Item - 2024.PB13.2

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends that:

1.  City Council state its intention to designate the property at 505 University Avenue (including entrance address at 136 Edward Street) under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance: 505 University Avenue (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 3 to the report (January 3, 2024) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

2.  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.

Liz McFarland, Planner, Urban Design, Heritage Planning, City Planning gave a presentation on 505 University Avenue - Notice of Intention to Designate a Property under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the property at 505 University Avenue (including entrance address at 136 Edward Street) under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance and description of Heritage Attributes found in Attachment 3.

Located on the northeast corner of University Avenue and Edward Street, the property at 505 University Avenue contains the Shell Oil Building. Designed by the prominent architectural firm of Marani & Morris, the building was originally intended to be constructed to a height of 20-storeys. However, the Shell Oil Building was erected in two phases, with the first 13 storeys completed in 1958 and the uppermost 7 storeys added in 1966 using a novel mobile crane modification created specifically for this project and signalling a technical achievement in local high-rise construction.

The Canadian office of Shell Oil was originally located in Montreal since 1925 until its new headquarters opened on University Avenue in 1958. The Shell Oil Building at 505 University Avenue forms part of the collection of Marani & Morris-designed buildings contributing to the rise of architecture in the post-World War Two era along the grand ceremonial boulevard of University Avenue, including the adjacent Maclean-Hunter Building, 1961 (481 University Avenue), the nearby Bank of Canada Building, 1958 (250 University Avenue) and the Metro Toronto Court House, 1966 (361 University Avenue) that are already recognized as heritage properties by City Council.

Prior to the opening of its headquarters in Toronto, Shell Oil also commissioned The Shell Oil Tower at Exhibition Place, a modernist landmark designed by George Robb. The innovative nine-storey column of steel and glass topped by a viewing platform and large analogue clock was built to promote Shell Oil to visitors to the Canadian National Exhibition when it opened in 1955 (the same year that Shell purchased the property at 505 University Avenue for their new Headquarters) and while the site was leased until 1973. Together, the Shell Oil Building and the Shell Oil Tower demonstrated the company's vision and investment in high quality modern architecture in Toronto.

Staff have determined that the property at 505 University Avenue meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act under all three categories of design / physical, historical / associative and contextual values. 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.

On August 31, 2022 the City received a Zoning By-law Amendment application proposing to demolish the existing Shell Oil Canada building to permit the construction of a new 64-storey mixed-use building with a 12-storey office podium and residential units above. 

A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) completed by GBCA Architects and dated August 15, 2022 was submitted to support the application and is currently under review.

The City Clerk issued a complete application notice on October 28, 2022. The property owner has provided a waiver to extend the 90-day timeline to April 1, 2024. Council must make a decision on or before its March 20, 2024 meeting to provide sufficient time for the City Clerk to issue a notice of intention to designate before the waiver expires.

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.