HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-2024-138 - NOID 91 Madison Ave S
Development Services Department www.kitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Heritage Kitchener
DATE OF MEETING: April 2, 2024
SUBMITTED BY: Garett Stevenson, Director of Development and Housing Approvals,
519-741-2200 ext. 7070
PREPARED BY: Jessica Vieira, Heritage Planner, 519-741-2200 ext. 7291
WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 9
DATE OF REPORT: March 12, 2024
REPORT NO.: DSD-2024-138
SUBJECT: Notice of Intention to Designate 91 Madison Avenue South 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 91
Madison Avenue South 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 91 Madison Avenue
South under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.
taken to the Heritage Kitchener Committee on January 9, 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 91 Madison Avenue South be recognized and
designation pursued.
The key finding of this report is that the property municipally addressed as 91 Madison
Avenue South 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 with this recommendation.
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:
th
91 Madison Avenue South isa two storey early-20century religious building constructed
in the Colonial Revival architectural style with Byzantine and Moorish influences. The
building is situated on a 0.43 acre parcel of land located on the east side of Madison
Avenue South between Church Street and Courtland Avenue East. The principal resource
that contributes to the heritage value is the religious building.
Figure 1: Location Map of Subject Property
A full assessment of 91 Madison Avenue South 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
January 9, 2024. On this meeting date, the Committee recommended that pursuant to
Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, the cultural heritage value or interest of 33 Eby
Street South 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
th
contacted via a second letter dated February 20
Heritage Planner with any comments, questions, or concerns. No response from the
property owners was received by Heritage Planning Staff.
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 Façade of Subject Property
91 Madison Avenue South is recognized for its design/physical, historical/associative, and
contextual values. It satisfies six (6) 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.
CriteriaCriteria Met
(Yes/No)
1. The property has design value or physical value because it is a Yes
rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type,
material, or construction method.
2. The property has design value or physical value because it No
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 because it Yes
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 it Yes
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 because it No
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 important in Yes
defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area.
8. The property has contextual value because it is physically, Yes
functionally, visually, or historically linked to its surroundings.
9. The property has contextual value because it is a landmark. Yes
Design / Physical Value
The design value relates to the architecture of the religious building. The building is a
unique example of the Byzantine and Colonial Revival architectural style in Kitchener and
is in excellent condition. The building features: rectangular plan; flat roof with shaped
parapet and concrete coping; multi-colour brick; pilasters; semi-circular features including
decorative brick work and windows; semi-circular multi-pane hung windows with brick or
concrete headers and concrete sills; square windows with concrete sills; concrete cornice;
decorative brick and concrete details; double 8-panel door with semi-circular transom;
double eight-panel doors; and concrete foundation.
Front Façade
The front façade of the building is symmetrical in its design and massing. It can be divided
into three sections; the northern-most and southern-most sections are each delineated by
two pilasters that extend from the raised concrete foundation and beyond the roofline,
capped with concrete detailing, The two sections also each contain a third pilaster in the
centre above a ground-level door set into the raised concrete foundation. The central
pilaster extends approximately three-quarters of the way up the façade and is decorated
with further concrete detailing.
The central section contains a set of concrete stairs that lead up to double eight-panel
wood doors topped with a semi-circular transom window with stained glass panes and a
voussoir. The doors are framed by a semi-circular multi-pane window on each side with
decorative concrete headers and sills. The second storey is comprised of two rectangular
multi-paned windows with concrete headers and sills and ancentral arched concrete
section that contains the symbol of the church.
Side Façades
The north and south side façades possess five pilasters that divide the wall into five bays.
The first western-most bay contains four; one square, two semi-arched, and one
rectangular. The other four bays contain three windows, one rectangular and two long and
semi-arched. The south façade has more of the raised concrete foundation exposed due
to the slope of the land, and eight rectangular multi-paned windows are set into it.
Modifications
The Star of David on the
God.
