HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2023-478 - Notice of Intention to Designate 149-151 Ontario 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: Victoria Grohn, Heritage Planner, 519-741-2200 ext. 7041
WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 10
DATE OF REPORT: October 13, 2023
REPORT NO.: DSD-2023-478
SUBJECT: Notice of Intention to Designate 149-151 Ontario 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
149-151 Ontario Street North as being of cultural heritage value or interest.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this report is to request that Council pass a Notice of Intention to
Designate 149-151 Ontario Street North under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.
The key finding of this report is that 149-151 Ontario Street North meets the criteria for
designation under Ontario Heritage Act Regulation 9/06 (amended by 569/22) and has
been confirmed to be a significant cultural heritage resource.
There are no financial implications associated with this report.
Community engagement included informing residents by posting this report with the
agenda in advance of the Heritage Kitchener committee meeting, consulting and
collaborating with the owner regarding the intention to designate, and consultation 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,
and published in the local newspaper.
This report supports the delivery of core services.
BACKGROUND:
The property municipally addressed as 149-151 Ontario Street North is located on the east
side of Ontario Street North between Weber Street West and Duke Street West.
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Figure 1: Location Map for 149-151 Ontario Street North
The subject property contains a two-storey, semi-detached brick building fronting onto
Ontario Street North. The building was constructed c. 1876 in the Italianate architectural
style with modest Georgian influences. The property is currently listed as a non-
Register.
Figure 2: 149-151 Ontario Street North (image source: HIA, 2023)
In 2019, the City of Kitchener Planning Division received a Site Plan application for the
property municipally addressed as 149-151 Ontario Street North. Site Plan application
SP19/137/O/GS proposed the development of a 17-storey mixed-use building with 126
units. The proposal contemplated the retention of a large portion of the existing building
(primarily the front façade and side walls) in situ. The Heritage Kitchener committee
reviewed the proposal and supporting Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) prepared by
LHC Heritage Planning & Archaeology Inc. (LHC) on May 7, 2019. The Heritage
Committee at the time was generally supportive of the retention of the existing building as
part of the redevelopment proposal. Site Plan application SP19/137/O/GS received
conditional approval on April 8, 2020.
The property was sold to new owners in 2021 and the new owners advanced the
development proposal with some modifications to the approved design. Site Plan
application SP22/041/O/ES proposes the construction of a 27-storey mixed-use building
containing 206 dwelling units. The proposal retains portions of the existing building
(primarily the front façade and side (south) façade) through selective demolition and
adaptive reuse. A HIA update, prepared by LHC dated September 15, 2023 and revised
October 12, 2023, has been submitted in support of the Site Plan application and to reflect
the modifications to the original 2019 proposal.
The submission and approval of a HIA and Conservation Plan was made a condition of the
approval of SP22/041/O/ES. In addition, the designation of 149-151 Ontario Street North
has also been made a condition of approval. At this time, the City is pursuing the
designation of 149-151 Ontario Street North through the Notice of Intention to Designate
(NOID) process under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. Should Council choose to
give its notice of intention to designate, the property owner will be required to submit
heritage permit applications for any demolitions, alterations, or new construction proposed
on the subject property. As such, the Heritage Kitchener committee will be provided
opportunity to review and comment on such future applications.
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 our City 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 to the local community; protects the
encourages good stewardship and conservation; and promotes knowledge and
understanding about the property. Designation not only publicly recognizes and promotes
awareness, it also provides a process for ensuring that changes to a property are
value and interest.
The property municipally addressed as 149-151 Ontario Street North is recognized for its
design/physical and historical/associative values. It satisfies two out of the nine criteria of
Ontario Regulation 9/06 (amended by 569/22), as assessed by LHC in Table 1 below.
Based on this assessment, and meeting two of the criteria, the property is eligible for
designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.
