HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2023-466 - Notice of Intention to Designate 70 Francis Street North
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: Jessica Vieira, Heritage Planner, 519-741-2200 ext. 7291
WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 10
DATE OF REPORT: October 12, 2023
REPORT NO.: DSD-2023-466
SUBJECT: Notice of Intention to Designate 70 Francis Street North 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 70
Francis Street North 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 70 Francis Street
North under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.
An updated Statement of Signi
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 70 Francis Street North be recognized, and
designation pursued.
The key finding of this report is that the property municipally addressed as 270 Francis
Street North 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. The property is recognized for its design/physical,
historical/associative, and contextual value.
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 Francis Street North, to the west of
Francis Street North and Water Street North intersection. The heritage resource is a two-
th
and-one-half storey late 19 century brick house built in the Queen Anne architectural
style. The building is situated on a 0.24-acre parcel of land in the City Commercial Core
Planning Community of the City of Kitchener within the Region of Waterloo.
Figure 1: Location Map of Subject Property
A full assessment of 70 Francis Street North has been completed and included a field
evaluation and detailed archival research. The findings concluded that the subject
property meets the criteria for designation. An updated Statement of Significance on the
en 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 70 Francis Street
North 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.
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 le
Heritage Planner 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
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 Facade of Subject Property
Figure 3-4: Side Facades of Subject Property
70 Francis Street North is recognized for its design/physical, historical/associative, and
contextual value. It satisfies five of the nine criteria for designation under Ontario
Regulation 9/06 (amended by Ontario Regulation 569/22). A summary of the criteria that is
met or not met is provided in the table below.
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 Yes
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 No
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 building at 70 Francis Street North has design and physical value, being a
th
representative example of a late-19 century residential dwelling constructed in the Queen
Anne Revival architectural style. It utilizes a mix of materials in its design, including buff
brick now dark and weathered in appearance cedar shake along the gables and turret,
and black asphalt shingles.
Historical / Associative Value
as its connection to the theme of economic development within the City. The residential
dwelling was built for Albert Ruby, a prominent citizen and life-long resident of Berlin (now
Kitchener) and a major contributor to the furniture industry within the area. H. Krug
Hartman Krug. The Rub-Krug business relationship lasted many years, and their
connection developed further when Albert Ruby and Hartman Krug later married sisters
Frances Dunn and Mary Ann Dunn and became brothers-in-law. Albert Ruby acted as the
First Secretary Treasurer of Krug Furniture Co. until his death in 1932 at the age of 66.
The position was then superseded by his son Leonard W. Ruby, who later became the
Vice-President of the company in 1954, the President in 1962, and Chairman to the
company in 1971. The Ruby family still retains a prominent presence and remains actively
involved with Krug Furniture, with Len Ruby being the President of the company as of
2023.
The establishment of Krug Furniture was instrumental to the growth and development of
the City and its
furniture plant in the British Empire, and consequently by 1920 the Town of Berlin
emerged as the furniture capital of Canada. Major furniture shows were hosted within the
City and buyers would travel across the country to Berlin in order to view new trends. Krug
Furniture continues to be a leader in the design and manufacturing of furniture solutions,
specifically now for offices and healthcare, and it remains one of the oldest businesses still
operating in Kitchener.
Contextual Value
The contextual value of 70 Francis Street North relates to the physical, historical, and
visual links to the surrounding area. The building is in its original location along Francis
Street North and is surrounded by other historic buildings. This includes 64 Water Street to
the south (the First Church of Christ Scientist), 97 Victoria Street North to the north, and
42 Francis Street North further to the west. Though the house is now used as an office
space, it continues to contribute to the continuity and character of the Francis Street North
streetscape. Further, it is historically linked to the Krug Furniture factory located in
proximity at 111 Ahrens Street West/135 Breithaupt Street.
Heritage Attributes
The heritage value of 70 Francis Street North resides in the following identified attributes.
All elements related to the construction and Queen Anne architectural style of the
building, including:
o Irregular building plan;
o Buff brick laid in a common bond;
o Rock-faced stone foundation;
o Projecting two storey bay on south elevation with gambrel roof;
o Modified gable roof;
o Octagonal tower with an eight-sided conical roof;
o Plain fascia, moulded soffit, and frieze with dentils and mouldings;
o Windows and window openings, such as the 1/1 windows with flat rusticated
lintels, the large first floor windows with half-round transoms, the 1/1 round
topped windows with decorative surrounds and keystone, the three part oriel
window; the three section window with a two section elliptical-arch transom
and brick label and, the two storey bay window with a bracketed pediment
gable above;
o Main entrance door with single light, sidelights and transom with beveled
glass; and,
o Verandah.
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
Bill 23 Municipal Heritage Register Review (DSD-2023-225)
REVIEWED BY: Rosa Bustamante, Director of Planning
APPROVED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services Department
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A Statement of Significance for 70 Francis Street North
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
70 FRANCIS STREET NORTH
Summary of Significance
Design/Physical Value Social Value
Historical Value Economic Value
Contextual Value Environmental Value
Municipal Address: 70 Francis Street North
Legal Description: Plan 374 Part Lot 125 & 126
Year Built: c. 1898
Architectural Style: Queen Anne
Original Owner: Albert Ruby
Original Use: Residential
Condition: Good
Description of Cultural Heritage Resource
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70 Francis Street North is a two-and-one-half storey late 19 century brick house built in the Queen
Anne architectural style. The residence is situated on a 0.24 acre parcel of land located on the north
side of Francis Street North between Duke Street West and Water Street North in the City
Commercial Core Planning Community of the City of Kitchener within the Region of Waterloo. The
principal resource that contributes to the heritage value is the house.
