Report
to/Rapport au :
Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee
Comité consultatif sur la
conservation de l'architecture locale
and /
et
Planning
and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
07 November 2007 / le 07 novembre 2007
Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager/
Directrice municipale adjointe,
Planning, Transit and the Environment/Urbanisme,
Transport en commun et Environnement
Contact Person/Personne Ressource : Grant Lindsay,
Manager / Gestionnaire, Development Approvals / Approbation des demandes
d'aménagement
(613) 580-2424, 13242 Grant.Lindsay@ottawa.ca
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Local Architectural
Conservation Advisory Committee recommend that Planning and Environment
Committee recommend that Council:
1. Approve the demolition of 204 and 212 Springfield Road;
2. Approve the construction of a new boys'
dormitory according to the application received on August 14, 2007 and deemed
complete on October 31, 2007.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité consultatif sur la conservation de
l'architecture locale recommande au Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement
de recommander au Conseil :
1. d'approuver
la démolition des 204 et 212, chemin Springfield;
2. d'approuver
la construction d'une nouvelle résidence d'étudiants pour hommes, selon la
demande reçue le 14 août 2007 et jugée complète le 31 octobre 2007.
BACKGROUND
Ashbury College, a private school, has submitted a proposal to construct a two storey boys' dormitory (2180 square metres) to house 50 boys and two housemasters at the corner of Springfield Road and Maple Lane (see Location Map, Document 1). In order to do this, the College proposes to demolish two houses located at 204 and 214 Springfield Road. The College is the owner of three houses at the northeast corner of Springfield Road and Maple Lane, part of the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. Under the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA), the demolition of buildings and new construction within a heritage conservation district requires the approval of City Council following consultation with the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC).
The College grounds are extensive, occupying almost a full city block, and feature the original school, constructed 1910, with later additions, a girls' dormitory, playing fields and tennis courts, plus loading areas and parking areas associated with the site's use as a school. The principle building associated with Ashbury College is located at 362 Mariposa Avenue. It was constructed in 1910 to the designs of architect Allan Keefer, Rockcliffe resident. The College has grown incrementally since its arrival in Rockcliffe Park. Recent construction has included a new dining hall and gymnasium linked to the original College building completed in 2004 to the designs of David S. McRobie, Architect and a girls' dormitory located to the west of the College building, completed in 2007 to the designs of Murray and Murray, architects. The College has designed these buildings around the periphery of its grounds in order to preserve its playing fields as open space. An Official Plan amendment, rezoning, and site plan for this project will be considered at Planning and Environment Committee at the same time as this application.
DISCUSSION
There are three houses at the northeast corner of Maple Lane and Springfield, 204, 212 and 224, Springfield. Of these, 204 and 224 were included on the former Village of Rockcliffe Park's "Inventory of Heritage Resources." Dorothy Short, the daughter of its builder, Samuel Short, a civil servant who also served as the Village tax collector, bequeathed 224 Springfield Road to Ashbury College in the 1960s. This house, a one and a half storey, cross gable-roofed structure, constructed circa 1891 will be retained.
The other two houses, 204 and 212 Springfield, will be demolished. According to City Directories and Land Title information, 204 and 212 Springfield, were constructed in the late 1899. Henry Schinzel, who appears in the City Directories as both a florist and a gardener, initially occupied the house on the corner, 204. Schinzel lived in New Edinburgh prior to his arrival in Rockcliffe and was employed at Graham Brothers, Florists and Seedsmen, a large commercial greenhouse complex located at Springfield Road and Dufferin Terrace for many years. The next house to the north, 212, was built at the same time and had a number of occupants until circa 1905 when Thomas Jackson, a contractor, who also served as the part-time Village police constable for many years, occupied it. The west side of Springfield in this location was undeveloped until after the First World War. The south west corner, the site of St. Brigid's School, was the site of St. Joseph's Orphanage at the time of the construction of the three houses.
