5. Application to alter 375 cooper street, a property located in the centretown heritage conservation district and designated under part v of the ontario heritage act

DEMANDE AFIN DE MODIFIER LE 375, RUE COOPER, PROPRIÉTÉ SITUÉE DANS LE DISTRICT DE CONSERVATION DU PATRIMOINE DU CENTRE-VILLE ET DÉSIGNÉE EN VERTU DE LA PARTIE V DE LA LOI SUR LE PATRIMOINE DE L’ONTARIO

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

That Council:

1. Approve the application to alter 375 Cooper Street, according to plans submitted by Stéphane Lessard, Stéphane Lessard Design and Implementation on February 4, 2010 and as shown in Document 3.

2. Issue the heritage permit with a two-year expiry from the date of issuance.

(Note: The statutory 90-day timeline for consideration of this application under the Ontario Heritage Act will expire on May 10, 2010.)

(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 COMITÉ

Que le Conseil :

1. approuve la demande de modification du 375, rue Cooper conformément aux plans soumis par Stéphane Lessard, Stéphane Lessard Design and Implementation, le 4 février 2010 et comme indiqué dans le Document 3.

2. délivre un permis en matière de patrimoine dont la date d’expiration sera deux ans après la date de délivrance.

(Nota : Le délai réglementaire de 90 jours d’examen de cette demande, exigé en vertu de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l’Ontario, prendra fin le 10 mai 2010.)

(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.)

Documentation

1. Deputy City Manager's report Planning, Transit and the Environment dated 10 February 2010 (ACS2010-ICS-PGM-0055).

2. Extract of Draft Minutes, Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee, 4 March 2010.

Report to/Rapport au :

Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee

Comité consultatif sur le patrimoine bâti d’Ottawa

and / et

Planning and Environment Committee

Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement

and Council / et au Conseil

10 February 2010 / le 10 février 2010

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

Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability, Services d’infrastructure et Viabilité des collectivités

Contact Person/Personne-ressource : Richard Kilstrom, Acting Manager/Gestionnaire intérimaire, Development Review-Urban Services/Examen des projets d'aménagement-Services urbains, Planning and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance

(613) 580-2424, 22379 Richard.Kilstrom@ottawa.ca

Somerset (14)

Ref N°: ACS2010-ICS-PGM-0055

SUBJECT:	Application to alter 375 cooper street, a property located in the centretown heritage conservation district and designated under part v of the ontario heritage act

OBJET :	DEMANDE AFIN DE MODIFIER LE 375, RUE COOPER, PROPRIÉTÉ SITUÉE DANS LE DISTRICT DE CONSERVATION DU PATRIMOINE DU CENTRE-VILLE ET DÉSIGNÉE EN VERTU DE LA PARTIE V DE LA LOI SUR LE PATRIMOINE DE L’ONTARIO

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee recommend that Planning and Environment Committee recommend that Council:

1. Approve the application to alter 375 Cooper Street, according to plans submitted by Stéphane Lessard, Stéphane Lessard Design and Implementation on February 4, 2010 and as shown in Document 3.

2. Issue the heritage permit with a two-year expiry from the date of issuance.

(Note: The statutory 90-day timeline for consideration of this application under the Ontario Heritage Act will expire on May 10, 2010.)

(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 le patrimoine bâti d’Ottawa recommande au Comité de l’urbanisme et de l’environnement de recommander à son tour au Conseil :

1. D’approuver la demande de modification du 375, rue Cooper conformément aux plans soumis par Stéphane Lessard, Stéphane Lessard Design and Implementation, le 4 février 2010 et comme indiqué dans le Document 3.

2. D’émettre un permis en matière de patrimoine dont la date d’expiration sera deux ans après la date de délivrance.

(Nota : Le délai réglementaire de 90 jours d’examen de cette demande, exigé en vertu de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l’Ontario, prendra fin le 10 mai 2010.)

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 under review, 375 Cooper Street is a two-storey garage-type building constructed in 1956 and located at the rear of the property at 300 Lisgar Street (Canus Plastics). A location map is attached as Document 1.

The existing building was constructed as a warehouse and was owned by Canadian Pittsburgh Industries prior to its purchase by Canus Plastics. The property at 300 Lisgar Street has been subdivided by Canus Plastics and the southern half of the building with the civic address, 375 Cooper Street was sold to the current owner. In the recent past the building has been leased to commercial entities with an apartment on the second floor. Photos of the existing conditions are presented in Document 2. The existing building is an underutilized, semi-industrial site on a mainly residential block of Cooper Street between O’Connor and Bank Streets.

This building was the subject of a previous application under the Ontario Heritage Act in the fall of 2009. The property owner withdrew the application in December 2009 after receiving feedback from Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee (OBHAC) regarding the design. This new application incorporates the comments from both OBHAC and staff regarding the design.

The proposal is to alter the existing building to allow for its complete conversion to residential use with three condominium units. The proposed alterations include adding a third storey penthouse to the building to allow for additional residential units, re-cladding the entire front façade, and providing new landscaping. The only elements to be retained are the glass blocks, which will be relocated on the front façade of the building and the garage door, which will be made smaller and will allow for indoor parking for two vehicles.

Some construction work not requiring a building permit including the replacement of windows and the garage door has already be undertaken. Moreover, as the interior of the building is not designated, extensive renovation work has already taken place.

The applicant will also require an application to the Committee of Adjustment for relief from the Heritage Overlay.

