HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2023-457 - Notice of Intention to Designate 26 Courtland Avenue East
Development Services Department www.kitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Heritage Kitchener
DATE OF MEETING: November 7, 2023
SUBMITTED BY: Garett Stevenson, Manager of Development Review, 519-741-2200
ext. 7070
PREPARED BY: Victoria Grohn, Heritage Planner, 519-741-2200 ext. 7041
WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 9
DATE OF REPORT: October 5, 2023
REPORT NO.: DSD-2023-457
SUBJECT: Notice of Intention to Designate 26 Courtland Avenue East under
Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act
RECOMMENDATION:
That pursuant to Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, the Clerk be directed to
publish a Notice of Intention to Designate the property municipally addressed as 26
Courtland Avenue East as being of cultural heritage value or interest.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this report is to request that Council direct the Clerk to publish a Notice
of Intention to Designate the property municipally addressed as 26 Courtland Avenue
East under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.
An updated Statement of Significa
taken to the Heritage Kitchener Committee on June 6, 2023. On this meeting date, the
Committee recommended that pursuant to Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, the
cultural heritage value or interest of 26 Courtland Avenue East be recognized and
designation pursued.
The key finding of this report is that the property municipally addressed as 26
Courtland Avenue East meets the criteria for designation under Ontario Regulation
9/06 (amended by Ontario Regulation 569/22) and has been confirmed to be a
significant cultural heritage resource.
There are no financial implications.
Community engagement included informing residents by posting this report with the
agenda in advance of the Heritage Kitchener committee meeting, providing written
correspondence to the property owner, and consulting with Heritage Kitchener. In
addition, should Council choose to give notice of its intention to designate, such notice
will be served to the Owner and the Ontario Heritage Trust.
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.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property is located on the north side of Courtland Avenue East between
Queen Street South and Benton Street. The subject property forms part of a walk-up row
Figure 1: Location Map
A full assessment of 26 Courtland Avenue East has been completed and included a field
evaluation and detailed archival research. The findings concluded that the subject property
cultural heritage value was taken to the Heritage Kitchener Committee on June 6, 2023.
On this meeting date, the Committee recommended that pursuant to Section 29 of the
Ontario Heritage Act, the cultural heritage value or interest of 26 Courtland Avenue East
be recognized and designation pursued. This work was undertaken as part of the City of
Kitchener Municipal Heritage Register (MHR) Review, initiated in February of 2023. The
to amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act introduced
in January of 2023 through Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act. The City contacted
owners of listed properties through an initial letter dated May 23, 2023, to inform them of
this undertaking. Owners of properties recommended for designation were contacted via a
second letter dated August 25, 2023, and invited to conta
with any comments, questions, or concerns. Per standard procedure, should Council
support the Notice of Intention to Designate, Owners will be contacted a third time through
a Notice of Intention to Designate (NOID) Letter. An ad for the NOID will also be published
in a newspaper. Once the letter is served and the ad posted, there will be a 30-day appeal
period in which Owners may object to the designation.
REPORT:
Identifying and protecting cultural heritage resources within the City of Kitchener is an
important part of planning for the future, and helping to guide change while conserving the
buildings, structures, and landscapes that give the City of Kitchener its unique identity. The
City plays a critical role in the conservation of cultural heritage resources. The designation
of property under the Ontario Heritage Act is the main tool to provide long-term protection
of cultural heritage resources for future generations. Designation recognizes the
importance of a property
value; encourages good stewardship and conservation; and promotes knowledge and
understanding about the property. Designation not only publicly recognizes and promotes
awareness, but it also provides a process for ensuring that changes to a property are
value and interest.
Figure 2: Front Façade of 26 Courtland Avenue East
The property municipally addressed as 26 Courtland Avenue East is one unit of a three-
th
storey, late 19 century brick row house building constructed in the Victorian Gothic
architectural style. Constructed in 1889, the subject property forms part of the walk-up row
historical/associative, and contextual values. It satisfies five out of the nine criteria for
designation under Ontario Regulation 9/06 (amended by Ontario Regulation 569/22).