The two houses proposed for demolition, 204 and 212 were probably very similar in appearance when completed. Each was a balloon framed, one and a half storey, gable-roofed, clapboard structure, roughly "L" shaped in plan with a veranda on the west and south sides. This type of house was very common across Canada at the turn of the century particularly in Ottawa, the centre of the sawn lumber industry in Canada.
In 1961, 204 was sold and renovated. The house was subsequently altered through the re-arrangement of its door and window openings and the insertion of a door designed by Nova Scotia architect, Philip Dumaresq, inspired by the historic doors of the Maritime provinces so it is difficult to discern its 19th century origins. 212 Springfield Road has lost much of its architectural integrity as it has been re-clad in stucco and angelstone, and part of the veranda has been enclosed.
In addition to the proposed demolition of the two houses, a gable roofed shed is also being considered for demolition. This utilitarian, stucco clad structure was built in 1945 as a pumping station constructed to improve water pressure to the houses in the Village on the City's water system. It ceased to function as a pump house in the early 1980s.
Of the three houses located at the corner of Springfield and Maple Lane and the shed on Maple Lane, the building that has the highest degree of architectural integrity and long time association with the history of the Village, 224 Springfield, is to be retained. 204 Springfield was occupied by the same person, Henry Schinzel, for many years but he was not noted for his contribution to Village life. Jackson, as the part-time police constable was known in the Village, but the house retains little of its original character. For these reasons, the Department has no objection to the demolition of the houses located at 204 and 214 Springfield Road.
New Construction
The proposed building is a two storeys, roughly "C"-shaped, red brick structure designed to house 50 boys and two housemasters. The building will have two wings, one that will extend north along Springfield Road for approximately 40 metres, and the other that will extend along Maple Lane for approximately 30 metres, stopping at the edge of the existing driveway to the east of the former pumphouse. The living quarters for the housemasters will be located at either end of the building with the boys' and dons' rooms located between them. The proposed dormitory is set back roughly seven metres from Springfield Road and eight metres from Maple Lane.
The proposed structure has a hipped roof with deep overhanging eaves, pedimented gables, regularly spaced eight-over-eight sash windows and small projecting one storey bays containing three windows on the ground floor. The windows have precast stone sills and lintels that will extend and form stringcourses. At the corner of Springfield Road and Maple Lane, the two wings meet and there is a semi-circular bay window facing the intersection.
The design of the proposed dormitory was inspired by the character of the College and its buildings. The original college building was completed in 1910 to the designs of Allan Keefer architect. This building is an example of the late Queen Anne Revival style of architecture where the exuberance of the style in its early days has been simplified, leaving the multi-paned sash windows, decorative pedimented gables, and red brick associated with the style in the 1880s. Other buildings on the campus include the Headmaster's House (John Ewart, 1924), a red brick structure with white wooden trim.
Initial designs for the new Boys' Dormitory were presented to staff as part of the pre-consultation for this project in February 2007. At the time, staff had concerns about the proposal, as it required the demolition of all three houses facing Springfield Road, was out-of scale with the residential character of the surrounding area as it had a steeply pitched roof and a large footprint that increased its presence on the street and was located quite close to Springfield Road.
In response to the concerns of staff, the architect shortened the building by moving the housemasters' living quarters so that the house at 224 could be retained, moved the dormitory eastward to allow a bigger setback from Springfield Road, lowered the roof and changed its angle, and deleted the stucco portions and added details that were more domestic in character and in keeping with the character of the two adjacent residential neighbourhoods, Rockcliffe Park and Lindenlea.
Ashbury College is part of a cluster of schools, institutional buildings and public lands located along Springfield Road, that include St. Brigid's Separate School, Rockcliffe Park Public School, the Community Centre that houses community space and the Rockcliffe Park Public Library, the Village Green and Elmwood School. These institutions and the public park that separates them create a distinctive area within the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District. As a new building for Ashbury College, a long established institution within the boundaries of Rockcliffe Park, the proposed Boys' Dormitory is an appropriate addition to the College grounds. As part of a corridor of buildings with varied uses other than residential, it is in keeping with the character of this area of the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District.
