Bank Street Ottawa, Ontario

Transcription

1 Bank Street Ottawa, Ontario SEPTEMBER 2012 CULTURAL HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT PREPARED FOR: Urban Capital Property Group PREPARED BY: BRAY Heritage with: FoTenn Consulting

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3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction Property Information Study Scope and Methodology History and Heritage Significance of the Area History Heritage Significance History and Heritage Significance of the Property History of Property Property Description Heritage Character Statement Current Heritage and Relevant Planning Policies Impact of the Proposed Development Conservation Principles Description of Proposed Development and Impact Mitigation Measures Rationale for the Chosen Development Option Impact on Cultural Heritage Resources Conclusion: Conservation and Development Strategy Appendices Appendix A Chronology of Site Occupation Appendix B Excerpts from Centretown HCD Plan Appendix C Excerpts from Bank Street Heritage Infill Guidelines Appendix D References

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5 1 Introduction At the request of Urban Capital Property Group, Bray Heritage has been retained prepare a Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment (CHIA) for the property located at 488 and 500 Bank Street, in the City of Ottawa, Ontario. The purpose of the CHIA is to determine the impact of the proposed development of a 9 storey mixed use building on the existing heritage resources found on the property. Since the property is located within the Centretown Heritage Conservation District (HCD), designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act, and the existing mixed use building on the property is listed as a Category 2 heritage resource and thus merits conservation, the City of Ottawa requires that a CHIA be prepared to accompany the proponent s development application to the City. 1.1 Property Information Municipal Address: 488 & 500 Bank Street, Ottawa, Ontario Legal Description: 488 Bank Street: Part of Lot 7 West of Bank Street, Plan 30, in the City of Ottawa, Ontario Property # Bank Street: Lot 8 West of Bank Street, Plan 30, in the City of Ottawa, Ontario Property # Site Area: 0.12 hectares (approximately) Current Uses: 488 Bank Street: ground floor commercial (European Glass and Paint sales offices and storage); upper floor residential (rental apartments; sales administrative office above sales offices) 500 Bank Street: vacant lot (surface parking) Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 1

6 1.2 Study Scope and Methodology This CHIA has been prepared in accordance with the City of Ottawa s Guidelines for the Preparation of Cultural Heritage Impact Statements (April 21, 2010) and following the process for the inventory and evaluation of cultural heritage properties outlined in the Provincial Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport s Ontario Heritage Tool Kit and specified in Ontario Regulation 9/06. The research and conclusions contained herein are based on information gathered from a limited historical review and site inspection. The historical research relies on information from secondary sources, collected within the study scope of work, time and budget limitations. The study scope did not include a condition or structural assessment conducted by a professional structural engineer, or an assessment of archaeological resource potential conducted by a registered archaeologist. The scope of research included: Research into the historical evolution of the property and its environs, based on available secondary sources (fire insurance plans, directories, local histories, historical photographs) found in the National Archives, City of Ottawa Archives, and in published materials; Site reconnaissance of the property and surrounding area; Review of adopted and draft City of Ottawa planning policies and urban design guidelines for the subject property and area; Review of the Centretown Heritage Conservation District Plan and its heritage property inventory and evaluation listings; Review of the proponent s proposed design for the new building to be constructed on the property; Review of comments made on the proposed design by the City of Ottawa s Urban Design Review Panel; and Review of Bank Street heritage infill guidelines. The results of this research inform the study conclusions and recommendations. Page 2 Bray Heritage Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

7 2 History and Heritage Significance of the Area 2.1 History The subject property is located in a part of Ottawa formerly known as Stewarton and now known as Centretown (c.f. Centretown Heritage Conservation District Study: Smith et. al., 1997). As described in that report, Centretown...is the surviving residential community and informal meeting ground associated with Parliament Hill (op.cit. p. 7). Here lived many of the people whose employer was the federal government, either working as bureaucrats or as elected or appointed members. Centretown s primarily low-rise residential character is most evident in the parts that are near the main streets, while the main streets themselves have a more consistent low-medium density character, as befits mixed-use commercial arteries. According to historical research found in the Centretown HCD Study (op.cit. p. 14), Stewarton s origins began with the purchase in 1834 by William Stewart of Lot F, located immediately south of the By estate. Stewart died in 1856 without having developed his properties and his family did likewise until after Ottawa became the nation s capital. In 1868, Mrs. Catherine Stewart developed a portion of these lands as her country estate. She built a large country house on extensive grounds, called Appin Place, and, in 1871, surveyed and subdivided into town lots the rest of the family lands. The subject property abuts Flora Street, one of four streets in the new subdivision named after her children (the street was not formally opened until 1883: Elliott 1991, p. 129). By the mid-1870s, Stewarton was becoming a new community characterized by large country estates such as the Stewart s Appin Place. Serving these were a general store and post office. The rural character of the time is reflected in Stewarton s small population of 250 (op. cit. p. 14). Although Bank Street was extended beyond the City limits at Ann/Gladstone in (Elliott 1991, p. 112), lands abutting it remained undeveloped. South of the City limits, the street alignment bent away from the north-south grid in order for Bank Street to connect to an existing road leading from Billings Bridge (Smith et.al. 1997, p. 55). In 1879, the street was described as a dusty trail with open fields on either side with no new construction in the vicinity aside from the modest developments mentioned above (op. cit. Appendix A1) Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 3

