6.         APPLICATION TO ALTER 338 SOMERSET STREET WEST IN THE CENTRETOWN HERITAGE CONSERVATION DISTRICT

 

DEMANDE EN VUE DE MODIFIER LA PROPRIETE DU 338, RUE SOMERSET OUEST SITUEE DANS LE DISTRICT DE CONSERVATION DU PATRIMOINE

 

 
Committee recommendationS

 

That Council:

 

1.         Approve the alteration of 338 Somerset Street West in accordance with the plans by Cole + Associates Architects as received on December 17, 2007 and included as Documents 4 to 7.

 

2.         Delegate approval of any subsequent design changes of a minor nature to the Director of the Planning Branch.

 

 

RecommandationS du Comité

 

Que le Conseil:

 

1.         approuve la modification de la propriété du 338, rue Somerset Ouest conformément aux plans de Cole and Associates Architects reçus le 17 décembre 2007 et qui sont présentés dans les documents 4 à 7.

 

2.         délègue le pouvoir d'approuver toute autre modification de conception de nature mineure au directeur de la Direction de l'urbanisme.

 

 

Documentation

 

1.      Deputy City Manager's report Planning, Transit and the Environment dated 3 January 2008 (ACS2008-PTE-PLA-0027).

 

2.      LACAC Extract of Draft Minutes of 24 January 2008.

 


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

 

03 January 2008 / le 03 janvier 2008

 

Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager /

Directrice municipale adjointe,

Planning, Transit and the Environment /

Urbanisme, Transport en commun et Environnement

 

Contact Person/Personne Ressource : Grant Lindsay, Manager / Gestionnaire, Development Approvals / Approbation des demandes d'aménagement

(613) 580-2424, 13242  Grant.Lindsay@ottawa.ca

 

Somerset Ward (14)

Ref N°: ACS2008-PTE-PLA-0027

 

 

SUBJECT:

Application TO ALTER 338 SOMERSET STREET WEST IN the centretown heritage conservation district

 

 

OBJET :

DEMANDE EN VUE DE MODIFIER LA PROPRIETE DU 338, RUE SOMERSET OUEST SITUEE DANS LE DISTRICT DE CONSERVATION DU PATRIMOINE

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee recommend that Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council:

 

1.                  Approve the alteration of 338 Somerset Street West in accordance with the plans by Cole + Associates Architects as received on December 17, 2007 and included as Documents 4 to 7.

 

2.                  Delegate approval of any subsequent design changes of a minor nature to the Director of the Planning Branch.

 

(Note: Approval to Alter this property under the Ontario Heritage Act must not be interpreted as meeting the requirements for the issuance of a building permit.)

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité consultatif sur la conservation de l’architecture locale recommande au Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement de recommander à son tour au Conseil :

 

1.                  d'approuver la modification de la propriété du 338, rue Somerset Ouest conformément aux plans de Cole and Associates Architects reçus le 17 décembre 2007 et qui sont présentés dans les documents 4 à 7.

 

2.                  de déléguer le pouvoir d'approuver toute autre modification de conception de nature mineure au directeur de la Direction de l'urbanisme.

 

(Nota : L’approbation de la demande de modification 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)

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

The property at 338 Somerset Street West is located in the Centretown Heritage Conservation District which is designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. A location plan is included as Document 1. This report has been prepared because the consent of City Council is required following the review of its Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC) before the alteration of an existing building within a heritage conservation district can proceed.

 

DISCUSSION

 

The building at 338 Somerset Street West dates from approximately 1893. It was originally owned by James Corry, Architect. In 1913, John Cochrane, physician, lived and practiced here. The Heritage Survey Form from the 1995 Centretown Heritage Conservation District Study is included as Document 2. The original building has been altered but the basic form of this late 19th century Queen Anne house remains, with original detailing evident in the front porch and corner roof dormer. The building has been purchased by the Canadian Federation of Students as their National Office. They intend to occupy the new rear addition and rent the original building fronting on Somerset Street. They will gradually expand into the heritage building as required. The Canadian Federation of Students  will be restoring some of the original brickwork in 2008 with the assistance of a City Heritage Grant.

 

The proposed addition will replace an existing rear addition which extends to the west of the existing building. The existing addition was constructed in the 1950s and is 362 square metres in size. It is highly visible from Somerset Street as shown in the photo included as Document 3.

 

 

The proposal would replace the existing two storey 362 square metre addition with a three storey 340 square metre addition which would be far less visible from the street. The proposed addition would be clad primarily in brick in a red colour similar to the brick on the original building fronting on Somerset Street. The proposed designs are included as Documents 4 to 7.

 

The design of the addition is contemporary and this is in keeping with the guidelines of the Centretown Heritage Conservation District Study which state as follows :

 

"VII.5.5  Commercial and Mixed Use Infill

 

Appropriate infill design is critical to the long-term success of the heritage commercial corridors within the District. This infill must respect the existing heritage character by providing sympathetic contemporary design.