The corner of Springfield Road and Maple Lane is one of the main entrances to Rockcliffe Park and is marked by a boulder with a plaque on it. The proposed dormitory will be set back further from both Springfield Road and Maple Lane than the existing houses, creating a small greenspace intended for public use at the corner, which will be landscaped and will have two benches and a low stone wall backed by a clump of birch trees. This greenspace will serve as a gateway to the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District.
Cultural Heritage Impact Statement
The Official Plan, Section 4.6.1, requires that a Cultural Heritage Impact Statement (CHIS) be prepared when demolition and new construction is proposed in a heritage conservation district. Accordingly, a CHIS was prepared for this development (Please see extracts, Document 7 . The full study is on file and available from the LACAC Co-ordinator). Regarding the demolition of 204 and 212 Springfield Road, the Study found that "The pattern of three gable-roofed dwellings at close proximity to the road holds the possibility of evoking an early stage in Rockcliffe's development when inexpensive houses could still be built and occupied by members of the working class. However, alterations to the finishes, profiles, openings detailing and outbuildings of 204 and 212 have detract [sic] from any value as an integral streetscape."
The CHIS found that the proposed boys' dormitory enhanced the character of the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District because Ashbury College is an historic land use within the District and is integral to its history; the building's style introduces visitors to the eclectic nature of architecture in the district; and the building's design "replicate[s] the rhythm and scale of private homes." The CHIS stated that the proposed design also would improve views of 224 Springfield, which is being preserved because of its character and the contribution that its owners made to the history of the Village.
Management Guidelines
The Management Guidelines of the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District Study addresses demolitions and new construction in Section iv) Parts 1, 4 and 5. These recommendations state:
Any application to demolish and existing building should be reviewed, with consideration of its historical and architectural significance, its contribution to its streetscape the appropriateness of the proposed development. Demolition should be recommended for approval only where the existing building is of little significance and the proposed redevelopment is sympathetic to the surrounding environment.
Any application to construct a new building or addition should be reviewed, with consideration of its potential to enhance the character of the Village. New construction should be recommended for approval only where the siting, form, materials and detailing are sympathetic to the surrounding natural and cultural environment.
New buildings and additions should be of their own time, but should also harmonize with the existing cultural landscape.
Of the three houses on the east side of Springfield Road in this location, 224, the oldest of the three and the house most clearly associated with an individual who made a significant contribution to the history of Rockcliffe Park, is being retained for use by the College. The other two, 204 and 212, constructed in 1899 will be demolished. The Department has no objection to the proposed demolitions because the houses have been altered and no longer retain their late-19th century character and their respective owners did not make a significant contribution to the history of Rockcliffe Park.
The proposed dormitory fulfills the requirement that new development be sympathetic to the surrounding environment as it is a two storey residential building, domestic in character, constructed of red brick and featuring small bays and sash windows, a low, sheltering roof and extensive landscaping. Its design has been inspired not only by the design idioms of the Ashbury Campus but also by the residential character of Lindenlea to the south and Rockcliffe Park to the north. Furthermore, the proposed landscaped open space at the corner of Maple Lane and Springfield Road will provide an appropriate gateway to this part of Rockcliffe Park, which is distinguished by its concentration of schools, institutional buildings and public parkland. Finally, the building, although inspired by almost a century of building on the campus of Ashbury College, is clearly of its own time.
The building's details, height, and material reflect the domestic character of the houses of Rockcliffe Park. As one of a group of public and institutional buildings, constructed from the early 20th century until the present, Ashbury College has a long history in this part of Rockcliffe Park and its expansion is appropriate. In addition, the proposed dormitory's setback and landscaping will enhance the entrance to the heritage conservation district. For these reasons, the Department has no objection to the new dormitory as presented.
CONSULTATION
Adjacent property owners as well as area Community Associations were notified by letter of the date of the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee and Planning and Environment Committee meetings and were provided with comment sheets to be returned to LACAC. This is in accordance with the municipal public participation policy regarding heritage alterations, demolitions and infill in a heritage district.