8 Ottawa grew outward from its core at the junction of the Rideau Canal and Ottawa River, and the area including Stewarton was one of its later additions. Until 1888, the City limit was Ann Street (now Gladstone Avenue), just north of the subject property. Growth outside the southern City limits was stimulated, but also geographically limited by, construction in 1882 of the Canadian Atlantic Railway tracks and station just south of the subject properties, on lands now occupied by the Queensway. The subject lands were therefore in a transition zone between the municipal limits and the city s major east-west transportation corridor. As a result, development in this zone did not begin in earnest until after the railway came. Development was encouraged in part by the railway and by annexation, but also by extension in the 1880s of streetcar services south along Bank to the Glebe and fairgrounds. Bank Street became the commercial and institutional spine of the neighbourhood but it also served as a major north-south artery for commuters to and from the Parliamentary Precinct and downtown commercial core. Major planning initiatives by the federal government also affected development patterns in Stewarton. Appin Place was sold due to the foreclosure of the McLeod Stewart estate (Elliott, Appx. note #201). It was purchased by the federal government in 1902 and demolished to create the site of the new Victoria Memorial Museum (now the Museum of Nature), which opened in 1912 (op.cit. Appendix A1). At around the same time, the federal government terminated industrial leases along the Canal in order to remove these uses and create the Driveway, linking the Glebe to Parliament Hill. The result of this work was that the industry displaced by Driveway construction relocated to the railway precinct around Catherine Street, flanking Bank, bringing with it a new workforce to augment the railway presence, and adding more working class families (Smith et. al. pp. 37, 45; Elliott 1991, p. 136). Aside from these major initiatives by the federal government, the private sector continued the infilling of residential and commercial development in Stewarton from the late 19 th century onwards. Only in 1950, as a result of the federally-sponsored Gréber Plan for the National Capital Region, did the national government again substantially alter the local development pattern. In that year, the rail lines south of Catherine Street began to be relocated so that, by 1957, the Queensway highway could start construction. Catherine Street remained a major traffic node with the main bus station, but Bank Street lost its streetcars in 1958, and became dominated by private vehicles and City buses. 2.2 Heritage Significance According to the introduction in the Centretown Heritage Conservation District Study (III.2.3, p. 7), Centretown s heritage value is its role as the surviving residential community and informal meeting ground associated with Parliament Hill. Its occupants have had an immense impact upon the development of Canada as a nation. Page 4 Bray Heritage Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

9 This characterization is confirmed in the Study s conclusions the Statement of Heritage Character in which Centretown is described thus (op.cit. p.110): Centretown has always been a predominantly residential area, functionally linked to Parliament Hill and the structures of government. Over the past century, it has housed many individuals important to Canada s development as a nation...the built fabric of this area is overwhelmingly residential...centretown has one major commercial artery, Bank Street. This street predates the community of Centretown both as a commercial route and as the major transportation corridor between Parliament Hill and outlying areas to the south. Bank Street has always serviced the entire area... This characterization defines Centretown s heritage character as a residential neighbourhood, with commercial being very much a secondary use meant to serve the needs of the residential community. The emphasis is on single family residences in the neighbourhoods flanking the major streets, with the majority of these residences dating from the period However, the Study recognizes that arterials such as Bank have consistently contained higher density residential buildings, either as apartments over shops, or as stand-alone residential buildings. The Study states that (op. cit. p. 73) apartment buildings appear in Centretown quite early, and become a dominant infill type in the period between the wars. As for built form, specifically along commercial arterials, there are general comments throughout the Study relating to building heights, which are taken to be three to four storeys overall. Note that the Study does not deem associations with the By and Stewart Estates to be significant, although members of both families were primarily responsible for developing Centretown. In summary, the heritage character statement found in the Study emphasizes Centretown s associations with Parliament Hill as a primary heritage value. As defined in Ontario Regulation 9/06, this places Centretown s heritage significance as historical/associative, with minimal emphasis on design/physical or contextual values. What this means is that there is much less emphasis on built form than would be the case in a Heritage Conservation District that had a high proportion of significant heritage buildings. By implication, this also means that the cultural links between the area s residents and the nation-building role of Parliament is given prominence over the physical setting in which the bureaucrats and Parliamentarians lived and shopped. As a result, the heritage value of buildings within the District appears to be seen as being secondary to the political, social and economic activities of its residents. If the Study had been conducted today, these values would have been stated as the District s character defining elements (or heritage attributes) and could be listed as follows: Its predominantly residential character Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 5

10 Its role in housing persons who had important roles in shaping Canada as a nation. Its predominance of late 19 th -early 20 th century buildings. The role of its main streets as transport links to and from Parliament Hill and as service providers to adjacent residential neighbourhoods. Given some of the other elements found in the 1997 research, the Study would probably add: Its associations with the development activities of the By Estate, the Stewart Estate, and the federal government. The role of the development of transportation links and corridors in shaping Centretown. Page 6 Bray Heritage Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