Historical / Associative Value
The historic and associative values due the original owners and use, as well as its
connection to the theme of early Jewish settlement. The property is also capable of
yielding an understanding how diversification of religion progressed within the community.
Early Jewish settlement in Berlin involved minimal organized religion. By 1907, ten families
had joined to form an Orthodox synagogue, with sermons being hosted in the home of one
of the members. In the 1920s, a second wave of European immigrants swelled the Jewish
population from 298 in 1921 to 411 ten years later, and a number of them settled in the
Cedar Hill neighbourhood. The pr
Synagogue, was purchased from Jacob Cohen on Albert Street (now Madison Avenue) in
1923. Part of the reason Kitchener was a draw was a commonality in language; many of
them spoke Yiddish, which was close to the German used
residents at that time. The synagogue opened in 1924 under the guidance of Rabbi Levine
and 61 founding members, whose names were inscribed on a plaque inside the building.
The names of the four founders originally on stones along the front of the building (Jack
Davis, Wolfe Feldman, Samuel Florence and Max Migdal) have since been removed, and
replaced by similar blank stones. The building is classic Jewish sanctuary architecture,
with the bimah, or the alter on which the Torah is read, in the centre. There is also a space
for a Talmud Torah, or school for learning Hebrew, the scriptures, and the Talmud. The
building is adorned with beautifully carved wood and stained-glass windows.
When a new synagogue was built, the building was sold in 1963 to the Zion Mennonite
Brethren Church. Since 1963, the building has been occupied by various religious groups,
including: Zion Mennonite Brethren Church; Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
Roman Catholic Church; Romanian Church of God; Grace Presbyterian Fellowship. In
Contextual Values
The contextual values relate to the contribution that the religious building makes to the
continuity and character of the Madison Avenue South streetscape and the Cedar Hill
Neighbourhood Cultural Heritage Landscape (CHL). The Cedar Hill Neighbourood CHL is
home to a mix of residential and institutional uses and is characterized by the elevated
topography, narrow street widths, and dramatically long views. The building is also
physically, visually, historically, and functionally linked to its surroundings as it remains in-
situ and, though the congregation has changed, maintains its original use as a place of
worship. With its distinctive architectural style and its location near the peak of one of the
neighbourhoods distinctive rolling hills, 91 Madison Avenue South could also be classified
as a neighbourhood landmark.
Heritage Attributes
The heritage value of 91 Madison Avenue South resides in the following heritage
attributes:
Exterior attributes related to the Byzantine and Colonial Revival
architectural style of the building including:
o rectangular plan;
o flat roof with shaped parapet, concrete coping and cornice;
o multi-colour brick;
o four concrete blocks on front of church;
o doors and multi-paned hung windows on basement level, fixed
windows of glass blocks beneath stairway;
o brick pilasters with concrete coping;
o false buttresses with concrete coping on sides;
o square windows above arched windows on sides;
o semi-circular features including decorative brick work and
windows;
o windows and window openings, including:
semi-circular multi-pane hung windows with brick or
concrete headers and concrete sills;
square windows with concrete sills;
circular windows with the six pointed Star of David in
stained glass.
o concrete cornice;
o decorative brick and concrete details;
o doors and door openings, including double 8-panel door with
semi-circular transom; and
o concrete foundation.
Elements that relate to the buildings contextual value and its contribution
to the Cedar Hill Neighbourhood Cultural Heritage Landscape, including:
o Original location of the church at the top of the hill; and
o Orientation of the building toward Madison Avenue
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 January 16, 2024.
