Report to/Rapport au :

 

Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee

Comité consultatif sur la conservation de l'architecture locale

 

and / et

 

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

4 October 2006 / le 4 octobre 2006

 

Submitted by/Soumis par : John L. Moser, Acting Deputy City Manager/

Directeur municipal adjoint par intérim,

Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance 

 

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Grant Lindsay, Manager

Planning and Infrastructure Approvals/Approbation des demandes d’aménagement et d’infrastructure

(613) 580-2424 x13242, grant.lindsay@ottawa.ca

 

Rideau -Rockcliffe (13)

Ref N°: ACS2006-PGM-APR-0220

 

 

SUBJECT:

APPLICATION to demolish 90 buena vista and 375 minto place and application FOR NEW CONsTRUCTION IN THE ROCKCLIFFE PARK HERITAGE CONSERVATION DISTRICT AT 375 MINTO PLACE

 

 

OBJET :

Demande de démolition du 90, buena vista et du 375, Place minto, et demande de construction dans le district de conservation du patrimoine du parc ROCKCLIFFE, au 375, place MINTO

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

 

That the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC) recommend that Planning and Environment Committee (PEC) recommend that Council:

 

1.   Approve the demolition of 90 Buena Vista Road and 375 Minto Place, properties designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act and located in the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District.

 

2.   Approve the construction of a new house at 375 Minto Place, a property designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act and located in the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District, in accordance with the plans filed by Douglas Hardie, Architect received on September 13, 2006.

 

(Note: Approval to Alter this property under the Ontario Heritage Act must not be construed to meet the requirements for the issuance of a Building Permit.

 

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité consultatif sur la conservation de l'architecture locale (CCCAL) recommande au Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement (CUE) de recommander au Conseil :

 

1.   d'approuver la démolition du 90, chemin Buena Vista et du 375, place Minto, des propriétés désignées dans la Partie V de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l'Ontario et situées dans le District de conservation du patrimoine du parc Rockcliffe.

 

2.   d'approuver la construction d'une nouvelle habitation au 375, place Minto, une propriété désignée dans la Partie V de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l'Ontario et située dans le District de conservation du patrimoine du parc Rockcliffe, conformément aux plans soumis par Douglas Hardie, architecte, et reçus le 13 septembre 2006.

 

(Nota : L'approbation de cette demande de transformation aux termes de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l'Ontario ne signifie pas pour autant qu'elle satisfait aux conditions de délivrance d'un permis de construire.)

 

 

Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee Recommendation : 12 October 2006

 

LACAC unanimously supported the departmental recommendation.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

90 Buena Vista/ 375 Minto Place are two houses, sitting on three lots, located within the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District (see Location Map, Document 1).  90 Buena Vista is a two-storey, red brick structure.  It is not included on the Rockcliffe Park list of significant buildings.  375 Minto Place, the Firestone House, was built in 1960-61.  The recently published history of Rockcliffe says that the building was designed by the original owner, O.J. Firestone, with Sam Gitterman, but the plans for the building, held at Ottawa City Hall, were stamped by architect George Bemi. (for Historical Photos, see Documents 2 and 3).  The building gained renown as the home to the Firestone Collection, a collection of contemporary art collected by O.J. Firestone, the building's builder. The Firestone Collection was donated to the Ontario Heritage Foundation and was later transferred to the City of Ottawa where it now forms part of the City's collection.

 

The Firestone House was included on the Village of Rockcliffe Park list of significant buildings.  The applicant initially approached the project open to retaining the building but a Building Condition Evaluation (see Document 4), undertaken in June 2006, discouraged him from this option. The evaluation revealed that the building was uninsulated, that its original aluminium windows had failed and that there were moisture problems the origins of which were not clear, although there did not appear to be any mould in the building.  To remediate these problems, the exterior cladding would have to be removed in order to add air and vapour barriers and insulation and the windows would need to be replaced. As a result of the engineering report, the applicant decided not to retain the house.  In addition, the Heritage Sub-committee of the Rockcliffe Park Residents Association, although it acknowledged the building was an interesting example of post-war design, did not consider it to be significant enough to object to its demolition. 

 

 

ANALYSIS

 

The house proposed for 375 Minto is a flat-roofed, stone clad structure, contemporary in expression with large windows and decks (see Document 5, Elevations).  It will be located on the same lot as the Firestone House and the lot associated with 90 Buena Vista will be left vacant and landscaped.  The house will be located on a hill and will be two storeys in height facing Minto Place, although the slope of the land will make the proposed structure appear to be three storeys facing and west.  The windows will be rectangular in shape, with aluminum muntins and louvered sunscreens.  Corner windows will wrap around in a manner inspired by the International Style. The south and west facades will feature wide decks that will break up the mass of the building.  Garage entrances will be recessed under the deck, with access off Kinzua Road.

