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2. Application for new construction of two structures and partial
demolition of one structure at 441‑443 Queen street in the cathedral
hill heritage conservation district DEMANDE DE CONSTRUCTION DE
DEUX STRUCTURES ET DE DÉMOLITION PARTIELLE D'UNE STRUCTURE AUX 441 ET 443 DE
LA RUE QUEEN DANS LE DISTRICT DE CONSERVATION DU PATRIMOINE DE COLLINE DE LA
CATHÉDRALE |
Committee recommendationS as
amended
That Council:
1.
Approve the
demolition of Cathedral Hall, constructed in 1959-60 and approve the construction
of a mixed use addition, connected to Christ Church Cathedral, incorporating a
new cathedral hall and spaces for the church, along with four townhouses
in accordance with drawings by HOK Architects, dated March 3, 2011 and included
as Document 7.
2.
Approve the
construction of a new residential tower, incorporating the semi-detached house
located at 441-443 Queen Street into its podium in accordance with drawings by
HOK Architects dated March 3, 2011.
3.
Approve the
temporary removal of the semi-detached house at 441-443 Queen Street during
construction, if required, and its reinstatement in its original location, at
the appropriate time in the construction project.
4.
Require the
posting of a financial security in the amount of $500,000 required to stabilize
and restore the front portion of 441-443 Queen Street prior to the issuance of
the necessary permits required for either the removal or stabilization in situ
of the building during construction.
5.
Approve the
construction of the new office building at 412 Sparks Street conditional upon
further design work being undertaken to mitigate the impact of the building
upon the Cathedral, including, but not limited to, changes to the materials,
fenestration, and design.
6.
Issue the
Heritage Permit for the residential tower at 439 Queen Street with a two-year
expiry date from the date of issuance.
7.
Issue the
Heritage Permit for 412 Sparks Street with a two-year expiry date from the date
of the satisfaction of the conditions.
8.
Delegate
authority for minor design changes to the General Manager, Planning and Growth
Management.
(Note 1: The statutory 90-day timeline for
consideration of this application under the Ontario
Heritage Act will expire on July 5, 2011.)
(Note 2: At the time of writing, the
applicant was reasonably certain that the portion of the semi-detached to be
retained was to remain in situ during construction, so temporary removal of
that building would not be required. The securities will cover either
eventuality.)
(Note 3: Approval to Alter this property
under the Ontario Heritage Act must
not be construed to meet the requirements for the issuance of a building
permit.)
RecommandationS MODIFIÉES DU Comité
Que le Conseil :
1.
approuve la démolition de Cathedral
Hall, construite en 1959-1960, et la construction d'une annexe à utilisation
polyvalente, reliée à la cathédrale Christ Church et contenant une nouvelle
salle paroissiale et des espaces pour les activités de l'église, ainsi que de quatre
maisons en rangée, conformément aux dessins de HOK Architects datés du 3 mars
2011 et constituant le document 7 ci-joint;
2.
approuve la construction d'une tour
d'habitation, incorporant dans son socle la maison jumelée située aux 441 et
443 de la rue Queen, conformément aux dessins de HOK Architects datés du 3 mars
2011;
3.
approuve le déplacement temporaire,
s'il s'avère nécessaire, de la maison jumelée située aux 441 et 443 de la rue Queen
pendant les travaux de construction, et sa remise en place à un moment opportun
au cours du projet de construction;
4.
exige le dépôt d'une garantie
financière d'un montant de 500 000 $ couvrant les travaux de stabilisation
et de restauration de la façade de la maison aux 441 et 443 de la rue
Queen avant la délivrance des permis nécessaires pour son déplacement ou pour
sa stabilisation sur place pendant les travaux de construction;
5.
approuve la construction d'un
immeuble de bureaux au 412 de la rue Sparks, à condition que des travaux de
conception plus poussés soient réalisés en vue d'atténuer son impact visuel sur
la cathédrale, notamment, mais sans s'y limiter, par des changements de choix
de matériaux, de fenestrage et de conception;
6.
délivre le permis de construire la
tour d'habitation au 439 de la rue Queen, assorti d'un délai d'expiration de
deux ans à compter de la date de délivrance;
7.
délivre le permis de construire
l'immeuble de bureaux au 412 de la rue Sparks, assorti d'un délai d'expiration
de deux ans à compter de la date d'exécution des conditions;
8.
délègue au directeur général,
Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance, le pouvoir d'approuver les modifications
mineures de conception.
(Note 1 : Le délai légal de 90 jours prévu pour l'examen de cette
demande aux termes de la Loi sur le
patrimoine de l'Ontario expirera
le 5 juillet 2011.)
(Note 2 : À l'heure actuelle, le requérant est raisonnablement certain
que la partie de la maison jumelée à conserver pouvait demeurer en place durant
les travaux de construction, si bien que son déplacement temporaire ne serait
pas nécessaire. Quoi qu'il en soit, la garantie financière couvrira les deux
possibilités.)