11 3 History and Heritage Significance of the Property 3.1 History of Property The subject property and its surrounding lands remained relatively unaffected by these larger development patterns. The city directories show a pattern of commercial use that stayed relatively constant for over a century. Given that development in the area did not begin in earnest until the late 1880s, the area that includes the subject property did not develop until the late 19 th century. The development history of the property is not completely clear from the research that has been possible as part of this report. There appear to have been structures on the property from at least the early 1900s and perhaps before then, in concert with development of the Stewart estate. However, most development in Stewarton was located on the higher ground east of Bank that had been farmed by Stewart s tenants. By contrast, the area west of Bank was poorly drained and was part of undeveloped lands known as Stewart s Bush, making it unlikely that it was developed before municipal services were installed following amalgamation (Elliott, p. 129). Stewarton was an affluent residential district although a scattering of more humble residents lived west of Bank Street and along the city limits on the south side of Ann Street (Gladstone Avenue) (op. cit., p. 138). As a result, the subject property was on the humble side of Bank Street. Fire insurance plans from 1888, revised to 1901, show a small detached building on No. 500 Bank, opposite Argyle Avenue, and no building on the corner of Bank and Flora. The 1925 plan, revised to 1948, shows the development pattern that characterized much of the 20 th century, with a used car lot opposite Argyle at Nos , and a 2 storey, brick structure divided into an office building at the corner (No. 486) and a double-width grocery store at Nos (note the indentation on the south side of the building, between the office and store portions, functionally separating the different uses). Around the corner on Flora was a frame garage next to an 11/2 storey brick-clad frame house (No. 64 Flora). Nothing had changed by the time of the 1956 fire insurance plan (updated to 1963). Today, however, the property has a parking lot on the site formerly occupied by the used car sales operation and a brickclad, single storey frame addition to the corner commercial building extending along Flora, replacing the former garage and dwelling at No. 64 Flora. In summary, the directories show that, from around 1910 until the late 1950s, the corner property was a grocery store, after which it became its present use, European Paint and Glass. The adjacent property was a used car lot from the 1940s until the late 1960s, after which it was a parking lot Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 7

12 1888 FIRE INSURANCE PLAN (REVISED TO JANUARY 1901), SHEET 66 Page 8 Bray Heritage Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

13 1925 FIRE INSURANCE PLAN (REVISED TO 1948), SHEET Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 9

14 1 956 FIRE INSURANCE PLAN (REVISED TO 1963), SHEET 131 Page 10 Bray Heritage Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

15 From the foregoing information, it is not possible to date precisely the construction date of the existing building at No. 488 Bank. From the chain of title (Paterson Group, 2011, Appendix 1), it would appear that the corner building was constructed in the early 20 th century, possibly as early as 1904, when the property at No. 488 Bank was purchased by the Taggart family (who seem to have been actively involved in the property from that time until they sold it in 1972 to the latest owners, A&B Baker Properties). The building was certainly in place as of 1925, when it appears on the fire insurance plans, but it does not appear on the 1901 insurance plan. The inventory form prepared as part of the 1997 HCD Study indicates that the building at No. 488 Bank was constructed at some time during the period between 1902 and 1912 but does not provide a source for that information. Directory Address Use Bank Truman Wm R Private Grounds Bank Truman Wm R 486 Bank Smythe Albert E & 488 Bank Taggart E A, phy Bank Rowe Harry M, gro Moorhouse Samuel & 492 Bank Woods Mrs Ev Taylor Benjamin, fruit 486 Bank Renaud J Ad & 488 Bank Pappin Margt J Mrs Bank Dworkin Max, gro 492 Bank McPherson Robt E Vacant Bank 1. Kniewasser A Vernon (Helen) phy 2. Rolster Helen Mrs. 3. Whiteside John Mrs 488 Bank Dworkin Max gro 490 Bank Dworkin Max (Rachel) 492 Bank Dworkin Max fruit 486 Bank Nesbitt Robt L phy 1. McCool Frank (Ruby) 2. Alder Thos F (Eleanor) 488 Bank Max s Fruit Store 490 Bank Dworkin Max (Minnie) 492 Bank Max s Grocery 498 Bank Ottawa Used Car Sales 486 Bank Bonell Linda real est 1. Prendergast W R (Betty) 2. Williams E Stuart (Abigail) 488 Bank Max s Fruit Store 490 Bank Dworkin Max (Minnie) 492 Bank Max s Grocery 500 Bank Lewis Motors Ltd used cars 486 Bank 1. Stu s Dual Driving School Bank & 492 Bank European Glass & Paint Co 490 Bank 1. Newson Clifford G (Margery) 2. Nicholas Stanley N (Ida) 500 Bank Lewis Motors (Ottawa) Ltd used cars Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 11

