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13. aPPLICATION TO ALTER 741
ACACIA AVENUE, A PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE ROCKCLIFFE PARK HERITAGE
CONsERVATION District, DESIGNATED UNDER |
Committee recommendation as
amended
That Council approve the alteration of
741 Acacia Avenue, 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 Robert Martin, Architect as received on May 2, 2006, and as amended
by the following recommendation from LACAC:
That plate glass windows and doors be
used instead of the divided lights, to retain the transparency of the loggia
entrance.
(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.)
Recommandation modifiée du Comité
Que le Conseil approuve la modification du 741, avenue Acacia, propriété
désignée aux termes de la Partie V de la Loi
sur le patrimoine de l’Ontario et située dans le district de conservation du
patrimoine de Rockcliffe Park, conformément aux plans déposés par Robert
Martin, architecte, et reçus le 2 mai 2006, sous réserve de la modification
suivante proposée par le Comité consultatif sur la conservation de
l’architecture locale :
Que des fenêtres et des portes à vitre de glace soient utilisées plutôt
que des fenêtres et des portes à carreaux afin de conserver la transparence de
l’entrée de la loggia.
(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.)
Documentation
1. Deputy City Manager's report (Planning
and Growth Management) dated
19 May 2006 (ACS2006-PGM-APR-0135).
2.
Extract
of Draft Minute, 27 June 2006.
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
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, Program Manager
Planning and Infrastructure
Approvals/Approbation des demandes d’aménagement et d’infrastructure
(613) 580-2424 x13242, Grant.Lindsay@ottawa.ca
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Local
Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee recommend that Planning and
Environment Committee recommend that Council approve the alteration of 741
Acacia Avenue, 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 Robert Martin, Architect as received on May
2, 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.)
RECOMMANDATION DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité consultatif sur la conservation
de l'architecture locale (CCCAL) recommande au Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement de recommander à son tour au Conseil d'approuver la
modification du 741, avenue Acacia, propriété désignée aux termes de la Partie
V de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l'Ontario et située dans le district de
conservation du patrimoine de Rockcliffe Park, conformément aux plans déposés
par Robert Martin, architecte, et reçus le 2 mai 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 - 8 June 2006
LACAC approved the report recommendation with the addition of the
following:
To retain the transparency of the loggia entrance, use plate glass windows and doors (instead of divided lights, as proposed).
An Extract of Draft Minutes will be circulated prior to the Planning and Environment Committee meeting.
BACKGROUND
741 Acacia Avenue, the
Egyptian Ambassador's Residence, is located within the boundaries of the
Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District, designated as a heritage
conservation district under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1997 (see Document
1). It is included on the list of
significant heritage resources compiled by the former Village of Rockcliffe
Park. This Report has been prepared
because Rockcliffe Park's status as a heritage conservation district requires
the consent of City Council before major alterations to significant properties
can proceed.
ANALYSIS
The Egyptian Ambassador's Residence is a prominent Rockcliffe Park landmark. Located at the north end of the neighbourhood, its prominent hill top location commands sweeping views eastwards down the Ottawa River. It was designed by Alan Keefer, a long-time Rockcliffe resident and favoured architect of the area, as his family house and was then owned for many years by William deCourcy Topley, a prominent Ottawa photographer. The house, Tudor Revival in style, has changed little since its construction and is distinguished by half-timbering, multi-paned windows, the use of stone and stucco, a stepped parapet and a recessed entrance sheltered within a porch with triple arches (see Document 2).
The current project involves an addition to the rear of the building that will increase its functionality as an ambassador's residence. Main floor reception space will be added, kitchens enlarged and space for visiting government officials constructed. Initial drawings for the project were reviewed by heritage staff in early April. At that time, staff expressed concern about the placement and design of the windows, the design of the balcony railing, the garage doors and the design of the doorways in the one story addition planned for the west elevation of the house. In response to staff's concerns, the plans were changed so that the proposed windows were more sympathetic to the original windows, the balcony railing and garage doors were re-designed, and the one storey reception room addition designed to be more evocative of the original character of the house (see Document 3).
In April 2006, after the applicant had undertaken the revisions recommended by heritage staff, the Heritage sub-committee of the Rockcliffe Park Residents Association reviewed the building at a meeting that was also attended by the building's design team. At that meeting, the architect outlined the plans for the building in detail. Questions regarding the materials to be used, details of the addition's design and the function of various parts of the house were discussed. The sub-committee had no major concerns with the design, although there were questions about the roofing material and the windows.
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.
Site plan issues were addressed in accordance with the On Time Review Implementation Policy approved by City Council on October 13, 2004. The approved landscape plan is included as Document 4.
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 changes suggested for the project and implemented by the applicant, were influenced by these "Guidelines." The proposed addition makes stylistic references to Tudor Revival houses of the early 20th century, a design idiom often referred to within the context of Rockcliffe Park. The addition's placement to the rear of the historic part of the house, its materials and design and landscaping are also consistent with the cultural landscape traditions of Rockcliffe Park. These qualities, and the building's compatibility with its landscape, 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 Architecture Conservation Advisory (LACAC) and Planning and Environment Committee meetings and were provided with comment sheets to be returned to LACAC. This is in accordance with the City's public participation policies of the former City of Ottawa.
The Rockcliffe Park Residents' Association was informed of the project and the Heritage Sub-committee of the Association reviewed the proposal and has no objections to it.
Jacques Legendre, the Ward Councillor, is aware of this application under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Heritage Ottawa is aware of this application to alter.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
N/A
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 Location Map
Document 2 Historic Photo, 1920s
Document 3 Proposed Addition, All Elevations
Document 4 Landscape Plan
DISPOSITION
Corporate Services Department Council and Committee Services Branch, to notify the applicant/ agent (Robert Martin, Robertson Martin and Associates, Architects, 357 Waverley Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5N4) and the Ontario Heritage Trust (10 Adelaide Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1J3) of City Council's consent to construct a new addition to the rear of 741 Acacia Avenue.
DOCUMENT 1
LOCATION MAP
DOCUMENT 2
HISTORIC PHOTO, 1920s
Keefer House, circa 1920 (National Archives, PA034249)
DOCUMENT 3
PROPOSED ADDITION, ALL ELEVATIONS
DOCUMENT 4
LANDSCAPE
PLAN
