Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHK - 2020-01-07 - Item 1 - Summary Draft Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) - 50-52, 56 Weber St W & 107 Young StDate:December 16, 2019 To: Members of Heritage Kitchener From: Leon Bensason, Coordinator, Cultural Heritage Planning cc: Subject:50-52 & 56 Weber Street West, 107 Young Street Draft Heritage Impact Assessment The Planning Division is in receipt of a draft Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) dated December 6,2019 prepared by MHBC Planning Ltd.,regarding a proposal to demolish the existing buildings located on 50-52 & 56 Weber Street West and 107 Young Street; and to redevelop the subject properties with a 42- unit, 6 storey multiple residential building. The subject properties are located within the Civic Centre Neighbourhood Heritage Conservation District. The applicant’s heritage consultant will be in attendance at the January 7, 2020 meeting of Heritage Kitchener to present the draft HIA and answer questions. Heritage Planning staff will be seeking the committee’s input and comments which will be taken into consideration as part of staff’s review of the HIA and the processing of related Heritage Permit and Planning Act applications. A motion or recommendation to Council will not be required at the January meeting. It is anticipated that a staff report regarding Heritage Permit applications seeking the consent of Council to demolish the existing buildings, will be prepared for consideration by Heritage Kitchener on February 4, 2020. A copy oftheExecutive Summary from the draft HIA isattached to this memo. The full draft HIA will be made available under separate cover on the City’s websitetogether with the January 7, 2020 meeting agenda. ________________________________ Leon Bensason, MCIP, RPP, CAHP Coordinator, Cultural Heritage Planning Acknowledged By: Brandon Sloan, Manager of Long Range & Policy Planning 1 - 1 HERITAGEIMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT Phase I & II 50-52 Weber Street West, 56 Weber Street West & 107 Young Street, City of Kitchener Date: December 5, 2019 Prepared for: Prepared by: MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clarkson Planning Limited (MHBC) 200-540 Bingemans Centre Drive Kitchener, ON N2B 3X9 T: 519 576 3650 F: 519 576 0121 Our File: ‘17191A’ 1 - 2 Heritage Impact Assessment Report Phase I & II 50-52 Weber Street West, 56 Weber Street West, and 107 Young Street, City of Kitchener, ON Executive Summary MHBC Planning, Urban Design and Landscape Architecture (“MHBC”) was retained by to undertake a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for three (3) properties located at 50-52 Weber Street West, 56 Weber Street West and 107 Young Street, City of Kitchener. The subject lands are located north of the downtown core within the Civic Centre Neighbourhood Heritage Conservation District (CCNHCD). As such, the subject lands are designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. The Owner proposes to redevelop the site to a six (6) storey multiple residential building. The buildings at 50- 52 & 56 Weber Street West and 107 Young Street are proposed to be demolished. This report concludes the cultural heritage value of each property as follows: 50-52 Weber Street, “The Cottage” has representative design value as a representative Ontario Gothic Revival Cottage and contextual value for its location in CCNHCD; 56 Weber Street, “The Motz House” has representative design value as a Queen Anne building, historical associations with John and William J. Motz and Henry J. Shoniker and contextual value in CCNHCD; 107 Young Street, “The Craftsman House” has representative value as Arts and Craft/ Craftsman house, its historical association with architect C. Knetchel and contextual value in CCNHCD. While the HCD generally discourages demolition, the subject lands are within the Weber Street Policy Area of the CCNHCD. The Plan does consider that change will occur within the Weber Street corridor. While the loss of cultural heritage resources is discouraged, the HCD Plan recognizes that redevelopment may occur in compliance with the Official Plan. The proposed development is consistent with policies for increasing density along the Weber corridor in the City of Kitchener Official Plan and the Zoning By-law. Impacts This report concludes that heritage impacts, due to the proposed development, are as follows: Moderate impact of demolition of 50-52 Weber Street as an early representation of a Gothic Revival Cottage and identified as a Category ‘B’ building; Minor impact of demolition for 56 Weber Street which is identified as a Category ‘C’ building; December 4, 2019 MHBC | 5 1 - 3 Heritage Impact Assessment Report Phase I & II 50-52 Weber Street West, 56 Weber Street West, and 107 Young Street, City of Kitchener, ON Moderate impact of the demolition of 107 Young Street from the CCNHCD which is identified as a Category ‘C’ building. Potential impact of land disturbances to the foundation of 48 Weber Street West as the distance between new construction and the adjacent building is approximately 3.3 metres. The proposed development of the subject lands will have an overall minor impact on the HCD based on the