Item - 2024.PH17.16

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council state its intention to designate the properties at 358-360 Dufferin Street (including structure address at 350 Dufferin Street) under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act in accordance with the Statement of Significance for 358-360 Dufferin Street (Reasons for Designation) attached as Attachment 1 to the report (November 15, 2024) from the Interim Chief Planner and Executive Director, 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.

This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the former Dominion Radiator Company factory complex properties at 358-360 Dufferin Street (including structure address at 350 Dufferin Street) under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance and description of heritage attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject properties are located south of Queen Street West on the west side of Dufferin Street between Milky Way Lane and Melbourne Avenue in South Parkdale. A location map and current photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2.

The properties at 358-360 Dufferin Street comprise part of the Dominion Radiator Complex, a Late-Victorian era industrial compound defined by factory and office buildings grouped around an open, central courtyard. The prominent Toronto architect, E.J. Lennox, is attributed to the design and/or expansion of buildings on the site during Dominion Radiator's ownership (1889-1907). The Mixing and Core Oven Buildings, Foundry Building and red brick industrial chimneys, along with the central courtyard defined by the large footprint built components, constitute a cultural heritage landscape that facilitated heavy industrial manufacturing and contributed to the historic character of Parkdale following the easing of industrial zoning restrictions in the area in the late-19th century.

Staff have determined that the properties at 358-360 Dufferin Street have cultural heritage value and meet 5 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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.

As of July 1, 2021, Section 29(1.2) of the Ontario Heritage Act restricts City Council's ability to give notice of its intention to designate a property under the Act to within 90 days of a "Prescribed Event".

The properties at 358-360 Dufferin Street are subject to a Prescribed Event. On August 31, 2022, the City received Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan applications related to the proposed redevelopment of the subject property (22 198105 STE 04 OZ and 22 198104 STE 04 SA).

A Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report (CHER) and Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) authored by ERA Architects and dated July 15 and 19, 2022 respectively were submitted in support of the application and conclude that the properties at 358-360 Dufferin Street have cultural heritage value and meet the criteria under Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.  

The City Clerk sent a Notice of Complete Application on October 13, 2022. The owner provided a waiver until January 31, 2025 to extend the time limit for Council to make a decision. In order to meet prescribed timelines under the Ontario Heritage Act, Council must make a decision at its December 17-19, 2024 meeting to provide sufficient time for the City Clerk to issue a notice of intention to designate before the waiver expires.

At its meeting on November 28, 2024 the Toronto Preservation Board considered Item PB25.1 and made recommendations to City Council.

Summary from the report (November 14, 2024) from the Senior Manager, Heritage Planning, Urban Design, City Planning:

  
This report recommends that City Council state its intention to designate the former Dominion Radiator Company factory complex properties at 358-360 Dufferin Street (including structure address at 350 Dufferin Street) under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act for their cultural heritage value according to the Statement of Significance and description of heritage attributes found in Attachment 1.

The subject properties are located south of Queen Street West on the west side of Dufferin Street between Milky Way Lane and Melbourne Avenue in South Parkdale. A location map and current photograph of the heritage property is found in Attachment 2.

The properties at 358-360 Dufferin Street comprise part of the Dominion Radiator Complex, a Late-Victorian era industrial compound defined by factory and office buildings grouped around an open, central courtyard. The prominent Toronto architect, E.J. Lennox, is attributed to the design and/or expansion of buildings on the site during Dominion Radiator's ownership (1889-1907). The Mixing and Core Oven Buildings, Foundry Building and red brick industrial chimneys, along with the central courtyard defined by the large footprint built components, constitute a cultural heritage landscape that facilitated heavy industrial manufacturing and contributed to the historic character of Parkdale following the easing of industrial zoning restrictions in the area in the late-19th century.

Staff have determined that the properties at 358-360 Dufferin Street have cultural heritage value and meet 5 of the Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. 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.

As of July 1, 2021, Section 29(1.2) of the Ontario Heritage Act restricts City Council's ability to give notice of its intention to designate a property under the Act to within 90 days of a "Prescribed Event".

The properties at 358-360 Dufferin Street are subject to a Prescribed Event. On August 31, 2022, the City received Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan applications related to the proposed redevelopment of the subject property (22 198105 STE 04 OZ and 22 198104 STE 04 SA).

A Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report (CHER) and Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) authored by ERA Architects and dated July 15 and 19, 2022 respectively were submitted in support of the application and conclude that the properties at 358-360 Dufferin Street have cultural heritage value and meet the criteria under Ontario Regulation 9/06 criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.  

The City Clerk sent a Notice of Complete Application on October 13, 2022. The owner provided a waiver until January 31, 2025 to extend the time limit for Council to make a decision. In order to meet prescribed timelines under the Ontario Heritage Act, Council must make a decision at its December 17-19, 2024 meeting to provide sufficient time for the City Clerk to issue a notice of intention to designate before the waiver expires.