Councillor Legendre is aware of this application.
The Rockcliffe Park Residents Association is aware of this application. The Rockcliffe Park Residents Association does not support the proposed dormitory in its current location and has suggested that the building be reoriented so that its courtyard faces the intersection of Springfield Road and Maple Lane. Its comments are included as Document 8.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
N/A
APPLICATION PROCESS
TIMELINE STATUS
This report was completed within the 90 days
prescribed by the Ontario Heritage Act.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 2 Aerial photograph showing extent of the Ashbury College grounds
Document 3 Photographs of Existing Houses
Document 4 Site plan, new dormitory
Document 5 New Dormitory
Document 6 Intersection of Springfield Road and Maple Lane, gateway to Rockcliffe Park, existing
Document 7 Extracts from Cultural Heritage Impact Statement, full document on file with LACAC coordinator
Document 8 Comments from Rockcliffe Park Residents Association, full comments in file with LACAC Co-ordinator
Document 9 LACAC
Extract of Minutes of 10 January 2008
DISPOSITION
City Manager's Office, Council and Committee Services Division, to notify the applicant/ agent (David McRobie, David S. McRobie, Architects, Suite 100 – 66 Queen Street, Ottawa, K1P 5C6) and the Ontario Heritage Foundation (10 Adelaide Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1J3) of City Council’s consent to demolish 204 and 212 Springfield Road and to construct a new boys’ dormitory at Ashbury College, 362 Mariposa Avenue.
EXTRACT FROM CULTURAL HERITAGE IMPACT STATEMENT DOCUMENT 7
Mitigation
…
demolition of the two houses will have only a minor effect on the heritage
character of the Rockcliffe Park Heritage Conservation District. Demolition of
the other two structures does not significantly affect the heritage character
of the District and mitigation is not required. Three possible approaches to
mitigate the effect of demolition may be considered: relocation; adaptation;
and the sensitive design of new construction. It should be noted that the
object of mitigation is to preserve the heritage character of the District as a
whole.
Relocation
Theoretically, these two houses could be moved
to another location on the Ashbury property or elsewhere in Rockcliffe.
However, given that their contribution to the heritage character of the
District is tied to their location within a particular streetscape, and not in
their architectural form, this action would not serve to protect or enhance
heritage character.32
Adaptation
Theoretically, the two houses could be
integrated in new development on the site through infill. However, adding
infill to the site would detract from any existing contribution the buildings
make to the heritage character of the District as a turn-of-the-century
streetscape, while giving greater prominence to their architectural form, a
feature which does not presently contribute to the heritage character of the
District.33
Design of New Construction
If the existing houses are demolished, new
development on the site has the potential to enhance the heritage character of
the District, by contributing to the heritage values identified in the Heritage
Conservation District Study. This can be done through: the generous use of
domestic idioms in the scale and rhythm of the building and the placement and
proportions of window and door openings; a design that complements the existing
architectural styles in the District, including those on the Ashbury College
site; and landscaping that adheres as much as possible to the picturesque
approach prevalent throughout the District. The proposed design achieves these
goals, as outlined above.
It is important that new construction not
detract from the contribution made by 224 Springfield. The proposed design
improves the sightlines from the corner to 224 Springfield by doubling the
existing setback and allowing 224 to participate in the gateway function of the
corner. The massing, roof slope and exterior treatment of the proposed design
emphasize the visual distinction between 224 and the proposed residence.
As with all properties in the District, it is
the street side presentation that is of primary importance in contributing to
heritage character. The proposed design has doubled the existing setback from
the street, opening up the amount of greenspace at the corner. It includes the
retention of mature trees and the addition of a grove of birch trees at the
corner to soften the effect of the building. The parkette at the corner,
defined by trees and a low stone wall, emphasizes the gateway function of the
corner and provides a visual transition between the street and the building. It
also softens the definition between private and public areas by permitting
public use of the corner. The new construction has the potential to make a
positive contribution to the heritage character of the District.