Criteria Criteria Met (Yes/No)
1. The property has design value or physical value Yes
because it is a rare, unique, representative or early
example of a style, type, material, or construction
method.
2. The property has design value or physical value No
because it displays a high degree of craftsmanship or
artistic merit.
3. The property has design or physical value because it No
demonstrates a high degree of technical or scientific
achievement.
4. The property has historical value or associative value Yes
because it has direct associations with a theme, event,
belief, person, activity, organization or institution that is
significant to a community.
5. The property has historical or associative value because Yes
it yields, or has the potential to yield, information that
contributes to an understanding of a community or
culture.
6. The property has historical value or associative value No
because it demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of
an architect, artist, builder, designer or theorist who is
significant to a community.
7. The property has contextual value because it is Yes
important in defining, maintaining or supporting the
character of an area.
8. The property has contextual value because it is Yes
physically, functionally, visually, or historically linked to
its surroundings.
9. The property has contextual value because it is a No
landmark.
Design/Physical Value
The design and physical value of 26 Courtland Avenue East relates to the unique
Vernacular Victorian Gothic architectural style that is in good condition with many in-tact
original elements. Walk-up row housing is rare in the context of Kitchener, with not many
examples of this housing typology within the City.
Historical/Associative Value
The historical and associative value of 26 Courtland Avenue East relates to the original
owner, purpose, and relationship to adjacent industrial buildings.
The walk-up row housing is representative of the industrial development that was taking
thth
place in Kitchener in the late 19 and early 20 century. The building was constructed by
Martin Nelson to accommodate the female workers from the adjacent Williams, Greene
and Rome Shirt and Collar Factory on Queen Street South (now known as the Bread and
Roses Cooperative). Nelson also established the Nelson & Forsyth Foundry on King
Street West at College Street. Significant later owners of the row house building included:
Isaac Shantz, A.O. Boehmer, and Joseph Bingeman. Shantz purchased the entire row-
housing block and units were individually sold starting in 1947.
Contextual Value
visual link to the adjacent industrial buildings, including the former Williams, Greene and
Rome Shirt and Collar Factory and the Arrow Shirt Factory.
Heritage Attributes
The heritage value of 26 Courtland Avenue East resides in the following attributes:
All elements relating to the construction and Vernacular Victorian Gothic
architectural style including:
o Yellow brick construction;
o The original height, scale, and massing of the townhouse;
o Original windows and window openings, including:
Segmental window openings;
1/1 hung windows; and
Stained glass transom;
o Original doors and door openings, including:
nd
2 floor segmental door opening;
Stained glass transom;
o Roof and roofline, including:
Flat roof;
Cornice, fascia, and frieze;
o Decorative brickwork including:
Brick voussoirs;
Brick label trim; and
Tri-brick keystones.
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
of the Heritage Kitchener committee meeting.
CONSULT Heritage Planning staff have consulted with the Heritage Kitchener committee
regarding designation under the Ontario Heritage Act. Property owners were invited to
consult via two separate letters dated May 23, 2023 and August 25, 2023.
