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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-08-158 - Cura Project Proposal - Building Design Culture In Mid-Sized Citiesii ID ~_ ~... .~ REPORT Report To: Development and Technical Services Committee Date of Meeting: September 29, 2008 Submitted By: Rob Browning, General Manager of Development & Technical Services Prepared By: Rod Regier, Executive Director of Economic Development X519-741-2506) Jeff Willmer, Director of Planning X519-741-2325) Ward~s~ Involved: All Date of Report: September 23, 2008 Report No.: DTS-08-158 Subject: CUBA Project Proposal Building Design Culture in Mid-Sized Cities RECOMMENDATION: That the City of Kitchener endorse a partnership with the University of Waterloo School of Architecture on a final application for the SSHRC-CUBA grant proposal "Building Design Culture in Mid-Sized Cities" and commit up to $30,000 cash or in-kinds per year over the five year period 2009-2013; and further, That City staff be authorized to write a letter of support confirming those matters set out in the attachments to Development and Technical Services report DTS-08-158. BACKGROUND: The purpose of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada's Community- University Research Alliances (`CUBA") program is to support the creation of alliances between community organizations and postsecondary institutions that, through a process of ongoing collaboration and mutual learning, will foster innovative research, training and the creation of new knowledge in areas of importance for the social, cultural or economic development of Canadian communities. The City of Kitchener has participated in certain CUBA projects in the past and our participation has been requested in a new application to CUBA. The University of Waterloo School of Architecture will be asking the SSHRC-CUBA for the full grant amount of $1 million [$200,000/year over five years (2009-2013)]. The committee that reviews CUBA proposals gives weight to those applications that secure matching funds; it is important to the success of the application that each municipal partner is willing to commit up to $30,000 (cash or in-kind) per year over the five year period. In addition to the SSHRC funds, the School of Architecture will be committing $150,000 each year (cash/in-kind) to help support the overall project. REPORT: This CURA application for "Building Design Culture in Mid-Sized Cities" will be based in the Centre for Design and Research of the UW School of Architecture. The proposed application will support the research initiatives as articulated by the municipal, community, and university partners including the City of Kitchener. Together, the partners would apply our talents to help solve real-life issues that will ultimately improve and sustain the health of the city and the quality of life of its residents. For each partner municipality, specific research and design studies will be identified and carried out in collaboration among municipal staff, cultural groups, private sector partners, university faculty and graduate students whose work will be supported by the annual CURA grant. One of the key interests of the City of Kitchener is to understand how comparable communities have used architectural or design review panels to achieve a high quality of building design in private sector development proposals, and how current best practices may be applied in our community. Recent amendments to the Planning Acf expand municipal site plan approval authority to include "...matters relating to exterior design, including without limitation the character, scale, appearance and design features of buildings, and their sustainable design, but only to the extent that it is a matter of exterior design..." This authority exists only if the enabling official plan policies and implementing by-law are in effect. It is our intent to incorporate such policies into the Kitchener official plan either as part of the current 5-year review or by separate amendment in advance. It is foreseeable that the expertise of qualified community members, participating on an architectural or design review panel, would be of significant benefit to City Council and staff. Kitchener is engaged in an ambitious process of reurbanization and intensification -with the objective of building a more vibrant urban centre as well as a sustainable urban fabric in sub- urban areas. These objectives are reflected in various design-based initiatives including the Urban Design Manual, the use of urban design briefs for creating special places, and the Urban Design Awards that recognize and celebrate great design. To achieve these objectives, the City of Kitchener's economic development strategy places a significant emphasis on building new clusters in the knowledge economy, attracting and retaining talent, fostering the creative economy, and reurbanizing brownfields. In all of these, the development of a built-form that reflects excellence in urban design is a critical success factor. Building on iconic projects such as Kitchener's City Hall, new developments such as the UW School of Pharmacy, the Kaufman Lofts and the Centre Block project demonstrate that design excellence can be supported by the private and institutional sector. The UW CURA project will help Kitchener go even further in establishing design excellence as a hall mark feature of its evolution. 