(Note 3 : La décision d'approuver la transformation de ce bien aux
termes de la Loi sur le patrimoine de
l'Ontario ne signifie pas que les exigences
de délivrance du permis de construire ont été remplies.)
Documentation
1.
Deputy
City Manager's report, Infrastructure
Services and Community Sustainability, dated 21 April 2011 (ACS2011-ICS-PGM-0089)
2.
Extract of Draft Minutes 5, Ottawa Built Heritage
Advisory Committee meeting of
5 May 2011
3.
Extract
of Draft Planning Committee Minutes of 10 May 2011.
Report
to/Rapport au :
Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee
Comité consultatif sur le patrimoine bâti
d’Ottawa
and / et
Planning Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme
and Council / et au Conseil
21 April 2011 / le 21 avril 2011
Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City
Manager, Directrice
municipale adjointe, Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability,
Services d’infrastructure
et Viabilité des collectivités
Contact Person/Personne-ressource : Richard Kilstrom,
Acting Manager/Gestionnaire intérimaire, Development Review-Urban
Services/Examen des projets d'aménagement-Services urbains, Planning
and Growth Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance
(613) 580-2424, 22653
Richard.Kilstrom@ottawa.ca
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee recommend that Planning
Committee recommend City Council:
1.
Approve the
demolition of Cathedral Hall, constructed in 1959-60 and approve the
construction of a mixed use addition, connected to Christ Church Cathedral, incorporating
a new cathedral hall and spaces for the church, along with two townhouses in
accordance with drawings by HOK Architects, dated March 3, 2011 and included as
Document 7.
2.
Approve the
construction of a new residential tower, incorporating the semi-detached house
located at 441-443 Queen Street into its podium in accordance with drawings by
HOK Architects dated March 3, 2011.
3.
Approve the
temporary removal of the semi-detached house at 441-443 Queen Street during
construction, if required, and its reinstatement in its original location, at
the appropriate time in the construction project.
4.
Require the
posting of a financial security in the amount of $500,000 required to stabilize
and restore the front portion of 441-443 Queen Street prior to the issuance of
the necessary permits required for either the removal or stabilization in situ
of the building during construction.
5.
Approve the
construction of the new office building at 412 Sparks Street conditional upon
further design work being undertaken to mitigate the impact of the building
upon the Cathedral, including, but not limited to, changes to the materials,
fenestration, and design.
6.
Issue the
Heritage Permit for the residential tower at 439 Queen Street with a two-year
expiry date from the date of issuance.
7.
Issue the
Heritage Permit for 412 Sparks Street with a two-year expiry date from the date
of the satisfaction of the conditions.
8.
Delegate
authority for minor design changes to the General Manager, Planning and Growth
Management.
(Note 1:
The statutory 90-day timeline for consideration of this application under the Ontario Heritage Act will expire on July
5, 2011.)
(Note 2:
At the time of writing, the applicant was reasonably certain that the portion
of the semi-detached to be retained was to remain in situ during construction,
so temporary removal of that building would not be required. The securities
will cover either eventuality.)
(Note 3:
Approval to Alter this property under the Ontario
Heritage Act must not be construed to meet the requirements for the
issuance of a building permit.)
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité consultatif sur le patrimoine bâti d'Ottawa recommande au
Comité de l'urbanisme de recommander au Conseil municipal :
1.
d'approuver la démolition de
Cathedral Hall, construite en 1959-1960, et la construction d'une annexe à
utilisation polyvalente, reliée à la cathédrale Christ Church et contenant une
nouvelle salle paroissiale et des espaces pour les activités de l'église, ainsi
que de deux maisons en rangée, conformément aux dessins de HOK Architects datés
du 3 mars 2011 et constituant le document 7 ci-joint;
2.
d'approuver la construction d'une
tour d'habitation, incorporant dans son socle la maison jumelée située aux 441
et 443 de la rue Queen, conformément aux dessins de HOK Architects datés du 3
mars 2011;
3.
d'approuver le déplacement
temporaire, s'il s'avère nécessaire, de la maison jumelée située aux 441 et 443
de la rue Queen pendant les travaux de construction, et sa remise en place à un
moment opportun au cours du projet de construction;
4.
d'exiger le dépôt d'une garantie
financière d'un montant de 500 000 $ couvrant les travaux de stabilisation
et de restauration de la façade de la maison aux 441 et 443 de la rue
Queen avant la délivrance des permis nécessaires pour son déplacement ou pour
sa stabilisation sur place pendant les travaux de construction;
5.
d'approuver la construction d'un
immeuble de bureaux au 412 de la rue Sparks, à condition que des travaux de
conception plus poussés soient réalisés en vue d'atténuer son impact visuel sur
la cathédrale, notamment, mais sans s'y limiter, par des changements de choix
de matériaux, de fenestrage et de conception;
6.
de délivrer le permis de construire
la tour d'habitation au 439 de la rue Queen, assorti d'un délai d'expiration de
deux ans à compter de la date de délivrance;
7.
de délivrer le permis de construire
l'immeuble de bureaux au 412 de la rue Sparks, assorti d'un délai d'expiration
de deux ans à compter de la date d'exécution des conditions;
8.
de déléguer au directeur général,
Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance, le pouvoir d'approuver les modifications
mineures de conception.
