced second floor spanning approximately three-quarters of the retained heritage façade.

At its meeting on May 23, 2023, the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB6.5 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (May 4, 2023) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

This report recommends that City Council approve the revised heritage permit application for the heritage properties at 1404-1420 Yonge Street under Part IV, Section 33 and Section 34 of the Ontario Heritage Act. The revised heritage permit application is in conjunction with Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendment applications that were approved by Council in 2022 for a 50-storey building at the subject lands.

Approval was granted by City Council in July 2022 for alterations to the heritage property at 1420 Yonge Street and for the demolition of the building at the heritage property at 1406 Yonge Street in connection with the above noted Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendment applications. The heritage permit application has now been revised to also seek approval for the demolition of the heritage property at 1404 Yonge Street and to amend the conservation strategy for the heritage property at 1420 Yonge Street.

Located on the west side of Yonge Street just south of St. Clair Avenue within the Deer Park neighbourhood, the properties at 1404-1406 Yonge Street form the end of a row of 3-storey main street commercial buildings that were constructed in 1932 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, and which are designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. To their immediate north and separated by a driveway entry into St. Michael's Cemetery, the adjacent 1420 Yonge Street contains a complete block of four, 2-storey main street commercial row buildings that were also constructed in 1932 and designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The demolition of 1404 Yonge Street will provide open space adjacent to the proposed new 50-storey building and allow improved views of the St. Michael's Cemetery from Yonge Street. Demolition of 1404 Yonge Street, combined with the existing approval for 1406 Yonge Street would trigger Official Plan rental replacement policies. The proposal is considered acceptable from a heritage perspective within a framework that considers several city and area priorities for this site, including the restoration of the front of 1420 Yonge Street. The remaining row of Spanish Colonial Revival style commercial buildings within this part of Yonge Street allows the eclectic mix of early 20th-century main street commercial properties that characterize the streetscape of this part of Yonge Street to be maintained.

The proposed change to the conservation strategy for 1420 Yonge Street includes the introduction of a double height space for the new residential entrance lobby. This will result in the reintroduced second floor spanning approximately three-quarters of the retained heritage façade.