16 Directory Address Use 486 Bank Stu s Dual Driving School 488 Bank & 492 Bank European Glass & Paint Co MacGregor Horace 490 Bank 2. Bowen Frank E Bank No Return Bank & 492 Bank European Glass & Paint Co 488 Bank Carney Edward Bank Bank Dunn Douglas 492 Bank European Glass & Paint Co Ltd 488 Bank European Glass & Paint Co Ltd ) 490 Bank Hansen R 1) 490 Bank Friso T 3.2 Property Description BANK STREET The inventory prepared as part of the 1997 HCD Study describes the property as follows: 2 storey commercial block Brick veneer Cut stone trim Projecting wood cornice Stylistically it is described as Vernacular Edwardian. Site investigation undertaken as part of this report has revealed that the following are the characteristics of this building: Exterior 6 bay Bank Street facade, with single windows in each bay on the upper floor and a large plate glass display window in the southern 3 bays on the ground floor, flanking an inset entrance to the upstairs apartment and an inset entrance to the retail store Exterior walls are loadbearing brick (not brick veneer on frame) on a mortared rusticated stone foundation (brick wall is double width with no intermediary cavity/air space; pattern is English bond) Roof is a shallow monopitch, presumably surfaced in tar and gravel, with two brick chimneys (both appear to be functional as part of the building heating system) Projecting cornice appears to be pressed metal (not wood) Window surrounds have cut stone lintels and sills Page 12 Bray Heritage Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

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19 Exterior (continued) Windows are double hung wooden sash with exterior storms (not original) Rear passageway between main block and new addition has exterior walls containing window and door openings (most in operation) as well as displaying evidence of former roof structures that would have covered this space prior to construction of the addition Rear addition is a one storey brick clad and metal sided wood frame structure, with a shallow pitched gabled roof Interior Basement has a poured concrete floor, exposed interior faces of the rusticated mortared stone foundation walls and brick exterior walls, true dimension 2x6 floor joists (some cut to accommodate services) with wide floor boards, contemporary metal jack posts as well as original brick support posts, stone structural walls between office and store components and following outline of rear indentation between office and store components; former coal chutes now blocked on Bank Street side, basement window openings blocked throughout; angled brickwork of fireplace flue on Flora Street side is exposed Main floor has been extensively altered, with original door openings closed in former office portion such that former door on Bank near Flora is now a window and the staircase onto which it opened has been removed to create open display space, and the floor level has been raised; former store portion still has pressed metal ceiling, lath and plaster walls Second storey offices over former office portion extensively altered, with fireplace flue retained but opening and fittings removed, ceiling and floor altered, walls( lath and plaster) retained; interior room configuration altered (relocated stair access) Second storey apartments over former store portion (note: only the southerly one was available for viewing) retain original baseboard and door surrounds with mouldings, transoms over doors, some original fielded panel doors (it appears that the apartments never had crown mouldings or ceiling rosettes; the one visible in the apartment is a new replica); lath and plaster walls retained; original floor plans seem to have been retained, as well as original window openings; central stair gives access to rear passageway and main stairway leading down to Bank Street main entrance Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 15

20 VIEW NW TOWARDS FLORA STREET FROM THE CORNER OF ARGYLE STREET VIEW SE FROM FLORA STREET, LOOKING TOWARDS BANK STREET VIEW N FROM PARKING LOT OF MAIN BUILDING AND ADDITION Page 16 Bray Heritage Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

21 PRESSED METAL CEILING IN FORMER GROCERY STORE (LEFT); TYPICAL APARTMENT INTERIOR SHOWING MOULDINGS AND DOORWAYS (RIGHT) TYPICAL BASEMENT INTERIOR, WITH ANGLED BRICK CHIMNEY FLUE VISIBLE IN CENTRE BACKGROUND (LEFT); TYPICAL UPPER FLOOR OFFICE INTERIOR (MIDDLE); TYPICAL MAIN FLOOR RETAIL AREA SHOWING REMAINING BRICK SUPPORT PIERS (RIGHT) NOTE DISPLACEMENT OF UPPER WINDOW IN FIRST BAY (LEFT); NOTE DISPLACEMENT IN LEFT HAND SILL AND LOSS OF MORTAR ON LOWER BRICK COURSES (RIGHT) Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 17

