Report Template

Report to/Rapport aux :

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

and Council / et au Conseil

8 December 2005 / 8 décembre 2005

Submitted by/Soumis par : Ned Lathrop, Deputy City Manager /

Directeur municipal adjoint

Planning and Growth Management / Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Grant Lindsay, Manager / Gestionnaire

Development Approval / Approbation des demandes d'aménagement

(613) 580-2424 x 13242, grant.lindsay@ottawa.ca

Somerset (14)

Ref N°: ACS2006-PGM-APR-0008

SUBJECT:	APPLICATION FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION IN THE SPARKS STREET HERITAGE CONSERVATION DISTRICT AT 100 WELLINGTON STREET-PORTRAIT GALLERY OF CANADA

OBJET :	DEMANDE DE NOUVELLE CONSTRUCTION DANS LE DISTRICT DE CONSERVATION DU PATRIMOINE DE LA RUE SPARKS AU 100, RUE WELLINGTON – MUSÉE DU PORTRAIT DU CANADA

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That the Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council approve the application for new construction in the Sparks Street Heritage Conservation District at 100 Wellington Street in accordance with the plans filed by Dixon Jones/Teeple Architects/COLE + Associates Architects Inc. included as Documents 3 to 6.

(Note: Approval of this application under the Ontario Heritage Act must not be construed to meet the requirements for the issuance of a building permit)

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement recommande au Conseil d’approuver la demande de nouvelle construction dans le district de conservation du patrimoine de la rue Sparks au 100, rue Wellington, conformément aux plans déposés par Dixon Jones/Teeple Architects/COLE + Associates Architects Inc. ci-joints comme documents 3 à 6.

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

Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee Recommendation - 12 January 2006

LACAC supports the departmental recommendation subject to the following amendment:

That the front façade of the new addition on Wellington Street line up to the existing Beaux Arts building.

BACKGROUND

The property at 100 Wellington Street is situated within the Sparks Street Heritage Conservation District which is designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA) through By-law 174-2000. New construction within a heritage conservation district requires the approval of City Council following consultation with the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC). A location plan is included as Document 1.

DISCUSSION

The Portrait Gallery project will restore the former Embassy of the United States. This building was constructed in 1931-32 to the design of prominent American architect Cass Gilbert Jr. This Federally-Classified heritage building is considered to be one of the finest examples of the Beaux Arts Classical Style in Canada. The features of this style evident on this limestone-clad building include the monumental Corinthian pilasters extending the height of the second and third storeys, the garland/swag decoration below the third storey windows and the stone balustrade above the cornice. A more complete description of the architectural and historical significance of this building is contained in the heritage survey form included as Document 2.

The new addition will be constructed on vacant land to the immediate west of the former embassy. The addition will be linked to south end of the heritage building. The height of the new addition corresponds to the height of the heritage building to the east and the cornice level of the Langevin Block. A courtyard will separate the heritage building and the new addition. It will be covered by a canopy roof cantilevered from the fourth floor of the new addition so there will be no contact with the heritage building. This canopy roof will be perforated by circular skylights which will direct light to the sculpture garden below. The Wellington Street and courtyard elevations of the addition will be clad in Indiana limestone to match the heritage building. Drawings of the proposed addition are included as Documents 3 through 6. The project is also described and illustrated on the Portrait Gallery of Canada website at:

The Portrait Gallery of Canada project conforms to the following principles contained in the Central Area West Heritage Conservation District and Plan (copy on file with the LACAC Coordinator).

Principles for additions and new construction

a) Where existing built form and fabric is to remain, distinguish new work from existing. The new addition has been designed to be clearly distinguishable in terms of form and style from the former American embassy. The new addition is also physically separated from the heritage building by an open courtyard.

b) Add to the overall heritage value of the complex with new work. The new addition has been designed with a great deal of attention to detail so that while it complements the heritage building it also stands apart and on its own as a significant architectural statement.

c) Identify a specific design strategy for visual and material fit of new details. The use of limestone with specific detailing on the new addition provides a "fit" within the overall project and a visual unity on the streetscape which complements the heritage building. The Cultural Heritage Impact Statement included as Document 7 provides greater detail on this design strategy.

d) Make additions that complement what exists. This has been accomplished, in part, through the use of limestone on principle elevations of the new additions, separation of the buildings by a courtyard and the matching of building heights.

e) Recognize explicitly the conservation and new construction that will be part of the site's evolution. The new and old are clearly distinguishable in this project.

General urban design/conservation principles

a) Reinforce the historic and existing area alignment to street and lot lines and conspicuous axial views. The new addition matches the setback of the former embassy on Wellington Street.

b) Maintain the overall quality of surviving building groupings and frontages, paying attention to both overall forms and particular details. The former embassy and its new addition create a grouping on Wellington Street that partially fills a void on the streetscape.

c) Fit new development to the scale and skyline of neighbouring structures, both adjoining and close by. The new addition matches the height of adjacent buildings such as the former embassy and the cornice of the Langevin building.

An architectural statement/cultural heritage impact statement describing the project in greater detail and its overall relationship to its historic context is included as Document 7.

The Department supports this application. The proposal conforms to the principles for additions, new construction, urban design and conservation in the Sparks Street Heritage Conservation District as described above.

CONSULTATION

Adjacent property owners were notified by letter of the date of the LACAC and Planning and Environment Committee meetings and were provided with comment sheets to be returned to LACAC. This is in accordance with the municipal public participation policies of the City of Ottawa. The subject property and all adjacent properties are owned by the federal government.

The Ward Councillor supports this project.

The Sparks Street Mall Management Board and Sparks Street Merchants Association are aware of this project.