Section 29(2) of the Ontario Heritage Act requires Council to consult with the Municipal
Heritage Committee (Heritage Kitchener) before giving notice of its intention to designate a
property. Heritage Kitchener will be consulted via circulation and consideration of this
report (see INFORM above). Members of the community will be informed via circulation of
this report to Heritage Kitchener and via formal consideration by Council. In addition,
should Council choose to give notice of its intention to designate, such notice will be
served on the property owner and the Ontario Heritage Trust, and published in the local
newspaper (The Record). Once notice has been served, the owner has the right of appeal
to the Ontario Land Tribunal. It should be noted that should Council decide not to proceed
Heritage Register until January 1, 2025, after which it will be removed according to the
changes enacted by Bill 23. Once removed, it cannot re-listed on the Register again for
five (5) years, i.e. January 1, 2030.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
Ontario Heritage Act, 2022
REVIEWED BY: Rosa Bustamante, Director of Planning
APPROVED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services Department
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A Statement of Significance for 26 Courtland Avenue East
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
26 COURTLAND AVENUE EAST
Summary of Significance
Design/Physical Value Social Value
Historical/Associative Value Economic Value
Contextual Value Environmental Value
Municipal Address: 26 Courtland Avenue East
Legal Description: Plan 398 Part Lot 20 GCT Part Lot 175
Year Built: 1889
Architectural Style: Vernacular Victorian Gothic
Original Owner: Martin Nelson
Original Use: Residence
Condition: Good
Description of Cultural Heritage Resource
th
26 Courtland Avenue East is one unit of a three-storey late 19 century brick row house
building built in the Vernacular Victorian Gothic architectural style. Part of a walk-up row
housing block - the building is situated on a 0.05 acre parcel
of land located on the north side of Courtland Avenue between Queen Street and Benton
Street in the Mill Courtland Woodside Park Planning Community of the City of Kitchener
within the Region of Waterloo. The principal resource that contributes to the heritage
value is the 9-unit walk-up row house building.
Heritage Value
26 Courtland Avenue East is known for its design/physical, historical/associative, and
contextual values.
Design/Physical Value
The design and physical values of 26 Courtland Avenue East relate to the unique
Vernacular Victorian Gothic architectural style that is in good condition with many intact
original elements. The design value also relates to the walk-up row house building.
Walk-up row housing is rare in the context of Kitchener, with not many examples of this
housing typology in the City.
The building features:
Yellow brick construction;
Decorative brick work, including brick voussoirs, brick label trim and tri-brick
keystones on the front façade of row-house;
Flat roof with cornice, fascia and frieze;
nd
2 floor segmental door opening with voussoir;
Segmental window openings;
Original1/1 hung windows and window transoms on the basement and ground
level of the front façade.
Historical/Associative Value
The historical and associative values of 26 Courtland Avenue East relate to the original
owner, purpose, and relationship to adjacent industrial buildings.
The building was constructed by Martin Nelson to accommodate the female workers from
the adjacent Williams, Greene and Rome Shirt and Collar Factory on Queen Street South.
Nelson also established the Nelson & Forsyth Foundry on King Street West at College
Street. The Foundry produced furnaces, boilers, pipes, and heaters. Significant later
owners of the row house building included: Isaac Shantz, A.O. Boehmer, and Joseph
Bingeman.
operated it until 1910. He also
bought the row-housing block. The units of the row house were individually sold beginning
in 1947.
This walk-up row housing is also representative and supports the industrial development
thth
that was taking place in Kitchener in the late 19 century and early 20 century.
Contextual Value
The contextual value of 26 Courtland Avenue East relates to the historic and visual links
to the adjacent industrial buildings, including the former Williams, Green and Rome Shirt
and Collar Factory (now known as the Bread and Roses Cooperative) and the Arrow Shirt
Factory.
Heritage Attributes
The heritage value of 26 Courtland Avenue East resides in the following heritage
attributes:
All elements related to the construction and Vernacular Victorian Gothic architectural
style of the building, including:
o Yellow brick construction;
o The original height, scale, and massing of the townhouse;
o Original windows and window openings, including:
Segmental window openings;
1/1 hung windows; and,
Stained glass transom;
o Original doors and door openings, including:
nd
2 floor segmental door opening;
Stained glass transom;
o Roof and roofline, including:
Flat roof;
Cornice, fascia, and frieze;
o Decorative brickwork, including:
Brick voussoirs;
Brick label trim; and,
Tri-brick keystones.
Stone Foundation
Photographs
26 Courtland Avenue East Entire Nelson Terrace Row House Building
Front Façade of 26 Courtland Avenue East
Rear Façade of 26 Courtland Avenue East