22 Condition Some superficial settlement cracks evident in mortar joints on south and east exterior walls as well as cracks in mortar joints diagonally from sills to voussoirs on window and door openings on west wall of former store portion facing into the passageway between the main block and the new addition Some settlement is evident in bay one of the Bank Street facade, with the lintel and sill of the second floor window distorted downwards. Similarly, the exposed sills in the fourth and fifth bay on the ground floor are distorted downwards. It was not possible to determine evidence of this distortion on the interior walls during a cursory examination due to fully occupied storage shelving in the basement and plaster/drywall cladding on the upper floors. Salt and ice damage is evident in spalling and eroded mortar joints in the lowest portions of the street facade at sidewalk level In general, the building appears to have been solidly built and to have fair-good structural integrity 3.3 Heritage Character Statement The inventory of heritage properties prepared in support of the HCD Study assesses the subject property for architectural significance as a good example of turn of the century commercial design, with good integrity (alterations) and for environmental (urban contextual) significance as being very compatible with heritage commercial environment and contributes to heritage commercial character. It is rated as a Category 2 building (second highest category of heritage significance) in the 1997 inventory accompanying the Conservation District Study. According to the City of Ottawa s document A Handbook for Evaluating Heritage Buildings and Areas in the City of Ottawa (reprinted January, 1989), the City s evaluation process focuses on three factors that determine potential heritage significance: Construction date Architectural design (exterior) Compatibility with surroundings or landmark status Buildings within HCDs are evaluated in the context of the district rather than as individual properties. Only building exteriors are evaluated. The survey sheet for the Phase Two evaluation shows that the property scored highest (10/10) for its age relative to other properties in the District and scored well for its compatibility with the commercial properties nearby. It scored lower for architectural significance. Taken as a whole, the evaluation seems to indicate that the reason for the property s Level 2 rating relates primarily to its assumed age (i.e. pre- 1916) and its fit within the commercial streetscape. Page 18 Bray Heritage Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

23 However, no definitions of heritage commercial character appear in inventory or evaluation, or in the Study, so it is difficult to determine in what ways the property is compatible. It could be assumed that its materials, height, general design and age are roughly similar to those found on other nearby commercial buildings. That said, there is nothing special about this building: it just fits in. And all of this assessment dates from the mid-late 1990s, since which time many changes to the commercial character have occurred in the surrounding area, especially along Bank Street (see below for a discussion of planning and urban design issues). In summary, if the property s heritage significance were to be described within the format of a Heritage Character Statement (or statement of heritage attributes), both of which are the standard ways in which the Provincial or Federal government heritage agencies would describe heritage values, it would be stated something like this: Bank Street is a good example of vernacular commercial design from the early decades of the 20 th century that blends well with other commercial buildings along Bank Street of that era. Its character defining elements (exterior) could be listed as: Chamfered corner treatment Brick structure Decorative metal cornice CORNER CHAMFER AND BRICK STRUCTURE (LEFT); METAL CORNICE (RIGHT) Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 19

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25 4 Current Heritage and Relevant Planning Policies The Centretown HCD Study generally seeks to conserve the established pattern of land uses and built forms, that is, low density residential neighbourhoods of 2-3 storey houses flanked by mixed use main street corridors of 3-4 storey buildings lining the sidewalk. As noted above, the evaluation accompanying the inventory for the 1997 HCD Study made the following comments on the property s heritage significance within the District: very compatible with heritage commercial environment contributes to heritage commercial character The photo accompanying the inventory and evaluation is taken from the south end of the block, at the corner of Bank and Arlington Park, so that the subject property is seen as a bookend, complementing the existing two storey, mansard-roofed commercial building on the opposite corner, with the parking lot in the middle. In that context, the building at #488 reinforces the character of the block. However, there is less consistency in the buildings nearby, flanking Bank Street south of the old City limits at Gladstone. Since the time of the 1997 HCD Study, a pattern is emerging of early 20 th century 2-3 storey commercial buildings juxtaposed with parking lots, single storey buildings, a church and new infill buildings that are mixed use and medium density development (including a 10 storey building on the SE corner of Gladstone and Bank). The main reason this trend is evident is that the City of Ottawa s planning policies have changed since the 1997 Centretown HCD Study was prepared. Whereas the HCD Study s development guidelines propose retention of a 2-4 storey character along Bank Street (op. cit. p. 141), the current Official Plan, Zoning by-law and Secondary Plan policies for the area that includes the subject property permit mixed use buildings generally in the 4-6 storey range, with greater densities where deemed appropriate. Provincial and municipal planning goals of intensifying and revitalizing downtowns, especially along transportation corridors, have resulted in policies and guidelines within the draft Mid-Centretown Community Development Plan (2012) that permit building up to 9 storeys in height but reinforce many of the design principles espoused in the 1997 HCD Study guidelines, such as commercial uses at grade, with residential above, facades aligned with adjacent buildings, close to the sidewalk and creating a continuous street wall. Impacts on adjacent low rise residential neighbourhoods are to be addressed through such modifications to massing as height and rear yard setbacks Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 21

26 In this context, it may not be possible to retain a 2-4 storey massing along a major arterial street when there is a pressing need to provide additional housing downtown that does not negatively impact stable low density residential neighbourhoods. It is in this emerging policy context that the HCD Study guidelines need to be viewed. (Note: for a more complete description and assessment of planning policies affecting the subject property and the proposed development, please refer to the Planning Rationale (FoTenn) that accompanies this development application). NEW INFILL DEVELOPMENT AT GLADSTONE AND BANK STREETS Page 22 Bray Heritage Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