DISCUSSION

Recommendation 1:

375 Cooper Street is located in the Centretown Heritage Conservation District (HCD). The Centretown HCD was designated in 1997 for its cultural heritage value as an “early residential suburb and as the temporary and permanent home of many of those who have governed and shaped the nation.” The Statement of Heritage Character (Document 6) notes that Centretown is a primarily residential area that has experienced periods of redevelopment throughout its history particularly with the introduction of low-rise apartment buildings in the World War I period, and the development of numerous large high-rise buildings in the more recent past. The study also notes that over time there have been anomaly buildings constructed and vacant lots created through demolition.

The Study features general principles related to new development and specific “Guidelines” related to new infill in the District. The existing building at 375 Cooper Street does not fit the historical streetscape of Centretown. The building is a Category 4 building and does not contribute to the historic character of the district. It is an anomaly on this block and in this area of the district and as such it is difficult to apply specific design guidelines from the Centretown Heritage Conservation District Study. The alterations and new use of this building are, however, both in line with the goals of the Centretown Heritage Conservation District Study. The proposed alterations will convert a semi-industrial building into a residential building and this new use is more appropriate to the typically residential pattern of Cooper Street.

The guidelines related to residential infill were used to evaluate the proposed development:

Section VII.5

1. The Centretown area has a dominant late-nineteenth century/turn-of-the-century character, which establishes the essential residential and commercial aspect of the proposed district.

Section VII.5.6 Residential Infill

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.
The form of new infill should reflect the character of existing buildings on adjoining and facing properties. The buildings should normally be three or four storeys in height, with massing and setbacks matching earlier rather than later patterns still evident in the immediate area.
Brick veneer should be the primary finish material in most areas, to maintain continuity with existing building. Trim materials would commonly be wood or metal; the details at cornices, eaves, and entrances should be substantial and well detailed. Colours should be rich and sympathetic to existing patterns. Lighting should be discreet and can be used to highlight architectural features.

The complete Centretown Heritage Conservation District study was previously distributed to all members of OBHAC and is held on file with the OBHAC Co-ordinator (Document 7). A Cultural Heritage Impact Statement/Heritage Planning Rationale is included as Document 5.

The proposed alterations to the property will maintain its location on the lot and greatly improve the appearance of the front façade. The alterations will introduce a mix of materials in a contemporary style using brick, glass, stucco, and painted aluminium panels. The front façade of 375 Cooper Street will be reclad in a thin red brick veneer to maintain continuity with the neighbouring properties. This façade will also feature large panels of glazing, some painted and others will be transparent. The painted panels will be a buff colour to complement the colours of foundations, lintels and sills found throughout the neighbourhood. The flat roof and glass block will be maintained to provide some reference to the industrial history of the building.

The proposal also involves the addition of a partial third storey set back from the front façade by approximately 16 feet. As the existing building is set much further forward on the lot than the neighbouring houses, setting the third storey back to line up with the existing buildings is a mitigation measure to reduce the overall bulk and dominance of this building in the streetscape. In addition to the setback, the height of the building including the new third storey will be 10.11 metres, slightly lower than the highest adjacent building (to the west), which is 11.55 metres. The set back area will be used for rooftop terraces for the units. There will be an additional partial third storey added at the rear of the building. The overall height of the building at the rear will be 28 feet. See Document 4 for renderings showing the proposed building in the streetscape.

The Department supports this application for alteration in the Centretown Heritage Conservation District, as the proposal is sensitive to the surrounding buildings in its use of materials and colours yet it is contemporary and distinguishable from the historic streetscape. The proposal is consistent with the goals of the Centretown Heritage Conservation District through its conversion of an industrial building to a residential building. This new use is more appropriate to the typically residential pattern of Cooper Street.

RURAL IMPLICATIONS

N/A

CONSULTATION

Heritage Ottawa is aware of this project.

The Centretown Citizens Community Association is aware of this project.

COMMENTS BY THE WARD COUNCILLOR(S)

Councillor Diane Holmes is aware of the project and had the following comment:

The use of red brick on the building is more appropriate for this site that the stone previously proposed.

LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

There are no legal/risk management implications associated with this report

CITY STRATEGIC PLAN

F2: Respect the existing urban fabric, neighbourhood form, and limits of existing hard surfaces, so that new growth is integrated seamlessly with established communities.

TECHNICAL IMPLICATIONS

N/A

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

N/A

APPLICATION PROCESS TIMELINE STATUS

This application was completed within the 90-day time period prescribed by the Ontario Heritage Act.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Document 1 Location Map

Document 2 Existing Condition

Document 3 Elevations

Document 4 Streetscape Renderings

Document 5 Heritage Planning Rationale

Document 6 Statement of Heritage Character

Document 7 Centretown Heritage Conservation District Study (Held on file with the City Clerk.)

DISPOSITION

City Clerk and Solicitor Department, Legislative Services to notify the property owner and the Ontario Heritage Trust (10 Adelaide Street East, 3^rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1J3) of Council’s decision to approve the application to alter 375 Cooper Street under the Ontario Heritage Act.
LOCATION MAP DOCUMENT 1

EXISTING CONDITIONS DOCUMENT 2

BIRD’S EYE VIEW

AERIAL VIEW

EXISTING CONDITION

LOOKING EAST ALONG COOPER STREET

LOOKING WEST TOWARDS BANK STREET

LOOKING WEST ACROSS O’CONNOR ALONG COOPER

ELEVATIONS DOCUMENT 3

STREETSCAPE RENDERINGS DOCUMENT 4

HERITAGE PLANNING RATIONALE DOCUMENT 5

STATEMENT OF HERITAGE CHARACTER DOCUMENT 6

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 1890-1914 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 1914-1918 period in response to the need to house additional parliamentary, military, civil service and support personnel. In the recent 1960-1990 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 when the 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 discernable. 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