HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2022-011 - Heritage Permit Application HPA-2022-V-001 - 178 Queen St SStaffeeport
Development Services Department www.kitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Heritage Kitchener
DATE OF MEETING: January 4, 2022
SUBMITTED BY: Rosa Bustamante, Director of Planning, 519-741-2200 ext. 7319
PREPARED BY: Victoria Grohn, Senior Planner (Heritage), 519-741-2200 ext. 7041
WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 9
DATE OF REPORT: December 8, 2021
REPORT NO.: DSD -2022-011
SUBJECT: Heritage Permit Application HPA-2022-V-001 - 178 Queen Street
South - Proposed Demolition
RECOMMENDATION:
That pursuant to Section 42 of the Ontario Heritage Act, Heritage Permit Application
HPA-2022-V-001 be approved to permit the demolition of the existing detached
building located at 178 Queen Street South, subject to the following conditions:
1. That preliminary plans and a timeline for redevelopment be provided to the
satisfaction of Heritage Planning staff prior to the issuance of a demolition
permit.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
• The purpose of this report is to present the proposed demolition detailed in HPA-2022-
V-001.
• The key finding of this report is the proposed demolition is considered minor to the
overall impact of the Victoria Park Neighbourhood Heritage Conservation District.
• There are no financial implications associated with this report.
• Community engagement included consultation with the Heritage Kitchener committee.
• This report supports the delivery of core services.
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
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BACKGROUND:
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Queens Place
Apartments
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Location Map: 178 Queen Street South
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The Development Services Department is in receipt of Heritage Permit Application HPA-
2022-V-001 seeking permission to demolish the existing building municipally addressed as
178 Queen Street South. The property is located on the west side of Queen Street South
near the intersection of Queen Street South and Joseph Street. The property is located
within the Victoria Park Area Heritage Conservation District (VPAHCD) and designated
under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. Demolition is being pursued in response to a
standing Property Standards Order issued by the City on February 14, 2021 and again on
November 25, 2021.
The subject property is occupied with a 2 -storey painted red brick building constructed in
the Edwardian architectural style. The original portion of the building was likely constructed
around 1908. The building is currently vacant but has been occupied by a range of uses
including the Ratz-Bechtel Funeral Home until the 1940s and the Gruhn Funeral Home until
1978. The building was occupied most recently as a multi -unit commercial building known
as the "Park Gate Business Centre".
Page 4 of 71
178 Queen Street South
A structural condition assessment undertaken by Jablonsky, Ast and Partners in May 2021
noted significant physical condition issues located throughout the building, including
extensive water damage, exposure of interior elements, and mould. The structural
assessment concludes that the reconstruction and replacement required to both the interior
and exterior of the building to bring it back up to an occupiable standard would be difficult to
do safely because of the condition of the interacting support elements.
The building is currently vacant and a Property Standards Order was issued for this building
on February 14, 2021 and again on November 25, 2021. The second Order was issued
because of a change in ownership. The interior of the building is completely stripped down
to stud and flooring is missing in roughly half of the building. It has been noted by By-law
Enforcement that the demolition of the building would satisfy the requirements of the Order.
Interior Images: 178 Queen Street South (image sources: Jablonsky & MHBC)
Page 5 of 71
The VPAHCD Plan, adopted by by-law as part of the approval of the Victoria Park Area
Heritage Conservation District contains policies and guidelines that provide direction for the
management of change within the district. Specific policies are provided regarding
demolition. The Plan clearly identifies that the conservation of historic buildings in the
VPAHCD is the primary goal and that there will be presumption against demolition. However,
it is acknowledged that the intent of the Plan is to discourage demolition in the residential
areas and that, in the Queen Street South corridor specifically, demolition is a possibility
where zoning permits significantly higher density than what presently exists.
The applicant is proposing to demolish the building at 178 Queen Street South to address
an outstanding Property Standards Order. The applicant does not have immediate plans to
redevelop the property and is intending to grade and seed/sod the site until a redevelopment
plan is materialized. A Heritage Permit application for any proposed redevelopment of this
site will be required, and the redevelopment will be subject to the policies and guidelines for
new construction as detailed in the VPAHCD Plan.