2 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: we estimate that the in-kind contribution (primarily staff time} will amount to approximately 40- 60% of the City of Kitchener. contribution. The cash contribution would therefore amount to between $~ 2,000 and $ 8,000 per year for five years. This amount would be paid from the Planning Studies budget without increasing the amount set out in the current O-Year Capital Forecast. The purpose of the Planning Studies fund is, in part, to provide urban design or architectural expertise beyond that of pity staff. COMMUNICATIONS: n/a CONCLUSION: If the lJw application is successful, the City's commitment will result in a significant body of research that is directly relevant to the Kitchener community but is beyond the capacity of staff to conduct. @. Jeff willmer, Director of Planning a ~, Rod Regier Executive Director, Economic Development List of Attachments Letter dated September 10 from waterloo Architecture Cambridge CURA Project Proposal Summary 3 September 10, 2008 His Worship Carl Zehr Mayor, City of Kitchener 200 King Street West P.O. Box 1118 Kitchener, Ontario N2G 4G7 RE: In-kind support for SSHRC-CURA grant proposal: "Building Design Culture in Mid-Sized Cities" Dear Mayor Zehr: am delighted to announce that the School of Architecture was successful in the first step competition of its grant application "Building Design Culture inMid-Sized Cities"~ funded under the Community-University Research Alliance CURA) program of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The selection committee greeted our initial application with great enthusiasm because of its research focus and supporting letters -such as yours -that advocated the strong partnership between the city and the school. As we proceed to our second final) step of our application, your advice and support will once again be vital to its success. The Pro'ect In this final proposal, we will be asking the SSHRC-CURA for the full grant amount of $1 million [$200,OOOlyear over five years X2009-2013)]. These funds will be administered by the University of Waterloo and will support the research initiatives as articulated by the City of Kitchener and our other municipal, community, and university partners. Together, we can apply ourtalents to help solve real-life issues thatwill ultimately improve and sustain the health of the city and the quality of life of its residents. The formal application is due October 22, 2008. Mid-September 2008, I will provide you with a refined version of the CURA application proposal. For the interim, I have enclosed a summary of the project proposal as described in the original `Letter of Intent' that highlights its key points. Matching Funds As the committee that reviews CURA proposals gives weight to those applications that secure matching funds; it is important to our success that each municipal partner is willing to commit up to $30,000 cash or in-kind) per year over the five year period. In addition to the SSHRC funds, the School of Architecture will be committing $150,000 each year (cash/in-kind) to help support the overall project. Next Ste s In preparation of the final application, an endorsement of this partnership and a statementcommitting financial support to the project is necessary. If possible, I would like to have this written commitment by September 30, 2008 allowing us time to finalize the grant application. Specifically, the CURA guidelines require a letter ~a maximum of one page} from each of our municipal partners that includes the following statements: • howthe project's research agenda of design, cultural developmentand sustainabilitywill complement and expand the city's own efforts; • that the city has read the proposal and agrees to the role and level of participation in the CURA; • that the city is willing and able to complete activities assigned to it; and • a confirmation of the city's financial and non-financial contributions}. understand thateithera council resolution or motion may be necessaryto authorize afinancial commitment. It would be optimal to have this authorization along with the letter of support. will be away in Italy for the next few weeks. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Jeff at 519.888.4567 x27606. am looking forward to our future collaborative partnership and successful work. Sincerely, Rick Haldenby, FRAIC O'Donovan Director Waterloo Architecture Cambridge Cc: Dr. Jeff Lederer, General Manager, School of Architecture, University of Waterloo Enclosure: CURA Project Proposal Summary Formerly entitled: "Mid-Sized City Beautiful: Design, Culture and Sustainabilify." 