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
with a Notice of
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
Municipal Heritage Register Review Project January 2024 Update (DSD-2024-
022)
APPROVED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services Department
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A Statement of Significance for 91 Madison Avenue South
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
91 MADISON AVENUE SOUTH
Summary of Significance
Social Value
Design/Physical Value
Historical Value Economic Value
Contextual Value
Environmental Value
Municipal Address: 91 Madison Avenue South
Legal Description: Plan 390 Part Lot 6 & 7 58R-10159 Part 2, 3 & 4
Year Built: 1924/25
Architectural Styles: Byzantine and Colonial Revival
Original Owner: Beth Jacob Synagogue
Original Use: Synagogue
Condition: Excellent
Description of Cultural Heritage Resource
th
91 Madison Avenue South is a two storey early-20 century religious building constructed in the
Colonial Revival architectural style with Byzantine and Moorish influences. The building is situated on
a 0.43 acre parcel of land located on the east side of Madison Avenue South between Church Street
and Courtland Avenue East. The principal resource that contributes to the heritage value is the
religious building.
Heritage Value
91 Madison Avenue South is recognized for its design/physical, historic/associative, and contextual
values.
Design/Physical Value
The design value relates to the architecture of the religious building. The building is a unique example
of the Byzantine and Colonial Revival architectural style in Kitchener and is in excellent condition. The
building features: rectangular plan; flat roof with shaped parapet and concrete coping; multi-colour
brick; pilasters; semi-circular features including decorative brick work and windows; semi-circular
multi-pane hung windows with brick or concrete headers and concrete sills; square windows with
concrete sills; concrete cornice; decorative brick and concrete details; double 8-panel door with semi-
circular transom; double eight-panel doors; and concrete foundation.
Front Façade
The front façade of the building is symmetrical in its design and massing. It can be divided into three
sections; the northern-most and southern-most sections are each delineated by two pilasters that
extend from the raised concrete foundation and beyond the roofline, capped with concrete detailing,
The two sections also each contain a third pilaster in the centre above a ground-level door set into the
raised concrete foundation. The central pilaster extends approximately three-quarters of the way up
the façade and is decorated with further concrete detailing.
The central section contains a set of concrete stairs that lead up to double eight-panel wood doors
topped with a semi-circular transom window with stained glass panes and a voussoir. The doors are
framed by a semi-circular multi-pane window on each side with decorative concrete headers and sills.
The second storey is comprised of two rectangular multi-paned windows with concrete headers and
sills and ancentral arched concrete section that contains the symbol of the church.
Side Façades
The north and south side façades possess five pilasters that divide the wall into five bays. The first
western-most bay contains four; one square, two semi-arched, and one rectangular. The other four
bays contain three windows, one rectangular and two long and semi-arched. The south façade has
more of the raised concrete foundation exposed due to the slope of the land, and eight rectangular
multi-paned windows are set into it.
Modifications
of God.
Historical/Associative Value
The historic and associative values due the original owners and use, as well as its connection to the
theme of early Jewish settlement. The property is also capable of yielding an understanding how
diversification of religion progressed within the community.
Early Jewish settlement in Berlin involved minimal organized religion. By 1907, ten families had joined
to form an Orthodox synagogue, with sermons being hosted in the home of one of the members. In
the 1920s, a second wave of European immigrants swelled the Jewish population from 298 in 1921 to
411 ten years later, and a number of them settled in the Cedar Hill neighbourhood. The property for
Street (now Madison Avenue) in 1923. Part of the reason Kitchener was a draw was a commonality in
other residents at that time. The synagogue opened in 1924 under the guidance of Rabbi Levine and
61 founding members, whose names were inscribed on a plaque inside the building. The names of
the four founders originally on stones along the front of the building (Jack Davis, Wolfe Feldman,
Samuel Florence and Max Migdal) have since been removed, and replaced by similar blank stones.
The building is classic Jewish sanctuary architecture, with the bimah, or the alter on which the Torah
is read, in the centre. There is also a space for a Talmud Torah, or school for learning Hebrew, the
scriptures, and the Talmud. The building is adorned with beautifully carved wood and stained-glass
windows.
When a new synagogue was built, the building was sold in 1963 to the Zion Mennonite Brethren
Church. Since 1963, the building has been occupied by various religious groups, including: Zion
Mennonite Brethren Church; Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church;
International Church of God.