27 5 Impact of the Proposed Development 5.1 Conservation Principles Approaches to conservation principles or interventions as applied to buildings and settings that have potential or confirmed heritage value are covered by Provincial and federal guidelines. For the purposes of this report, the federal Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada (2010 edition) will be used as the benchmark (Provincial guidelines in the Ontario Heritage Tool Kit are harmonized with the federal guidelines). The federal guidelines provide three basic types of intervention : Preservation: essentially keeps the existing structure or setting as is, repairing any damage and preventing further deterioration; Rehabilitation: may involve the adaptive re-use of an existing building or site to allow a continuing or compatible contemporary use; and Restoration: reveals or reconstructs earlier elements that are of heritage value. Other types of interventions involving greater alteration to the heritage resource include moving (to a different location, in whole or in part) and, in cases where the resource itself cannot be retained, recording and salvage prior to demolition. The more drastic the intervention, the greater emphasis there is on mitigating negative effects. Revitalization of the Bank Street corridor within the current municipal policy context requires balancing the goals of conservation with those of increased residential development along main streets. The latter goals appear to be best met by encouraging medium density, mixed use development of the sort envisaged in the Mid-Centretown CPD draft guidelines. Clearly, the increased height and residential intensity of the built form recommended in these guidelines is not the same as the built form recommended in the 1997 HCD Study guidelines. There are several options for addressing this dilemma on the subject property, in most cases following the general intent of the 1997 HCD Study guidelines as well as those of the draft CPD: Retain the original portions of the existing building, demolishing the rear addition, and constructing a new building that occupies the existing parking lot and wraps around the remaining portions of the existing building Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 23

28 Retain the Bank and Flora Street facades of the original portions of the existing building, demolishing the remainder and inserting a new building behind the facade and on the existing parking lot. Demolish the existing building and redevelop the entire property. As stated in the draft CPD, each of these options would include design measures to ensure compatibility with the existing context, through reinforcing the streetscape and ensuring a good transition with the adjacent residential neighbourhood. 5.2 Description of Proposed Development and Impact Mitigation Measures The proposed development entails demolition of the existing building and construction of a new nine storey mixed use building with underground parking, ground floor commercial uses and residential units above. The massing steps back above level 7 on Bank and on Flora. The ground floor corner at Flora Street is chamfered, echoing the similar treatment of the existing 3 storey mixed use building at the corner of Flora and Bank. Materials on the Bank and Flora Street facades are glass and metal above a precast concrete base. Mitigation of impact is largely addressed through compliance with the design guidelines found in the 1997 HCD Study. This design generally follows the guidelines for Commercial and Mixed Use Infill on the Bank Street Corridor found in the HCD Study (p. 141), as follows: It meets guideline 2.1 not by providing a 2-4 storey infill structure (it exceeds this height), but by locating the building close to the sidewalk but set back from the property line to permit a wider sidewalk, addressing the City s concerns regarding narrow existing sidewalk widths. The building is designed with ground floor retail and residential uses on the upper floors. The building covers the entire lot width and re-establishes a continuous commercial frontage. It meets guideline 2.2 by providing a ground floor facade with large glass areas, recessed entrances (under a continuous canopy that references similar awning or first floor cornice elements found elsewhere in Centretown) and an articulated transom, with signage in a horizontal band. A corner chamfer is provided at the ground floor to acknowledge the corner (see also guideline 2.3). It addresses guideline 2.3 by providing upper floor facades that are slightly more opaque, with smaller glazed openings onto balconies for individual units within a simple rhythm created by a metal grid. A horizontal canopy element at the top of the podium further differentiates the podium base from the recessed upper floors. The upper floors also acknowledge the corner with sharply articulated glazing extending out of the metal grid and forming the corner detail. Page 24 Bray Heritage Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

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31 It addresses guideline 2.4 by providing glass and metal trim throughout and is consistent with the new infill at 354 Gladstone/349 McLeoad and its second phase at 360 McLeod. Comments from the City of Ottawa s Urban Design Review Panel (June 7, 2012) are generally reflected in the current design, which is a revision of an earlier design and has been prepared in response to the Panel s comments. However, there still may be concerns about the relationship of the proposed building with the adjacent low density residential buildings on Flora Street, and about the predominance of glass and metal and on the facade, in contrast to the predominance of brick on existing buildings along Bank Street (and as used on some new buildings, to articulate the lower storeys and provide continuity with existing buildings). 5.3 Rationale for the Chosen Development Option In order to fully meet the intent of the 1997 HCD Study policies, development on this property would have to retain the existing structure and incorporate it within a new structure that would be no higher than four storeys. In the context of the evolving planning and development policies for this part of downtown Ottawa, such an approach is clearly problematic. With new policies encouraging construction of mixed use development along Bank Street of over twice that height, there appear to be few ways of reconciling the HCD Study with the emerging policies, at least as far as massing is concerned. In terms of conservation of existing heritage structures, the issue is the relative heritage significance of the existing building within the Heritage Conservation District as a whole. Conservation of the building, in whole or in part, must be considered in this context. The proponent has considered incorporating the existing building but has concluded that rehabilitation and reuse of this building is not viable, for the following reasons: Retaining the entire footprint would preclude construction of underground parking on that portion of the site and compromise the design of residential construction above. Removing the bulk of the existing structure while retaining the two storey facade would result in a design that would jar with the scale and materials of the new building and would occupy only a portion of the Bank Street frontage, thus creating a visually unbalanced facade on the new structure. The 1997 Study evaluated the existing building based on an urban context that is undergoing significant change, such that the high score for compatibility is less relevant today. The condition of the existing building may be an issue, given the visual evidence of settlement along the southern and eastern building faces Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 27