Heritage Value
70 Francis Street North is recognized for its design/physical, historical/associative, and contextual
value.
Design/Physical Value
The building at 70 Francis Street North has design and physical value, being a representative
th
example of a late-19 century residential dwelling constructed in the Queen Anne Revival
architectural style. It utilizes a mix of materials in its design, including buff brick now dark and
weathered in appearance cedar shake along the gables and turret, and black asphalt shingles.
Front South Façade
The building is asymmetrical in its massing, with projecting bay windows to the left and an octagonal
turret with an eight-sided conical roof to the right. The projecting bay has a gambrel roofline, and the
rest of the roof is steeply pitched. Frieze board decorated with a foliated scroll wraps around the
turret, while frieze board with a simpler dentil pattern is present along the rest of the second-storey
roofline. Fan brackets with ornamental pendants are also present at the corners of the projecting
bays.
A porch spans the full width of the front, and its roof is supported by six square posts. The main
entrance is in the centre of the front façade. The door has a large centre window and 12 raised panel
detailing. There is a transom and sidelights surrounding the door. The windows on the front are
mostly rectangular in shape and are a mix of casement, single-hung, and double-hung. The windows
located on either the turret of the gables have soldier course heading and either concrete or stone
sills. There are two windows on the first floor that have semi-circular stained and leaded glass
transoms with radiating voussoirs and molded brick trim.
West Side Façade
The west side façade maintains the asymmetrical massing. There is a two-storey bay with three
windows on each storey to the left, and a brick chimney flute and chimney to the right. The windows
are single hung with solider course heading and stone or concrete sills. A portion of the rock-faced
stone foundation is visible on this side of the structure. Modern additions including cables and gas-
metres are also visible.
East Side Façade
The east side façade possesses an asymmetrical massing. The octagonal turret which forms part of
the front façade also forms the left side of the east façade. To the right, there is a two-storey
protruding section with gabled roof, cladded in wood siding. The windows on this section are
casement. There is also a semi-circular window with a radiating voussoir and brick sill on the ground
floor.
Historical Value
The property has associative value due to the original ownership of the home and historical value in
relation to economic development within the City. The residential dwelling was built for Albert Ruby, a
prominent citizen and life-long resident of Berlin (now Kitchener) and a major contributor to the
furniture industry within the area. The property itself was obtained by
father, in 1881, with the house constructed by Albert Ruby in 1898. It remained in the Ruby family
until 1966.
H. Krug Furniture Company partnership with Hartman
Krug. The Rub-Krug business relationship lasted many years, and their connection developed further
when Albert Ruby and Hartman Krug later married sisters Frances Dunn and Mary Ann Dunn and
became brothers-in-law. Albert Ruby acted as the First Secretary Treasurer of Krug Furniture Co. until
his death in 1932 at the age of 66. The position was then superseded by his son Leonard W. Ruby,
who later became the Vice-President of the company in 1954, the President in 1962, and Chairman to
the company in 1971. The Ruby family still retains a prominent presence and remains actively
involved with Krug Furniture, with Len Ruby being the President of the company as of 2023.
The establishment of Krug Furniture was instrumental to the growth and development of the City and
British Empire, and consequently by 1920 the Town of Berlin emerged as the furniture capital of
Canada. Major furniture shows were hosted within the City and buyers would travel across the
country to Berlin in order to view new trends. Krug Furniture continues to be a leader in the design
and manufacturing of furniture solutions, specifically now for offices and healthcare, and it remains
one of the oldest businesses still operating in Kitchener.
Contextual Value
The contextual value of 70 Francis Street North relates to the physical, historical, and visual links to
the surrounding area. The building is in its original location along Francis Street North and is
surrounded by other historic buildings. This includes 64 Water Street to the south (the First Church of
Christ Scientist), 97 Victoria Street North to the north, and 42 Francis Street North further to the west.
Though the house is now used as an office space, it continues to contribute to the continuity and
character of the Francis Street North streetscape. Further, it is historically linked to the Krug Furniture
factory located in proximity at 111 Ahrens Street West/135 Breithaupt Street.
Heritage Attributes
All elements related to the construction and Queen Anne architectural style of the building, including:
o irregular building plan;
o buff brick laid in a common bond;
o rock-faced stone foundation;
o Projecting two storey bay on south elevation with gambrel roof;
o modified gable roof;
o octagonal tower with an eight-sided conical roof;
o plain fascia, moulded soffit, and frieze with dentils and mouldings;
o windows and window openings, such as the 1/1 windows with flat rusticated lintels, the
large first floor windows with half-round transoms, the 1/1 round topped windows with
decorative surrounds and keystone, the three part oriel window; the three section window
with a two section elliptical-arch transom and brick label and, the two storey bay window
with a bracketed pediment gable above;
o main entrance door with single light, sidelights and transom with beveled glass; and,
o verandah.
Photographs
Front Elevation (South Façade)
Side Elevation (East Façade)
Side Elevation (West Façade)
Decorative Frieze on Tower
First floor window with stained-glass half-round transom and voussoir