 

There has been a continuous process of construction, alteration, demolition and infill over the years. However, the dominant character of the area was set at the turn of the century, and the surviving buildings from this period still establish the best point of reference for the design of infill projects..

 

On Elgin, Somerset and Gladstone, the early building stock was more residential in nature, and contemporary infill must take this adaptive reuse background into account.

 

Recommendation:  All infill should be of contemporary design, distinguishable as being of its own time. However, it must be sympathetic to the heritage character of the area, and designed to enhance these existing properties rather than calling attention to itself."

 

Section 4.6.1.1 and 2 of the Official Plan requires the preparation of a Cultural Heritage Impact Statement. This is included as Document 8.

 

Conclusion

 

Recommendation 1:

 

The proposed development respects the existing 1890s house form building, the historic streetscape  of Somerset Village, and the relevant guideline of the Centretown Heritage Conservation District Study. It is, therefore, supported by the Planning,Transit and the Environment Department.

 

Recommendation 2 :

 

At the present time the architect is considering alternate treatments for the third storey of the addition as illustrated in Document 7. The alternate treatment would be a grey metal or concrete to relate in colour to the roof cladding of original house and differentiate the third storey from the two lower brick clad storeys.

 

 

These alternatives would be equally supported by the Department and consequently Recommendation 2 allows for delegation of approval of that minor design change once the Canadian Federation of Students has decided on a material for the top storey.

 

 

CONSULTATION

 

Adjacent property owners as well as area business and community associations were notified by letter of the date of the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (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 policy regarding heritage alterations, demolitions and infill in a heritage district.

 

The Ward Councillor Diane Holmes is aware of this application.

 

The Somerset Village BIA is aware of this application.

 

The Centretown Citizens Community Association is aware of this application.

 

Heritage Ottawa is aware of this application.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

N/A

 

APPLICATION PROCESS TIMELINE STATUS

 

This report was considered by City Council within the 90-day period required under the Ontario Heritage Act.

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1 - Location Map

Document 2 - Heritage Survey Form

Document 3 - Photo looking South along Somerset Street

Document 4 - Site Plan Existing & Proposed

Document 5 - West and North Elevations

Document 6 - Perspective at entrance

Document 7 - Option 2. Alternative treatment of top storey

Document 8 - Cultural Heritage Impact Statement by Cole + Associates Architects December 14, 2007.


 

DISPOSITION

 

City Clerk's Branch to notify the agent, Kathleen O'Neill Cole, Cole + Associates Architects Inc., 1327A Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ont. K1Y 3B6, the owner, The Canadian Federation of Students, Ste. 500, 170 Metcalfe Street, Ottawa, Ont. K2P 1P3 and the Ontario Heritage Trust (10 Adelaide Street East, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1J3) of City Council’s decision.

 


LOCATION MAP                                                                                                    DOCUMENT 1


HERITAGE SURVEY FORM                                                                                DOCUMENT 2

 


 



PHOTO LOOKING SOUTH ALONG SOMERSET STREET                            DOCUMENT 3

 

Existing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proposed


SITE PLAN EXISTING AND PROPOSED                                                           DOCUMENT 4


WEST AND NORTH ELEVATIONS                                                                    DOCUMENT 5

 

West Elevation


North Elevation


PERSPECTIVE AT ENTRANCE                                                                           DOCUMENT 6

 

 


OPTION 2.  ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT OF TOP STOREY                       DOCUMENT 7


CULTURAL HERITAGE IMPACT STATEMENT                                             DOCUMENT 8

 


 


Local Architectural Conservation

Advisory Committee

EXTRACT OF DRAFT

Minutes 11

24 january 2008

 

 Comité consultatif sur la conservation de l’architecture locale

extrait de l’Ébauche

du Procès-verbal 11

le 24 janvier 2008

 

Application TO ALTER 338 SOMERSET STREET WEST IN the centretown heritage conservation district

DEMANDE EN VUE DE MODIFIER LA PROPRIETE DU 338, RUE SOMERSET OUEST SITUEE DANS LE DISTRICT DE CONSERVATION DU PATRIMOINE

ACS2008-PTE-PLA-0027                                                                              Somerset Ward (14)

 

Stuart Lazear, Coordinator of Heritage Planning provided an overview of the departmental report.

 

The Committee heard from the following delegation speaking in support to the staff report.

 

David Flemming, President, Heritage Ottawa thanked the Committee for the opportunity to speak on this proposal and said that he is in support the staff recommendations.

 

The Committee considered and approved the following motion:

 

Moved by S. Whamond

 

That the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee recommend that Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council:

 

1.         Approve the alteration of 338 Somerset Street West in accordance with the plans by Cole + Associates Architects as received on December 17, 2007 and included as Documents 4 to 7.

 

2.         Delegate approval of any subsequent design changes of a minor nature to the Director of the Planning Branch.

 

(Note: Approval to Alter this property under the Ontario Heritage Act must not be interpreted as meeting the requirements for the issuance of a building permit.)

 

                                                                                                      CARRIED