Item - 2024.PB25.5

The Toronto Preservation Board recommends that:

1. City Council consent to the application to alter the designated property at 2102 Lawrence Avenue East in accordance with Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act to allow for the construction of a new building with 12-storey and 6-storey components with the alterations to the designated heritage property being substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings prepared by KPMB Architects dated July 19, 2024 and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by ERA Architects Inc. dated August 1, 2024, both 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, Urban Design, City Planning and subject to conditions set out in Recommendation 3 below.

2. City Council consent to the demolition of the post-war additions on the north and west sides of the historic church building in accordance with Section 34 (1) 2 of the Ontario Heritage Act, to allow for the construction of the new residential structure and related landscaped areas, substantially in accordance with the Stage 1 Archaeological Resource Assessment of 2102 Lawrence Avenue East prepared by ASI Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Services, dated July 18, 2022, plans and drawings prepared by KPMB Architects dated July 19, 2024  and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by ERA Architects Inc. dated August 1, 2024, all on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning, all subject to an in accordance with the Conservation Plan satisfactory to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning, and subject to conditions set out in Recommendation 3 below.

3. City Council direct that its consent to alter the designated property at 2102 Lawrence Avenue East under Part IV, Section 33 of the Ontario Heritage Act and its consent to the demolition of a building, being the postwar additions on the north and west sides of the historic church building on the subject designated heritage property under Part IV, Section 34(1) 2 of the Ontario Heritage Act, are also subject to the following conditions:

a. the related site-specific Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment permitting the proposed alterations have been enacted by City Council and have 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, Urban Design, City 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 2102 Lawrence Avenue East substantially in accordance with the plans and drawings prepared by KPMB Architects dated July 19, 2024  and the Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by ERA Architects Inc. dated August 1, 2024, both on file with the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, subject to and in accordance with the Conservation Plan required in Recommendation 3.b.2 below, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City 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 2102 Lawrence Avenue East prepared by ERA Architects Inc. dated August 1, 2024, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning;

c. prior to the issuance of any permit for all or any part of the property at 2102 Lawrence Avenue East, 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, Urban Design, City Planning the owner shall:

1. have entered into a Heritage Easement Agreement with the City required in Recommendation 3.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 3.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, Urban Design, City Planning;

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

4. provide a Lighting Plan for the heritage building on the subject property to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning and thereafter shall implement such Plan to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning;

5. provide a Landscape Plan for the subject property to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning; and

6. 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, Urban Design, City Planning to secure all work included in the approved Conservation Plan and Interpretation Plan; and

d. prior to the issuance of any permit involving subsurface impacts within the limits of Zion Wexford Cemetery, including a demolition permit or heritage permit, such as may be required by the demolition of the north post-war addition, or repairs to foundations of the historic church building at 2102 Lawrence Avenue East, the owner shall:

1. provide written confirmation to the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning that the owner has retained a consultant archaeologist, licensed by the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, to undertake a Stage 2 Archaeological Assessment and/or Stage 3 Cemetery Investigation, and to implement the recommendations of this assessment (i.e., preservation, documentation, avoidance), as directed by the recommendations of the Stage 1 Archaeological Resource Assessment of 2102 Lawrence Avenue East, prepared by ASI Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Services, dated July 18, 2022, and entered into the Ontario Public Register of Archaeological Reports;

e. prior to the issuance of the first above-grade permit for all or any part of the property at 2102 Lawrence Avenue East, 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, Urban Design, City Planning, the owner shall:

1. submit a copy of all relevant assessment report(s) as an Acrobat PDF file, to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning; and

2. ensure no demolition, construction, grading or other soil disturbances shall take place within the limits of the Zion Wexford Cemetery prior to confirmation in writing by the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning that all archaeological licensing and technical review requirements have been satisfied; and

f. prior to the release of the Letter of Credit required in Recommendation 3.c.6 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 and Interpretation Plan and that an appropriate standard of conservation has been maintained, all to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning; and

2. provide replacement Heritage Easement Agreement photographs to the satisfaction of the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning.

4. 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 2102 Lawrence Avenue East in a form and content satisfactory to the City Solicitor and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

5. 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 2102 Lawrence Avenue East.

Georgia Kuich, Senior Heritage Planner, Development Review, Urban Design, City Planning gave a presentation on 2102 Lawrence Avenue East - Alterations to a Designated Heritage Property and Demolition of a Building Under Sections 33 and 34 of the Ontario Heritage Act and Authority to Enter into a Heritage Easement Agreement.

The proposal to alter the heritage property has been made in conjunction with the submission of Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications and involves integrating the church and the cemetery into a new affordable housing complex comprised of a new L-shaped building with 12-storey and 6-storey components. In addition, the demolition of the post-war additions to the historic church building is also proposed. A community garden and a publicly accessible playground will be introduced on the property and the former church will be used as a community gathering space for residents.