REPORT:
Heritage Impact Assessment
A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) dated November 2021 has been prepared by MHBC
Planning Ltd. on behalf of the applicant and in support of the subject Heritage Permit
application. The HIA was reviewed by the Heritage Kitchener committee at its meeting held
on December 7, 2021. Members of the Heritage Kitchener committee brought forward
questions about the integrity of the building, how materials will be disposed, and expressed
some concern about parking as an interim use for the site.
The HIA makes the following key observations and conclusions:
• The building has been adaptively reused over time resulting in many unsympathetic
alterations which have in turn compromised the integrity of the building.
• The building has modest design/physical value as an example of the Edwardian
architectural style and is not unique or rare within the VPAHCD.
• The demolition of 178 Queen Street South would result in permanent adverse impact
because of the removal of heritage fabric, however given the unsympathetic
alterations, the building is not considered as a good candidate for long-term
conservation.
Heritage Planning Comments
Heritage Planning staff are in general agreement with the findings and conclusions of the
HIA.
The VPAHCD Plan acknowledges that demolition and appropriate redevelopment may be a
Possibility
While the VPAHCD Plan notes that there will be presumption against demolition and that
the conservation of historic buildings within the district is the primary goal, the Plan does
acknowledge that demolition is a possibility along the Queen Street South corridor where
zoning permits significantly higher density than what presently exists. The character of the
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Queen Street South corridor differs from the interior, stable residential areas that surround
Victoria Park and make up the remainder of the district. Queen Street South is characterized
as an area that is changing and dynamic and incorporates a mix of both residential and
commercial uses. The VPAHCD Plan clearly identifies that the intent of the Plan is to
discourage demolition within the residential areas of the district.
The building does not display a high degree of cultural heritage value or interest
It is acknowledged that the building at 178 Queen Street South has modest design/physical
value as an example of the Edwardian architectural style, but it has been altered over time.
It is also acknowledged that the building has contextual value due to its location within the
VPAHCD. While the architectural style of this building is rarer within the district than the
common Berlin Vernacular and Queen Anne style residential buildings, the property at 178
Queen Street South supports, rather than defines, the overall character of the heritage
conservation district and the Queen Street South corridor.
The integrity of the building has been compromised over time due to unsympathetic
alterations. Original features of the building have been removed, including: the original front
verandah, the original front entrance; removal of original wood windows and reconfiguration
of windows; and removal of all features at the west elevation to accommodate an addition.
While it is acknowledged that the building at 178 Queen Street South has cultural heritage
value or interest, Heritage Planning staff agree that this building is not considered a good
candidate for long-term conservation and that it would not be a candidate for Part IV
(individual) designation if it were located outside of the VPAHCD.
Overall impact of the proposed demolition can be considered minor
It is acknowledged that the demolition of the building at 178 Queen Street South will have
permanent adverse impact as it will result in the removal and loss of heritage fabric.
However, Heritage Planning staff agree with the conclusions made in the HIA that the
physical changes to the building are not complementary, and with the supporting information
that significant mechanical, structural, and cosmetic construction costs would be required to
resolve these impacts. Aside from costs, the structural assessment report prepared by
Jablonsky, Ast and Partners cites that any repair works to the building would be dangerous
to perform safely as the building's current condition is structurally weakened.
Heritage Planning staff agree that the subject property supports rather than defines the
overall character of the VPAHCD and that demolition, while still discouraged within the
district, would have less impact in this location than in the residential portions of the district.
With respect to the proposed demolition impacting adjacent neighbouring properties, no
significant views have been identified, nor have land disturbances because of the proposed
demolition been identified. As such, it is not anticipated that the proposed demolition of the
building would negatively impact the adjacent properties.