Contextual Value
The contextual values relate to the contribution that the religious building makes to the continuity and
character of the Madison Avenue South streetscape and the Cedar Hill Neighbourhood Cultural
Heritage Landscape (CHL). The Cedar Hill Neighbourood CHL is home to a mix of residential and
institutional uses and is characterized by the elevated topography, narrow street widths, and
dramatically long views. The building is also physically, visually, historically, and functionally linked to
its surroundings as it remains in-situ and, though the congregation has changed, maintains its original
use as a place of worship. With its distinctive architectural style and its location near the peak of one
of the neighbourhoods distinctive rolling hills, 91 Madison Avenue South could also be classified as a
neighbourhood landmark.
Heritage Attributes
The heritage value of 91 Madison Avenue South resides in the following heritage attributes:
Exterior attributes related to the Byzantine and Colonial Revival architectural style of
the building including:
o rectangular plan;
o flat roof with shaped parapet, concrete coping and cornice;
o multi-colour brick;
o four concrete blocks on front of church;
o doors and multi-paned hung windows on basement level, fixed windows of
glass blocks beneath stairway;
o brick pilasters with concrete coping;
o false buttresses with concrete coping on sides;
o square windows above arched windows on sides;
o semi-circular features including decorative brick work and windows;
o windows and window openings, including:
semi-circular multi-pane hung windows with brick or concrete headers
and concrete sills;
square windows with concrete sills;
circular windows with the six pointed Star of David in stained glass.
o concrete cornice;
o decorative brick and concrete details;
o doors and door openings, including double 8-panel door with semi-circular
transom; and
o concrete foundation.
Elements that relate to the buildings contextual value and its contribution to the
Cedar Hill Neighbourhood Cultural Heritage Landscape, including:
o Original location of the church at the top of the hill; and
o Orientation of the building toward Madison Avenue
References
D'Amato, Luisa (2020) "A silver samovar, passed from one family to another, tells a story" Waterloo
Region Record, June 22. https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/a-silver-samovar-passed-
from-one-family-to-another-tells-a-story/article_e167b727-8782-5eb0-829b-6530705be873.html.
Accessed December 5, 2023.
Jewish Encyclopedia. Accessed
November 26, 2023.
Ontario Jewish Archives.
http://www.ontariojewisharchives.org/exhibits/osjc/communities/kitchener-
waterloo/religiouslife/index.html Accessed November 24, 2023.
Ontario Jewish Archives.
https://ontariojewisharchives.org/exhibits/osjc/communities/kitchener-
waterloo/earlycommunity/population.html Accessed December 5, 2023.
Ontario Jewish Archives.
https://ontariojewisharchives.org/exhibits/osjc/communities/kitchener-
waterloo/religiouslife/media/avraham-rosen-steps_334.jpg Accessed December 1, 2023.
Photographs
Front Elevation
Side Elevation
Stained Glass Windows
CULTURAL HERITAGE EVALUATION FORM
Gail Pool
91 Madison Avenue South
Address: Recorder:
Synagogue and Church
December 5, 2023
Description: Date:
1924-25 Byzantine and Colonial Revival
Photographs Attached:
Front Facade Left Façade Right Façade Rear Facade Details Setting
1. This property has
design value or
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No
physical value
Yes
Yes
because it is a rare,
unique,
representative or
early example of a
style, type,
expression, material
or construction
method.
2. The property has
design value or
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No
physical value
Yes
Yes
because it displays a
high degree of
craftsmanship or
artistic merit.
3. The property has
design value or
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No
physical value
Yes Yes
because it
demonstrates a high
degree of technical or
scientific
achievement.
* e.g., constructed
with a unique
material combination
or use, incorporates
challenging
geometric designs
etc.