32 The existing building has been substantially altered since the time of its construction, including major changes to the ground floor facade and to internal circulation. Relative to other existing commercial/residential buildings along Bank Street within the HCD, the subject building is not rated highly for design/style and would not be considered as an architecturally significant building in its own right. Its heritage value, as described above, appears to relate primarily to its date of construction and its fit within the streetscape that was predominant at the time of the 1997 HCD Study. 5.4 Impact on Cultural Heritage Resources Demolition of the existing building will obviously have a major impact on the heritage resource. This impact is being mitigated by design elements in the new building that meet or address design guidelines in the 1997 HCD Study for infill along Bank Street. The new building replaces a Level 2 building that is essentially a good example of a common type within the District but is not unique. At a more fundamental level, the primary heritage value within the Centretown HCD is its associations with those residents who had a link with Parliament and the federal government. This association, and the predominantly residential character of Centretown, overshadow any significance given to commercial areas within the District. In this context, redevelopment involving removal of an existing building has less impact on the District s core heritage values. The proposed mixed use building, by providing residential units with ancillary commercial, addresses the associative value of this residential neighbourhood in supporting Parliament Hill, and thus meets the broader intent of the HCD. By providing medium density housing in mid-rise form, the new development meets current and draft planning policy for the City. The proposed massing is also more compatible with adjacent low density residential neighbourhoods than high rise construction would be, and compatibility with such neighbourhoods is a primary heritage value in the HCD. 5.5 Conclusion: Conservation and Development Strategy Demolition of the existing structure is the recommended development strategy. Conservation measures to mitigate impact could include the following: Photographic recording of the existing building exterior and interior prior to and during demolition. Salvage and re-use elsewhere of the existing building materials (brick, metal cornice, pressed metal ceiling). These salvaged materials do not have to be re-used on the new building but could be applied to other projects involving conservation of existing buildings. Page 28 Bray Heritage Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

33 Should the architect decide to reflect more of the character of existing building and its neighbour across Flora Street, the use of brick cladding on the ground and lower storey facades on Bank and Flora, and continuation of the chamfer further up that corner, would be a suitable response. It is also recommended that the City update the 1997 Centretown HCD Study to not only comply with the requirements of the 2005 Provincial Policy Statement and 2005 Ontario Heritage Act, but also to address the new and emerging planning and development policies now becoming City policy for portions of Centretown, and which are described more fully in the planning justification that accompanies this development application Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Bray Heritage Page 29

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35 Appendices A. Chronology of Site Occupation B. Excerpts from Centretown HCD Plan C. Excerpts from Bank Street Heritage Infill Guidelines D. References Page 32 Bray Heritage Bank Street Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment

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37 Appendix A Chronology of Site Occupation Directory Address Use Bank Truman Wm R Private Grounds Bank Truman Wm R 486 Bank Smythe Albert E & 488 Bank Taggart E A, phy Bank Rowe Harry M, gro Moorhouse Samuel & 492 Bank Woods Mrs Ev Taylor Benjamin, fruit 486 Bank Renaud J Ad & 488 Bank Pappin Margt J Mrs Bank Dworkin Max, gro 492 Bank McPherson Robt E Vacant Bank 1. Kniewasser A Vernon (Helen) phy 2. Rolster Helen Mrs. 3. Whiteside John Mrs 488 Bank Dworkin Max gro 490 Bank Dworkin Max (Rachel) 492 Bank Dworkin Max fruit 486 Bank Nesbitt Robt L phy 1. McCool Frank (Ruby) 2. Alder Thos F (Eleanor) 488 Bank Max s Fruit Store 490 Bank Dworkin Max (Minnie) 492 Bank Max s Grocery 498 Bank Ottawa Used Car Sales 486 Bank Bonell Linda real est 1. Prendergast W R (Betty) 2. Williams E Stuart (Abigail) 488 Bank Max s Fruit Store 490 Bank Dworkin Max (Minnie) 492 Bank Max s Grocery 500 Bank Lewis Motors Ltd used cars 486 Bank 1. Stu s Dual Driving School Bank & 492 Bank European Glass & Paint Co 490 Bank 1. Newson Clifford G (Margery) 2. Nicholas Stanley N (Ida) 500 Bank Lewis Motors (Ottawa) Ltd used cars 486 Bank Stu s Dual Driving School 488 Bank & 492 Bank European Glass & Paint Co 490 Bank 1. MacGregor Horace 2. Bowen Frank E Bank No Return Bank & 492 Bank European Glass & Paint Co 488 Bank Carney Edward 490 Bank Bank Dunn Douglas 492 Bank European Glass & Paint Co Ltd Bank European Glass & Paint Co Ltd 2) 490 Bank Hansen R 1) 490 Bank Friso T