Approval to demolish should be made conditional
While Heritage Planning staff generally support the conclusions of the HIA, the property
owner does not have immediate plans to redevelop the site and in the interim has plans to
grade and seed/sod the site. It is anticipated that redevelopment is forthcoming, but the
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VPAHCD Plan notes that empty sites diminish the stature and integrity of the remaining
Queen Street South streetscape. The structural condition report recommends that the
building be demolished and that few building elements are salvageable, but also notes that
the building does not appear to the in danger of imminent collapse.
In this regard, Heritage Planning staff are of the opinion that additional conditions are
warranted to ensure demolition of the building does not occur prematurely and that this lot
is not left as an empty lot in the long term. This includes providing Heritage Planning staff
with preliminary redevelopment details and a timeline for new construction prior to the
issuance of a demolition permit.
In accordance with the Heritage Permit Application form, the approval of an application
under the Ontario Heritage Act shall not be a waiver of any of the provisions of any by-law
of the City of Kitchener or legislation, including but not limited to, the requirements of the
Ontario Building Code and the City's Zoning By-law. In this regard, Heritage Planning staff
confirm that a Building Permit is required.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports the delivery of core services.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Capital Budget — The recommendation has no impact on the Capital Budget.
Operating Budget — The recommendation has no impact on the Operating Budget.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM — This report has been posted to the City's website with the agenda in advance of
the Heritage Kitchener committee meeting.
CONSULT — Heritage Kitchener has been consulted regarding the subject Heritage Permit
application.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
• Ontario Heritage Act
APPROVED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services Department
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A — Heritage Permit Application HPA-2022-V-001
Attachment B — Excerpt from HIA
Page 8 of 71
1 HERITAGE PERMIT APPLICATION &
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Planning Division — 200 King Street West, 6t" Floor
I�IT[NE P.O. Box 1118, Kitchener ON N2G 4G7
519-741-2426; planningCu)-kitchener.ca
STAFF USE ONLY
Date Received:
Accepted By:
Application Number:
H PA -2021 -
PART B: HERITAGE PERMIT APPLICATION FORM
1. NATURE OF APPLICATION
❑ Exterior ❑ Interior ❑ Signage
Cid Demolition ❑ New Construction ❑ Alteration ❑ Relocation
2. SUBJECT PROPERTY
Municipal Address: 178 Queen Street
Legal Description (if know):
Building/Structure Type: ❑ Residential ® Commercial ❑ Industrial ❑ Institutional
Heritage Designation: ❑ Part IV (Individual) Q Part V (Heritage Conservation District)
Is the property subject to a Heritage Easement or Agreement? ❑ Yes 9 No
3. PROPERTY OWNER
Name:
Address:
City/Province/Postal Code:
Phone:
Email:
4. AGENT (if applicable)
Name: c/o Vanessa Hicks
Company: MHBC Planning Ltd.
Address:
City/Province/Postal Code:
Phone:
Email:
2021 City of Kitchener — Heritage Permit Application & Submission Requirements PagPp0# of
a
5. WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
Provide a written description of the project including any conservation methods proposed. Provide such detail
as materials to be used, measurements, paint colours, decorative details, whether any original building fabric
is to be removed or replaced, etc. Use additional pages as required. Please refer to the City of Kitchener
Heritage Permit Application Submission Guidelines for further direction.
Proposed demolition of all buildings and features.
6. REVIEW OF CITY OF KITCHENER HERITAGE PERMIT APPLICATION SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Describe why it is necessary to undertake the proposed work:
Condition issues associated with standing order (Refer to Flle # 20131060 issued by the City of Kitchener on
Fehruar)4 14, ?f1?1)
Describe how the proposal is consistent with the Part IV individual designating by-law or the Part V Heritage
Conservation District Plan:
The proposed demolition is guided by the policies of the VPHCD Plan. Demolition is not prohibited by the policies
of the VPNHCD Plan. There is a presumption against demplition. However, retaining the builidng has been evaluated
Describe how the proposal is consistent with Parks Canada's Standards and Guidelines for the
Conservation of Historic Places in Canada (www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/standards-normes.aspx):
An evaluation of CHVI of the property is provided in detail in the Heritage Impact Assessment which accompanies
this Heritage Permit Application. Given that the building is not of significant CHVI demolition can be justified.