4. The property has
historical value or
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No
associative value
Yes
Yes
because it has direct
associations with a
theme, event, belief,
person, activity,
organization or
institution that is
significant to a
community.
* Additional archival
work may be
required.
5. The property has
historical or
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No
associative value
Yes
Yes
because it yields, or
has the potential to
yield, information
that contributes to an
understanding of a
community or
culture.
* E.g - commercial
building may provide
an understanding of
how the economic
development of the
City occured.
Additional archival
work may be
required.
6. The property has
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No
historical value or
Yes
associative value Yes
because it
demonstrates or
reflects the work or
ideas of an architect,
artist, builder,
designer or theorist
who is significant to a
community.
* Additional archival
work may be
required.
7. The property has
contextual value
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No
because it is
Yes
Yes
important in defining,
maintaining or
supporting the
character of an area.
* E.g. - It helps to
define an entrance
point to a
neighbourhood or
helps establish the
(historic) rural
character of an area.
8. The property has
contextual value
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No
because it is
Yes
Yes
physically,
functionally, visually
or historically linked
to its surroundings.
* Additional archival
work may be
required.
9. The property has
contextual value
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No
because it is a
Yes
Yes
landmark.
*within the region,
city or neighborhood.
Notes
Additional Criteria Recorder Heritage Kitchener Committee
Interior: Is the interior
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No Yes
arrangement, finish, craftsmanship
and/or detail noteworthy?
Yes
Completeness: Does this structure
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No Yes
have other original outbuildings,
notable landscaping or external
Yes
features that complete the site?
Site Integrity: Does the structure
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No Yes
occupy its original site?
Yes
* If relocated, is it relocated on its
original site, moved from another site,
etc.
Alterations: Does this building
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No Yes
retain most of its original
materials and design features?
Yes
Please refer to the list of heritage
attributes within the Statement of
Significance and indicate which
elements are still existing and
which ones have been removed.
Alterations: Are there additional
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No Yes
elements or features that should be
added to the heritage attribute list?
Yes
Condition: Is the building in good
N/A Unknown No N/A Unknown No Yes
condition?
Yes
*E.g. - Could be a good candidate for
adaptive re-use if possible and
contribute towards equity-building
and climate change action.
Indigenous History: Could this
site be of importance to
N/A Unknown No YesN/A Unknown No Yes
Indigenous heritage and history?
Additional Research Required
Additional Research Required
*E.g. - Site within 300m of water
sources, near distinct topographical
land, or near cemeteries might have
archaeological potential and
indigenous heritage potential.
Could there be any urban
N/A Unknown No Yes
Indigenous history associated with
N/A Unknown No Yes Additional Research Required
the property?
* Additional archival work may be
Additional Research Required
required.
Function: What is the present
Unknown Residential Unknown Residential Commercia
function of the subject property?
Commercial l
Office Other Office Other Institutional
* Other may include vacant, social,
place of worship
institutional, etc. and important for
Church
the community from an equity building
perspective.
Diversity and Inclusion: Does
N/A Unknown No YesN/A Unknown No Yes
the subject property contribute to
Additional Research Required
the cultural heritage of a
Additional Research Required
community of people?
Does the subject property have
N/A Unknown No Yes
intangible value to a specific
N/A Unknown No Yes Additional Research Required
community of people?
Additional Research Required
* E.g.- Waterloo Masjid (Muslim
Society of Waterloo & Wellington
Counties) was the first established
Islamic Center and Masjid in the
Region and contributes to the history
of the Muslim community in the area.
Notes about Additional Criteria Examined
Recommendation
Does this property meet the definition of a significant built heritage resource, and should it be designated
under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act? (Does it meet two or more of the designation criteria?)
N/A Unknown No Yes
If not, please select the appropriate action for follow-up
Remove from the Municipal Heritage Register
Additional Research Required
Other:
General / Additional Notes
TO BE FILLED BY HERITAGE PLANNING STAFF:
Date of Property Owner Notification
Notes