Table 1: Ontario Heritage Act Regulation 9/06 Evaluation of 149-151 Ontario St N
(Source: HIA prepared by LHC, October 12, 2023)
Design/Physical Value
The property municipally addressed as 149-151 Ontario Street North demonstrates design
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or physical value as an early example of a late 19 century, semi-detached, vernacular
brick building with both Italianate and modest Georgian influences. The building has many
intact original elements including buff brick, a symmetrical plan with two bay windows, side
gable roof, brackets, brick quoining, brick voussoirs with drip molds, window sills with
transoms, and two end chimneys.
Historical/Associative Value
The property municipally addressed as 149-151 Ontario Street North has historical and
associative value because it is the last remaining example of a residential building in this
section of Ontario Street North and is an example of a working-class residence.
Heritage Attributes
The heritage attributes supporting the cultural heritage value or interest of 149-151 Ontario
Street North are represented in the c. 1876 two-storey, semi-detached brick building and
include:
Buff brick construction;
Symmetrical plan with two bay windows;
Side gable roof and overhanging eaves;
Wood brackets;
Brick quoining;
Segmentally arched window openings;
Brick voussoirs with drip mold;
Front door openings with transoms; and
Two brick chimneys.
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 AND COLLABORATE Heritage Planning staff have consulted and
collaborated with the applicant and owner regarding implementation of the
recommendations of the HIA, including designation under the Ontario Heritage Act. The
owner has confirmed their support for designation subject to consideration by Heritage
Kitchener and Council.
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.
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 149-151 Ontario Street North
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
149-151 ONTARIO STREET NORTH
Summary of Significance
Design/Physical Value Social Value
Historical Value Economic Value
Contextual Value Environmental Value
Municipal Address: 149-151 Ontario Street North
Legal Description: Plan 401 Part Lot 11
Year Built: c. 1876
Architectural Style: Italianate with Georgian influences
Original Owner: Wilhelmina Bauman
Original Use: Residential
Condition: Fair-Good
Description of Cultural Heritage Resource
th
149-151 Ontario Street North is a two-storey 19-cenutry brick building. The building is constructed in
the Italianate architectural style with modest Georgian influences. The building is situated on a 0.15
acre parcel of land located on the east side of Ontario Street North between Duke Street West and
Weber Street West in the City Commercial Core planning area of the City of Kitchener within the
Region of Waterloo. The principal resource that contributes to the heritage value is the building.
Heritage Value
149-151 Ontario Street North is recognized for its design/physical and historical/associative values.
Design/Physical Value
The property municipally addressed as 149-151 Ontario Street North demonstrates design or physical
th
value as an early example of a late 19-century, semi-detached, vernacular brick building with both
Italianate and modest Georgian architectural influences. The building has many intact original
elements and is in fair to good condition. Features which represent the Italianate architectural style
include: paired eave brackets; tall segmentally arched paired windows; quoins; brick voussoirs with
drip molds; and wide overhanging eaves. Some modest Georgian architectural style influences
include: the paired chimneys; side gable roof; and overall symmetrical design.
Historical/Associative Value
The property municipally addressed as 149-151 Ontario Street North has historical and associative
value because it is the last remaining example of a residential building in this section of Ontario Street
North and it is an example of a working-class residence. City Directories from 1893 until 2014 indicate
that 149 Ontario Street North was used as a short-term rental for dozens of occupants.
Heritage Attributes
The heritage value of 149-151 Ontario Street North resides in the following heritage attributes:
Buff brick construction;
Symmetrical plan with two bay windows;
Side gable roof and overhanging eaves;
Wood brackets;
Brick quoining;
Segmentally arched window openings;
Brick voussoirs with drip mold;
Front door openings with transoms; and
Two brick chimneys.
References
LHC Planning & Archaeology Inc. (2023). Heritage Impact Assessment Update. Kingston, ON.
Photographs
Front Elevation (West Façade)
Rear Elevation (looking West)
Side Elevation (looking North)
Detailing of bay window and voussoirs, brick voussoirs with drip molds and brackets.