7. PROPOSED WORKS
a) Expected start date: 2022 Expected completion date: 2022
b) Have you discussed this work with Heritage Planning Staff? UYes ❑ No
- If yes, who did you speak to? Victoria Grohn
c) Have you discussed this work with Building Division Staff? ❑ Yes Cid No
- If yes, who did you speak to?
d) Have you applied for a Building Permit for this work? ❑ Yes C;'No
e) Other related Building or Planning applications
5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Application number,
The undersigned acknowledges that all of the statements contained in documents filed in support of this
application shall be deemed part of this application. The undersigned acknowledges that receipt of this
application by the City of Kitchener - Planning Division does not guarantee it to be a `complete' application.
The undersigned acknowledges that the Council of the City of Kitchener shall determine whether the
information submitted forms a complete application. Further review of the application will be undertaken and
the owner or agent may be contacted to provide additional information and/or resolve any discrepancies or
issues with the application as submitted. Once the application is deemed to be fully complete, the application
will be processed and, if necessary, scheduled for the next available Heritage Kitchener committee and
Council meeting. Submission of this application constitutes consent for authorized municipal staff to enter
upon the subject property for the purpose of conducting site visits, including taking photographs, which are
Page Pn
2021 City of Kitchener — Heritage Permit Application & Submission Requirements age O of
necessary for the evaluation of this application. The undersigned acknowledges that where an agent has
been identified, the municipality is authorized but not required to contact this person in lieu of the owner and
this person is authorized to act on behalf of the owner for all matters respecting the application. The
undersigned agrees that the proposed work shall be done in accordance with this application and
understands that the approval of this application under the Ontario Heritage Act shall not be a waiver of any
of the provisions of any by-law of the City of Kitchener or legislation including but not limited to the
requirements of the Code and the Zoning By-law. The undersigned acknowledges that in the event
this application is appany departure from the conditions imposed by the Council of the City of Kitchener
or from the plans or specifications approved by the Council of the City of Kitchener is prohibited and could
result in a fine being imposed or imprisonment as provided for under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Signature of Owner/Agent: __w Date: 2021.11.23
Signature of Owner/Agent:
6. AUTHORIZATION
Date:
If this application is being made by an agent on behalf of the property owner, the following authorization must
be completed:
I / We, , owner of the land that is subject of this application,
hereby authorize MHBC Planning Ltd. to act on my / our behalf in this regard.
Signature of Owner/Agent: N Date: 2021.11.23
Signature of Owner/Agent:
Date:
The personal information on this form is collected under the legal authority of Section 33(2), Section 42(2),
and Section 42(2.2) of the Ontario Heritage Act. The information will be used for the purposes of
administering the Heritage Permit Application and ensuring appropriate service of notice of receipt under
Section 33(3) and Section 42(3) of the Ontario Heritage Act. If you have any questions about this collection
of personal information, please contact the Manager of Corporate Records, Legislated Services Division,
City of Kitchener (519-741-2769).
STAFF USE ONLY
Application Number:
Application Received:
Application Complete:
Notice of Receipt:
Notice of Decision:
90 -Day Expiry Date:
PROCESS:
❑ Heritage Planning Staff:
❑ Heritage Kitchener:
❑ Council:
2021 City of Kitchener — Heritage Permit Application & Submission Requirements Page gag of of I
December 2"d, 2021
Vanessa Hicks
MHBC Planning
540 Bingemans Centre Drive, Suite 200
Kitchener, Ontario
N2B 3X9
178 Queen St. S. Construction Cost Comparison
Dear Vanessa Hicks,
has completed a preliminary review of the building located at 178 Queen St S., Kitchener, in
conjunction with the structural evaluation completed by Jablonsky, Ast and Partners (May 2021).
