Item - 2024.PB15.6

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends that:

1. City Council approve the alterations to the heritage properties at 191-199 College Street and 74-76 Henry Street, in accordance with Part IV, Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act, to allow for the construction of a new 31-storey tower on the lands known municipally as 191-199 College Street and 74-76 Henry Street, with such alterations substantially in accordance with plans and drawings dated August 11, 2023, prepared by Icon Architects, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and the Heritage Impact Assessment, dated August 15, 2023, prepared by ERA Architects Inc., all on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, and all subject to and in accordance with a Conservation Plan satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and subject to the following additional conditions:

a. That the related 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. That 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 properties at  191-199 College Street and 74-76 Henry Street, substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings dated August 11, 2023, prepared by Icon and ERA Architects, and on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning; and the Heritage Impact Assessment, dated August 15, 2023, prepared by ERA Architects Inc., all on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, subject to and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 1.b.2, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning including execution of such agreement to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor.

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 dated August 15, 2023, prepared by ERA Architects Inc for the properties at 191-199 College Street and 74-76 Henry Street, subject to modifications to the design proposed in the Heritage Impact Assessment of the barrier-free entrances for the properties at 191-199 College Street to enhance the conservation response to the heritage attributes, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

c.  That prior to Site Plan approval for the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment for the properties at located at 191-199 College Street and 74-76 Henry Street, the subject owner shall:

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

2. Have obtained final approval for the necessary Zoning By-law Amendment required for the subject property, such Amendment to have come into full force and effect.

3. Provide a Heritage Lighting Plan that describe how the exterior of the heritage properties will be sensitively illuminated to enhance their heritage character to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and thereafter shall implement such a plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager Heritage Planning.

4. Provide an Interpretation Plan for the subject properties, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning and thereafter shall implement such plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

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

6. Provide a detailed Landscape Plan for the subject properties, satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

d.  That prior to the issuance of any permit for all or any part of the properties at 191-199 College Street and 74-76 Henry 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 building as are acceptable to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, the owner shall:

1. Have obtained final approval for the necessary Zoning By-law Amendment required for the subject properties, such Amendment to have come into full force and effect.

2. Have entered into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City of Toronto required in Recommendation 1.b.1 for properties at 191-199 College Street and 74-76 Henry Street, including registration on title of such agreement, to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor.

3. Provide building permit drawings, including notes and specifications for the conservation and protective measures keyed to the approved Conservation Plans required in Recommendation 1.b.2, 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.

4. Provide a Letter of Credit, including provision for upwards 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, Lighting and Interpretation plans.

e. That prior to the release of the Letter of Credit required in Recommendation 1.d.4, 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 and Interpretation Plans and that an appropriate standard of conservation has been maintained, all to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning.

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 191-199 College Street and 74-76 Henry Street 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 Council authorizing the entering into of a Heritage Easement Agreement for the property at 191-199 College Street and 74-76 Henry Street.

Dan Dibartolo, Planner, Urban Design, Heritage Planning, City Planning gave a presentation on 191-199 College Street and 74-76 Henry Street - Alterations to Designated Heritage Properties under Part IV, Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act and Authority to Enter into a Heritage Easement.

This report recommends that City Council approve the alterations proposed for the heritage properties at 191-199 College Street and 74-76 Henry Street which are designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The subject properties are located on the southwest corner of College and Henry streets and comprise part of a collection of surviving representative examples of late 19th-century semi-detached house form buildings with detailing from the Victorian period. They support and maintain the historical character of College Street and the residential neighbourhood that developed on the south side of the street across from the University of Toronto campus, as well as the transition that occurred as College Street evolved into the present-day commercial thoroughfare.

In May and August 2022, the City received Official Plan Amendment, Site Plan Control and Zoning By-law Amendment applications related to the proposed redevelopment of the subject properties to permit a 31-storey mixed-use building atop a seven-storey podium, containing 492 new rental dwelling units (including 408 new affordable units) and 1,356 square metres of non-residential gross floor area. The proposal includes partial retention and restoration of the subject properties in-situ.

The proposed development is consistent with the existing policy framework and proposes an overall conservation strategy that conserves the heritage resources at the subject development site.

The owner has submitted an application to alter the designated heritage properties under Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act and this report recommends the application be approved subject to refinements to the alterations of the lower floors.