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39 Appendix B Excerpts from Centretown HCD Plan STATEMENT OF HERITAGE CHARACTER Centretown Heritage Conservation District Study Centretown has always been a predominantly residential area, functionally linked to Parliament Hill and the structures of government. Over the past century, it has housed many individuals important to Canada s development as a nation. The built fabric of this area is overwhelmingly residential. It is dominated by dwellings from the period, built to accommodate an expanding civil service within walking distance of Parliament Hill and government offices. There is a wide variety of housing types from this period, mixed in scale and level of sophistication. It had an early suburban quality, laid out and built up by speculative developers with repetitive groupings. There is a sprinkling of pre-1890 buildings on the north and south perimeters, which predate any major development. There are also apartment buildings constructed and redeveloped during the period in response to the need to house additional parliamentary, military, civil service and support personnel. In the recent period, the predominantly low-scale environment has been punctuated by high-rise residential development. Over the past century, this area has functioned as soft support for the administrative and commercial activity linked to Parliament Hill. In addition to residences, it has accommodated club facilities, organizational headquarters, institutions, professional offices and transportation services, all associated with Ottawa s role as national capital. Conversely, many of the facilities that complement Centretown s existence as a residential community have traditionally been situated in the blocks between Laurier and Wellington, closer to Parliament Hill. Centretown has one major commercial artery, Bank Street. This street predates the community of Centretown both as a commercial route and as the major transportation corridor between Parliament Hill and outlying areas to the south. Bank Street has always serviced the entire area, with secondary commercial corridors along Elgin, Somerset and Gladstone in select locations and time periods. The Bank Street commercial corridor broadens onto associated side streets in periods of intense pressure, then narrows back to the street itself with commercial activity is in decline. Centretown itself has always been an access route to Parliament Hill. There is a long-standing pattern of north/south movement through the area by outsiders. Over the years, this pattern has been supported by livery locations, streetcar routes and automobile traffic corridors. Long distance travellers have traditionally arrived on the transportation corridor that marks the south boundary of the area- originally the Canadian Atlantic Railway and later its replacement, the Queensway. Travel within Centretown occurs east/west radiating from Bank Street. As the federal government s residential quarter, planning initiatives in Centretown have been influenced by both federal and municipal authorities. Federal intervention in this area has established some of its unusual qualities such as the formal emphasis on the Metcalfe Street axis, early enhancement of its residential quality, and a number of its parks and services. The streetscapes have traditionally been enhanced by extensive public tree planting and other hard and soft landscape features, many of which have been in decline since the period of extensive tree removal in the 1930s and 40s. However, the scale and texture of the heritage streetscape are still discernible. This area is unique both as an early residential suburb and as the temporary and permanent home of many of those who have governed and shaped the nation.

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41 Appendix C Excerpts from Bank Street Heritage Infill Guidelines V11.5 Building Conservation and Infill Guidelines The following guidelines are intended to assist the review of proposed demolitions, alterations, and additions within the proposed district. They have been grouped in relation to the primary building types within the area. 1. The Centretown area has a dominant late-nineteenth century/turn-of-the-century character which established the essential residential and commercial aspect of the proposed District. 2. This character has been overlaid by important contributions from the first half of the twentieth century, particularly in the area of multi-unit residential properties. 3. More recent mid and high rise developments are for the most part out of character with their neighbours and unsympathetic to the heritage qualities of the area. They do not contribute in any significant way to the heritage character of the proposed District. 4. Some of the earlier buildings retain most of their original features; others have evolved over time, with modifications related to changes in use or increases in density. While original features are particularly significant, many of the modifications are worth preserving as illustrations of how the neighbourhood has evolved and adapted. 5. Because of the relatively high number of demolitions, many streetscapes are now interrupted by vacant lots. It is important to encourage infill development, and to promote design which is sympathetic to existing types and which re-establishes streetscape continuity. VII.5.1 Building Demolition Under the Ontario Heritage Act, proposed demolition of properties within the District must be submitted to the City for review and approval. The procedures are outlined in the Act and can involve a waiting period during which the various parties seek to arrive at a compromise solution if there is no initial agreement about the nature or scope of the demolition request. VII.5.2 The Conservation and Restoration of Heritage Commercial Properties The highest concentration of heritage commercial properties exists along the Bank Street corridor. There are fine examples of late nineteenth century and turn-of-the-century commercial and mixed use buildings, with continuous retail facades at street level, and one, two, or three stories of residential or commercial above. Although the retail facades have undergone many modifications over time, many of the original details and proportions still exist, sometimes covered up by later signage or surface finishes. At the upper the levels, there are excellent examples of decorative brickwork, often with stone or decorative wood trim, and many of the original decorative metal or wood cornices survive at the roofline, sometimes with a second intermediate cornice above the storefronts. These buildings constitute a valuable resource for the future of this corridor. Low scale heritage commercial is increasingly recognized as a successful basis for pedestrian-friendly, accessible retail activity. Initiatives such as the Main Street Program of Heritage Canada have shown that initiatives in the areas of marketing, event planning, display improvement, and economic coordination can be combined with facade improvement to bring renewed vitality to such corridors.