- specializes in retrofitting of existing heritages buildings and has completed several adaptive
reuse projects over the years. Some of the more recent examples include the Lang Tannery, Breithaupt
Block (Google Headquarters), 87 King Street St. W. and the Glove Box.
The building at 178 Queen Street S., in its current state, would require significant mechanical, structural,
and cosmetic construction costs to bring back to an Ontario Building Code Standard. This work would
include significant shoring to support the building's exterior brick structure, replacement of all wood floor
joists, wall studs and ceiling joist/rafters, full mechanical, electrical, and architectural replacement as well
as roofing and brick repointing/repair. It should be noted that a portion of the brick is load bearing and
needs to be assessed further to fully understand repairability.
Based on the existing condition of the building, it is our opinion that the cost to complete the above works
would be between $450 to $500 dollars per sq.ft. The building is approximately 2,370 sq.ft. resulting in a
cost to repair of between $1,066,500 and $1,185,000.
Lastly it should be noted that this repair work would be dangerous to perform safey as the buildings
current condition is structurally weakened.
Demolition of this building (based on discussions with local demotion companies) would range from
$35,000 to $50,000.
Page 12 of 71
Cultural Heritage
IMPACT
Assessment
Report
178 Queen Street South,
Kitchener ON
Date:
November 2021
Prepared for:
Prepared by:
MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clark-
son Planning Limited (MHBC)
200-540 Bingemans Centre Drive
Kitchener, ON N2B 3X9
T: 519 576 3650
F: 519 576 0121
'Our file: '20222 H'
MHBC
PLANNING
URBAN DESIGN
& LANDSCAPE
ARCHITECT;JRE
Heritage Impact Assessment Report
178 Queen Street, City of Kitchener
Table of Contents
ProjectPersonnel........................................................................................................................................................................................................3
Glossaryof Abbreviations......................................................................................................................................................................................3
Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................................................................................................3
1.0 Introduction..................................................................................................................................................................................................5
1.1 Location of Subject Property..................................................................................................................................................................5
1.2 Heritage Status................................................................................................................................................................................................6
1.3 Adjacent Heritage Properties..........................................................................................................................................................6
1.4 Land Use and Zoning..................................................................................................................................................................7
1.5 Purpose of Report ...................................................................................... .....................................................................................8
2.0 Policy Context................................................................................,,,,,,,,,,,,.......................I-,..........................................................9
2.1 The Planning Act and PPS 2020...........................................................................................................................................9
2.2 The Ontario Heritage Act ....................................... .............................. ,.................................. ......................................,,.10
2.3 Region of Waterloo Official Plan ............................. ................................................................................................10
2.4 City of Kitchener Official Plan.........., .......................................................................................................................11
2.5 Victoria Park Area Heritage Conservatio istrict n.......................................................................................................14
3.1 County of Waterloo, Waterloo T ip....................................................................................................................................16
3.2 Victoria Park Neigh ur o . ........................................................................................................................................17
3.3178 Queen Street South...................................................................................................................................................................17
4.0 Description of Cultural Heritage Resources.....................................................................................................................................27
4.1 Description of Context an-400tting................................................................................................................................................27
4.2 Description of 178 Queen Street South.......................................................................................................................................28
5.0 Description of Proposed Development.............................................................................................................................................35
6.0 Evaluation of Cultural Heritage Resources.......................................................................................................................................36
6.1 Evaluation of 178 Queen Street South..........................................................................................................................................36
6.2.1 Design/Physical Value..............................................................................................................................................................37
6.2.2 Historical/Associative Value..................................................................................................................................................38
6.2.3 Contextual Value..........................................................................................................................................................................38