following rationale: Weber Street is a principle street within the CCNHCD Study (2007) however, the CCNHCD Plan (2007) does acknowledge anticipated development and also that the size and scale of heritage buildings on Weber Street “is generally larger than the rest of the district”; None of the buildings located on the subject lands are identified as a Group ‘A’ in the architectural summary. Group ‘A’ buildings are noted as being of ‘major heritage importance’; 56 Weber Street is considered Group ‘C’ as the type of architecture is well represented in the District ( approximately 10.5% of buildings (40 buildings) in the District are Queen Anne); there are better conserved examples within the interior of the District; 50-52 Weber Street is considered Group ‘B’ due to its early representation of a Gothic Revival Cottage; the building is modestly constructed in this style but has been altered throughout the years, some of which is unsympathetic to the heritage character of the house; 107 Young Street is considered Group ‘C’, and is described as a ‘vernacular’ building; 40.61% of the buildings (147 buildings) in the district are identified as ‘vernacular’; and, The subject lands are not identified as being located within a Heritage Corridor as identified in Map 9, Cultural Heritage Resources. Alternative development scenarios have been reviewed as part of the HIA. Alternatives that retain the buildings 50-52 and 56 Weber Street West and 107 Young Street have been evaluated, however, their retention would have less impact on heritage resources than would the proposed development. Retaining all buildings significantly limits the amount of intensification that could occur on site. This report has concluded that the proposed new building is generally compatible with the CCNHCD Plan (2007) policies in Sub-section 3.3.5.2 and guidelines in Sub-section 6.9.4 specific to the Weber Street corridor. It has been determined that the proposed development’s scale, mass, setbacks and orientation complies with the CCNHCD Plan (2007) and Section 12.C.1.26 of the Official Plan regards change December 4, 2019 MHBC | 6 1 - 4 Heritage Impact Assessment Report Phase I & II 50-52 Weber Street West, 56 Weber Street West, and 107 Young Street, City of Kitchener, ON management and redevelopment in an HCD as well as City other policies within the City’s Official Plan, Zoning By-law. Adjacent heritage buildings to the east of the subject lands- 48 Weber Street West, Windermere Apartments- and to the west (non-contiguous) -96 Young Street/58-60 Weber Street West- are of a similar scale and mass of proposed development and thus, it is does not pose an impact to these buildings. Implementation Recommendations If one or more of the buildings are removed, it is recommended that heritage building material be salvaged. The following list outlines identified building material that should be salvaged as part of a selective demolition relevant to each building: Brick and stone elements of the exterior (107 Young Street) All windows with leaded-glass (107 Young Street) Original door on front elevation (107 Young Street) Hand hewn beams (50-52 Weber Street) Original window frames (50-52 & 56 Weber Street) Original door frames (56 Weber Street) Brackets (56 Weber Street) Salvaged heritage building material is recommended to be reused on site where feasible and/ or given to the City at no cost for re-use, archival, display or commemorative purposes pursuant to 12.C.1.32 of the Official Plan. Commemoration of a removed cultural heritage resource is strongly encouraged by the City (12.C.1.4.2, Official Plan). Commemoration for the removal of 56 Weber Street, “The Motz House” meets 12.C.1.4.2 (c) as it has historical associative value. It is suggested that the incorporation of the names Motz and Shoniker in the landscape design such as: Hardscaping, memorial entry way with surname inlay (i.e. Motz’ Corner) Seating created with salvaged wood with name plaques; Art display which includes a photo of the Motz Family and Home. December 4, 2019 MHBC | 7 1 - 5 Heritage Impact Assessment Report Phase I & II 50-52 Weber Street West, 56 Weber Street West, and 107 Young Street, City of Kitchener, ON If demolition is approved for any of the buildings included in the proposal, it is recommended thatthis report be deemed by the City as archival documentation to support the demolitions pursuant to 12.C.1.33-34 of the City of Kitchener’s Official Plan. It is also recommended that this report, including all supplementary reports to this HIA, should be made available to the Kitchener Public Library for reference. It is recommended that a Cultural Heritage Protection Plan be established for 48 Weber Street West as it is in close proximity of the new construction. The CHPP should include the following: Preconstruction inspection of building foundation; Detailed description of measures to be undertaken to protect the building from physical damage during construction activities; A Vibration Monitoring Report outlining the measures to be implemented to measure vibration impacts; Certification from a qualified engineer that the drainage, footings and foundation plans have been designed to avoid causing negative impacts. December 4, 2019 MHBC | 8 1 - 6