32 In addition, restricted space on
Ashbury campus and site plan requirements within Rockcliffe Park as a whole
make this alternative unfeasible.
33 The addition of infill and the
adaptation of existing 19th century buildings would be extremely difficult if not impossible to
achieve given the functional requirements of an institutional residence.
Building
orientation
The RPRA is opposed to the building orientation as currently presented
by the applicant. While the RPRA
understands Ashbury’s need for a dormitory, an alternative orientation of the
proposed building would be a better fit for the cultural landscape of the
heritage district.
The
proposed orientation has two large wings abutting the street from the corner
along Springfield and Maple Lane. The
effect would be a very large institutional building that will transform the
streetscapes now composed of modest-sized single-family houses. Springfield at Maple Lane is the most-used
entrance to the Village of Rockcliffe Park heritage district. Because the new building would be so much
larger than the houses facing it, the message would be that one was entering a
dominantly institutional district rather then a residential one.
One
alternative orientation is to have the two ends of the L-shaped building facing
the two streets (Ashbury’s option 5).
This has several advantages. The
two ends house single-family residences intended for the housemasters and their
families. They could easily be designed
to reflect their residential use with domestic architectural language, separate
entrances, porches, balconies, appropriate landscaping, etc. Their presence on
the street could easily complement the existing residential pattern. The central mass of the building would be
away from the street frontage. The
common room would have long views into the campus instead of facing the street
corner. Ashbury has used this orientation successfully for the two-winged
girls’ dormitory at the Springfield/Mariposa corner.
In this
orientation, the landscaped space between the wings would make a gradual
transition from the street to the bulk of the building, more in keeping with
the manner in which the original Ashbury buildings are set back from
Mariposa. For the streetscape and the
neighbours, this is a more friendly face for the dormitory than the proposed
orientation in which the building sets its back to the community.
Location of Village entrance marker
The
proposed landscaping of the Springfield/Maple Lane corner includes relocating
the Village entrance marker on to Ashbury property. While we appreciate the intent of opening the corner, we
recommend that the entrance marker remain where it is on City land between the
sidewalk and the roadway. This
municipal marker is one of nine identifying the principal road entrances to the
heritage district. They are all close
to the roadway on municipal land.
Existing Trees
There
is a very large (1 m diameter) Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) just to the north
of the house at 204 Springfield. This fine specimen is destined for removal
under the current site plan but it is worthy of retention. The Village is losing its mature trees and
every loss diminishes the canopy cover and heritage value. Retaining the house at 204 Springfield and
ensuring adequate protection for this tree and its critical root zone (1 m of
protection for every 10 cm of trunk diameter) would be helpful.
Heritage Act considerations of
proposed demolitions
(The
following comments are based on the applicant’s ‘site demolitions plan’. We have not seen a cultural heritage impact
statement.)
We are pleased to see that the house at 224 Springfield is to remain. The proposed demolitions of the houses at 212 and 204 Springfield have to be evaluated using the terms of the heritage district Management Guidelines. This requires assessing their historical and architectural significance, their contributions to the streetscape, and the appropriateness of the proposed redevelopment.
The appropriateness of the proposed
redevelopment is discussed above under site plan considerations. The building in the orientation proposed by
Ashbury is not an appropriate redevelopment, but reorienting the building so
that its two ends face the streets would be appropriate.
The house at 212 Springfield is part of the rhythm of single houses along Springfield, but does not appear to have particular historical or architectural significance. Its demolition would not be a serious loss to the heritage district provided that its replacement was appropriate.
The well-known house at 204 Springfield marks the corner and effectively introduces the heritage district at its principal entrance. It is listed on the district’s Inventory of Heritage Resources. It is an important component of the streetscape. It apparently dates to the end of the 19th century. The recommendation of the RPRA is that the house remain, and that Ashbury make continuing use of it. One possibility is to incorporate the house into the proposed dormitory. Since the dormitory is to include two family houses, the house at 204 could be one of them. Retaining this house would mitigate the impact of the new building on nearby residents.