 

On September 6, 2006, the Heritage Sub-Committee of the Rockcliffe Park Residents Association reviewed plans for the building at a meeting that was also attended by the architect. The Sub-Committee was concerned that the concrete foundation at the south east corner would create an illusion that the building was taller than it actually is and the architect agreed to work with the grades at this location to reduce the exposure of the foundation. He also stressed that the landscaping would soften the corner as the intention is to plant extensively along the foundations.  The Sub-Committee also expressed hope that efforts would be made to preserve as the treed character of the two lots.

 

Site plan issues were addressed in accordance with the On Time Review Implementation Policy approved by City Council on October 13, 2004. The landscape plan was considered by the Development Sub-Committee of LACAC on September 18, 2006 and is included as Document 6.  The Sub-Committee raised questions regarding the character of the proposed fence and the difference between "future" and "proposed" landscaping.  Discussions with the landscape architect revealed that the fence was to be an ornamental metal fence and that the "future" landscaping was definitely planned in the location shown, but that the species had yet to be determined.

 

The Village of Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District Study contains Guidelines that are intended “to protect and enhance those elements in the Village that contribute to the definition of heritage character.”  The Guidelines make it clear that they are not intended to be prescriptive, rather they are intended to apply the design ideals that have informed the design evolution of the former Village in the past in order to perpetuate the image of Rockcliffe Park as a picturesque landscape characterized by large houses on large lots, surrounded by informal grounds with mature trees and many shrubs.

 

The Guidelines stress that:

 

4.         Any application to construct a new building or addition should be reviewed, with consideration of its potential to enhance the heritage character of the Village. New construction should be recommended for approval only where the siting, form, materials and detailing are sympathetic to the surrounding natural and cultural environment.

 

5.         New buildings and additions should be of their own time, but should also harmonize with the existing cultural landscape. They should also be sited and designed so as to retain the existing topography. The use of natural materials should be encouraged.

 

The project, including the changes suggested to it by the Heritage Sub-Committee and implemented by the applicant, comply with these "Guidelines."

 

The proposed landscape of the house will reflect the cultural heritage character of the Village, as the landscape plan for the portion of the lot that faces public roads will be a mix of shrubs and trees that are associated with the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District. The lot at 90 Buena Vista will not be fenced, but its edges will be defined through the planting of hedges.  Its interior spaces will be designed after the removal of the house and will be designed to reflect the landscaped character of the lot.  The private, interior spaces of the lot that face Kinzua Road will also reflect the landscape design traditions of the heritage conservation district.  These qualities, and the building's contemporary design, reflect the "Guidelines" and thus the Department has no objection to the proposed project.  

 

 

CONSULTATION

 

Adjacent property owners and residential tenants were notified by letter of the date of the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC) and Planning and Environment Committee (PEC) meetings and were invited to provide written comments to be returned to LACAC or to appear in person at the LACAC and/or PEC meetings to comment on the proposal. This is in accordance with the City's notification policies.

 

The Rockcliffe Park Residents Association was informed of the project and the Heritage Sub-Committee of the Association reviewed the proposal.  

 

Councillor Legendre is aware of this application.

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

N/A

 

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1      Location Plan

Document 2      375 Minto Place

Document 3      375 Minto Place

Document 4      Extract from Engineer's Report

Document 5      Elevations, Proposed house

Document 6      Proposed landscape

 

 

DISPOSITION

 

The Department of Corporate Services, Council and Committee Services Branch, to notify the applicant/ agent (Neil Malhotra, 2001-210 Gladstone Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 3B2) and the Ontario Heritage Trust (10 Adelaide Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1J3) of City Council’s consent to demolish 375 Minto Place and 90 Buena Vista and to construct a new house at 375 Minto Place.


LOCATION PLAN                                                                                                  DOCUMENT 1

 


375 MINTO PLACE                                                                                          DOCUMENT 2

 


375 MINTO PLACE                                                                                                DOCUMENT 3

 

 

 


EXTRACT FROM ENGINEER’S REPORT                                                DOCUMENT 4



ELEVATIONS, PROPOSED HOUSE                                                                    DOCUMENT 5








PROPOSED LANDSCAPE                                                                                     DOCUMENT 6