The Centretown Citizens Community Association is aware of this project.

Heritage Ottawa has been informed of this project.

The restoration of 100 Wellington Street and the proposed infill addition have been reviewed and approved by the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office and the National Capital Commission Design Committee.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Document 1 Location Plan

Document 2 Heritage Survey Form 100 Wellington

Document 3 Wellington Streetscape looking south west

Document 4 Aerial/Axonometric View

Document 5 Wellington elevation

Document 6 Site Plan

Document 7 Cultural Heritage Impact Statement

DISPOSITION

The Department of Corporate Services, Council and Committee Services Branch, to notify the applicant/ agent Kathleen O' Neill Cole, COLE + Associates Architects Inc. on behalf of Paul Caracristi, Public Works and Government Services Canada 1327A Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 3B6 and the Ontario Heritage Foundation (10 Adelaide Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1J3) of City Council’s consent for new construction in the Sparks Street Heritage Conservation District at 100 Wellington Street.

APPLICATION FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION IN THE SPARKS STREET HERITAGE CONSERVATION DISTRICT AT 100 WELLINGTON STREET-PORTRAIT GALLERY OF CANADA

DEMANDE DE NOUVELLE CONSTRUCTION DANS LE DISTRICT DE CONSERVATION DU PATRIMOINE DE LA RUE SPARKS AU 100, RUE WELLINGTON – MUSÉE DU PORTRAIT DU CANADA

ACS2006-PGM-APR-0008 SOMERSET (15)

Stuart Lazear, Coordinator, Heritage Services, Planning and Infrastructure Approvals Branch, Planning and Growth Management Department (PGM), was asked to explain an amendment to the staff recommendation, proposed by the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC). He outlined that the Advisory Committee had requested a one-metre setback between the proposed infill building (the Portrait Gallery of Canada) and the existing heritage building (the former American Embassy) so that the two buildings would be in alignment. In their view, the lack of a setback for the new building would reduce the heritage building’s prominence, and diminish its significance on the street. Responding to a question from the Chair, Mr. Lazear noted the alignment of other buildings along the street was somewhat staggered.

He explained staff did not support the proposed LACAC amendment because it was felt a courtyard proposed for the space between the heritage building and the Portrait Gallery would provide suitable definition, and would enhance the heritage building’s profile. In addition, most of the ground floor of the proposed addition would be glazed, and a structural post would be set back to allow for a significant view of the heritage building’s western elevation at the pedestrian level and from the street.

Kathleen O’Neill Cole, Project Architect, COLE and Associates Architects Inc., noted this was a complicated project, which involved dealings between different review boards and agencies, and which presented challenging and conflicting requirements. She explained that the National Capital Commission’s (NCC) desire was for all infill development along Wellington Street to be built at the property line to complete a wall to form part of Confederation Boulevard and the NCC’s Ceremonial Route. To this end, she believed the project team had addressed the NCC’s concerns, and had secured its approval.

She added that the project team had also addressed the concerns of the Federal Heritage Building Review Office Committee, which also preferred that the modern building be built at the property line and not in alignment with the heritage building, so that the latter could maintain its identity. The former American Embassy was an anomaly on the street, built with one metre of property in between the building and a surrounding fence to provide ground or territory for the embassy as part of its design when first built in 1932. She highlighted the fact that the Portrait Gallery had a fairly aggressive building program for its site in terms of addressing issues of servicing, maintaining the exiting for buildings along Sparks Street and setting the new wing back from the heritage wing in order to maintain a proper balance between the west, east and north façades.

Ms. O’Neill Cole also felt the design already incorporated a minimum separation distance from the buildings along Sparks Street. She noted the proposed courtyard would function as an outdoor gallery and to set the building further back would not only diminish the size of this usable courtyard space, it would also lessen an observer’s appreciation of the new building from an easterly approach. She further noted the City’s stand with main streets such as Wellington, to have a zero lot line in order to animate streets at the pedestrian level.

Councillor Holmes expressed her appreciation for the Portrait Gallery project and for its ability to reuse such a heritage structure, which would add an easily-accessible, and publicly-oriented facility to the south side of Wellington Street. She also approved of the square between the two buildings which would act as an animated, people-oriented outdoor sculpture gallery, and of the building’s design incorporating glass panelling, which would serve to illuminate the square. The councillor was not prepared to support the LACAC request to set the building back from the property line, because of the loss of the building’s usable space. She felt that the new design incorporated sufficient differentiation to allow for the heritage building to be profiled as it should.

As the elected representative on LACAC, Councillor Bédard explained that some LACAC members had taken issue with the impact the new design would have on the existing Beaux Arts building, noting that at present, an observer could clearly see the heritage building from either an easterly or westerly direction along Wellington Street. They had felt that moving the new building forward would block this view and take away from the beauty of the Beaux Arts building, especially from the west. He acknowledged the existing anomaly in terms of setback, and explained that LACAC had wanted the new structure to follow it. They also believed the loss of space would be insignificant and would have no impact on the proposed square.

Moved by G. Bédard

That the Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council approve the following amendment from LACAC:

That the front façade of the new addition on Wellington Street line up to the existing Beaux Arts building.

LOST

YEAS (3): G. Bédard, M. Bellemare, A. Cullen

NAYS (5): R. Bloess, P. Feltmate, D. Holmes, G. Hunter, P. Hume

That that Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council approve the application for new construction in the Sparks Street Heritage Conservation District at 100 Wellington Street in accordance with the plans filed by Dixon Jones/Teeple Architects/COLE + Associates Architects Inc. included as Documents 3 to 6.

(Note: Approval of this application under the Ontario Heritage Act must not be construed to meet the requirements for the issuance of a building permit)

CARRIED