2 CUBA Project Proposal Summary "Building Design Culture in Mid- Sized Cities" School of Architecture, University of Waterloo The purpose of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada's Community-University Research Alliances (`CUBA") program is to support the creation of alliances between community organizations and postsecondary institutions that, through a process of ongoing collaboration and mutual learning, will foster innovative research, training and the creation of new knowledge in areas of importance for the social, cultural or economic development of Canadian communities. The application for funding is due October 22, 2008. Award notification is in February 2009. Funds are available for a five year period, in this case, 2009-2013, with up to $200,000 each year. A final report is due within six months of completion of the grant. • This CUBA application for "Building Design Culture in Mid-Sized Cities will be based in the Centre for Design and Research (CDR} of the School of Architecture at the University of Waterloo; the only design school in Canada located outside a traditional urban area. • The university-based researchers are leaders in the fields of computer aided design, architecture, urbanism, arts policy, municipal cultural planning, cultural capacity building, collaborative planning, and sustainable development. • The School of Architecture is joined by group of partner institutions including public libraries, galleries, theatres, social planning councils and private developers with whom relationships have already been established. • Building upon the success of past CUBA grants in support of foundational research on issues, trends, and solutions to improving the quality of life in mid-sized cities, this proposal sharpens its focus to design and aesthetics of public and private space. • This proposal widens the lens to include not only the core areas of mid-sized cities, but the inner suburbs and the urban fringe and the relationship of the built form to the cultural fabric of the city and looks beyond the Waterloo region across Canada. • While the School of Architecture will continue to be available to provide technical assistance on local projects, the CUBA will allow us to turn outwards and engage a network of municipal, professional, and academic partners across Canada, to establish common interests and to further and refine the research agenda. • In its first phase, the project creates a network of expertise ready to engage in the current issues of invited mid-sized cities: Cambridge, Kitchener, Moncton, St. Catharines, Saskatoon, Sudbury, and Waterloo. Other municipal partners will be encouraged to actively participate during the period of the grant. See reverse side CURA Project Proposal Summary "Building Design Culture in Mid- Sized Cities" School of Architecture, University of Waterloo • For each municipality, specific research and design studies will be identified and carried out in collaboration among municipal staff, cultural groups, private sector partners, university faculty and graduate students whose work will be supported by the annual CURA grant. (A preliminary research agenda will be available for review by September 23.) The CURA proposal over the five year period-2009-2013 promises to carry out applied research of value that will: o examine the factors that either contribute to or disrupt the vitality and stability of cities; o establish the specific means by which mid-size cities enhance both their creative and cultural capacity and their environmental sustainability through design interventions; o recommend strategies that promote design, culture, and sustainability and contribute to improving the quality of life of residents in mid-size cities; o disseminate our combined research finding to local, regional, and national partners; and o assist in the application of research and implementation of projects. Three themes will be the basis for our research agenda and subsequent projects in the cities 1. design and aesthetics of public and private space as a tool for intensification (i.e. architecture, urban design, and visual art); 2. cultural development (i.e. patternslinteractions of human activity and symbolic structures}; and 3. sustainability (i.e. land-use policy, "green building," smart growth, and innovative settlement patterns.) This research program based in the Centre for Design and Research at the School of Architecture will be managed through an Executive Committee. A National Advisory Committee also will be established with representatives from the network of partner municipalities and cultural institutions. This group will advise the Executive Committee on the agenda, goals, and policies concerning research, training, and dissemination of knowledge. Supported by the national community and university partners, this Centre will sustain a research alliance of mid-size cities. It will provide a framework for coordinating expertise on the design, aesthetics, partnerships, planning and development ofmid-size urban areas. • To support the CURA project, the School of Architecture is requesting from SSHRC $200,000 per year over the five year period, for a total of $lmillion dollars. The School of Architecture will be committing to the project 150,000 each year in matching funds. During the five year period, the SOA will develop a financial plan to sustain the work of the Centre in its effort to continue to be of service to the mid- sized cities of Canada and its citizens.