7.0 Impact Analysis........................................................................................................................................................................................39
7.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
October 2021
Page 14 of 71
Heritage Impact Assessment Report
178 Queen Street, City of Kitchener
7.2 Victoria Park Area Heritage Conservation District Plan.......................................................................................................39
7.2.1 Demolition............................................................................................................................................................................................39
7.3 Impact of Demolition of 178 Queen Street South........................................................................................................41
7.3.1 Impacts of Demolition to 178 Queen Street South.....................................................................................................41
7.3.2 Impacts of Demolition on Adjacent Lands.......................................................................................................................42
8.1 Alternative Development Approaches................................................................................................................................44
8.1.1 Do Nothing...........................................................................................................................................................................................44
8.1.2 Retain Building or Portion of Building On-Site...............................................................................................................44
8.1.3 Re -locate Building Off-Site..........................................................................................................................................................45
8.2 Mitigation & Conservation Recommendations........................................................................................................45
9.0 Conclusions and Recommendations..............................................................................................................................47
10.0 Bibliography..................................................................................................... ...............................................................................49
Appendix A: Structural Condition Report.............................................................................................................................50
AppendixB: Title Search........................................................................... ...........................................................................................51
Appendix C: Photographic Documentation (US to stick)............................................................................................52
AppendixD: Curriculum Vitae ............................................. .......................................................................................................53
October 2021
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Heritage Impact Assessment Report
178 Queen Street South, City of Kitchener
Project Personnel
Dan Currie, MA, MCIP, RPP,
CAHP
Vanessa Hicks, CAHP
Managing Director of Cultural
Heritage
Heritage Planner
Glossary of Abbreviations
CHER
MHBC
MHSTCI
OHA
OHTK
0 -REG 9/06
PPS 2020
VPAHCD
Acknowledgements
Senior Review
Historical Research, Author,
Field Analyst
Cultur ritage uation Report
MacNaughton Hermse Britton Clarkson
Planning Limited
Ministry of Heritage Sport, Tourism and Culture
Industries
Vtario Heritage Act
Ontario Heritage Toolkit
Ontario Regulation 9/06 for determining cultural
heritage significance
Provincial Policy Statement (2020)
Victoria Park Area Heritage Conservation District
Please note that the City of Kitchener Public Library does not permit the publishing of Fire Insurance
Plans for any purposes other than personal research. As such, this report provides written descriptions
and references to Fire Insurance Plans only.
October 2021 M H BC 13
Page 16 of 71
Heritage Impact Assessment Report
178 Queen Street South, City of Kitchener
Executive Summary
MHBC was retained by to prepare a Heritage Impact Assessment
(HIA) for the subject property located at 178 Queen Street South as it is located within the Victoria
Park Area Heritage Conservation District (VPAHCD) and designated under Part V of the Ontario
Heritage Act. The owners propose the demolition of the building located on the property at 178
Queen Street South. The building is currently in poor condition and has an outstanding By-law
order due to its general safety and condition (Refer to File # 20131060 issued by the City of
Kitchener on February 14, 2021). The proposed demolition is not related to a planning application
and new development is not being proposed at this time. In the interim, the property will likely
be utilized as surface parking.
The purpose of this Heritage Impact Assessment is to a) ;erimin e cultural heritage value or
interest as per Ontario Regulation 9/06 recognizing t icated n the Victoria Park Area
Heritage Conservation District, and b) assess th acthe proposed demolition of the
existing building.
The subject property includes a single d
beginning in the early 20th century as a funer)inc
is surrounded by mixed de pment
developments along the Quee e South Mix
g which was adaptively re -used
re and Tater as an office building. The property
ing medium to high density residential
Use Corridor.
The demolition of the ing building178 Queen Street South results in a permanent adverse
impact as it include removal of heritage fabric. However, the unsympathetic alterations to
the building have mini d its design/physical value and it is not considered a good candidate
for long-term conservation. The demolition of the existing building is not anticipated to result in
adverse impacts to adjacent cural heritage resources which are designated under Part V as part
of the Victoria Park Area Heritage Conservation District.
The proposed demolition of the building can be supported provided that the following
mitigation measures are undertaken:
• Documentation of the interior and exterior of the building with photographs (as
provided in Appendix C of this report);
• Documentation of the history of the site as per the information provided in this
report so that it may be added to the historic record; and
• That any proposed development on the site in the future refer to the policies and
guidelines of the Victoria Park HCD Plan related to new construction.
October2021
MHBC 14
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