(Note 1 : Le délai légal de 90
jours prévu pour l'examen de cette demande aux termes de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l'Ontario expirera le 5 juillet 2011.)
(Note 2 : À l'heure actuelle, le
requérant est raisonnablement certain que la partie de la maison jumelée à
conserver pouvait demeurer en place durant les travaux de construction, si bien
que son déplacement temporaire ne serait pas nécessaire. Quoi qu'il en soit, la
garantie financière couvrira les deux possibilités.)
(Note 3 : La décision
d'approuver la transformation de ce bien aux termes de la Loi sur le patrimoine de l'Ontario ne signifie pas que les exigences de délivrance du permis de
construire ont été remplies.)
BACKGROUND
Context
The proposed development is located within the Cathedral Hill Heritage Conservation District (HCD), approved in 1989 (By-law 286-89) (see Location Map, Document 1).
The Cathedral Hill HCD is a small heritage conservation district located at the western edge of the Central Area. It consists of eight buildings, five of which are affected by this development. One building, 412 Sparks Street, burned down after the creation of the HCD (see HCD Map, Document 2, and photographs of the buildings, Document 3). The Cathedral Hill HCD study included a building-by-building analysis of the district, but did not include guidelines for future development in the District. It did, however, contain a brief statement of the area’s significance:
It is the last
remaining block in the commercial core of Centretown that retains a
nineteenth-century neighbourhood character...The remaining houses now
surrounding Christ Church create a richly textured tapestry of urban built
forms. Some have historical associations with the Anglican Church or important
Ottawa families, while others represent unique architectural patterns, and
eclectic styles of the period...the late-nineteenth-century urban grouping of
heritage buildings, set on an escarpment of natural limestone, creates a
transitional gateway to the more intense curtain of twentieth-century highrise
development east of Bay and south of Queen which marks Centretown’s skyline
from its western approaches.
Christ Church Anglican Cathedral was designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act in 1977 for its architectural and historical value. The Statement of Reason for its designation notes that there has been an Anglican Church on the site since the 1830s, that the current building was designed by King Arnoldi, and that the structure is an example of the Gothic Revival style, “sturdily conceived and comparatively severe.” For the complete Statement of Reason, please see Document 4.
The Cathedral Hill HCD is flanked to the south by a line of towers constructed mainly in the 1960s and 1970s, and to the east by the tall buildings of the Central Business District. The Gardens, a newer condominium tower 17 storeys in height is located at the corner of Queen Street and Bronson Avenue to the south of the site and the landmark Juliana apartments are located on the west side of Bronson. St. Peter’s Lutheran Church is located to the east of the Cathedral Hill HCD and is not included in it. The Garden of the Provinces, a National Capital Commission Park, is located to the north of the property, on the north side of Sparks Street. A small park, Bronson Park, overlooking LeBreton Flats anchors the District to the west (see annotated aerial view, Document 5).
Description of Project
The goal of the proposed
project is to conserve the historic use of this block as the home of Christ
Church Anglican Cathedral and to ensure that the new buildings in the District
complement its heritage character. The
proposed project is very complex; it includes
a 12-storey (54-metre) office building on the current 50-space parking lot; an
integrated building that will include a new Cathedral Hall, attached to the
Cathedral and Lauder Hall, and townhouses facing Sparks Street and, further
west, a 21-storey apartment building, (73.6 metres at the south of the lot and
60 metres at the north) that will
include a “meaningful” portion of the semi-detached house at 441-443 Queen
Street, and townhouses at grade facing
Sparks Street (see Site Plan, Document 6 and Elevations, Document 7)
The proposed development retains the following heritage buildings on the site; Christ Church Cathedral, Lauder Hall, and the Roper House at 71 Bronson Avenue, and preserves a meaningful portion of the semi-detached house at 441-443 Queen Street.
The Site Plan of the project will feature two north/ south pedestrian walkways that will increase the permeability of the site and provide views though it. The entrance to the residential tower will face a courtyard and Cathedral Hall and the east walkway will be beside the east façade of the Cathedral, down a flight of steps. Three surface parking spots will remain.
The office tower will be setback 12 metres from the sidewalk edge at its eastern edge and about 14 metres from the sidewalk edge beside the Cathedral. These setbacks will ensure that pedestrian views of the Cathedral from the east are preserved. The office block will be five metres from the eastern wall of the Cathedral, to approximately halfway down that wall, with its walls stepped back. These step backs from the Cathedral spire at key intervals will permit the spire to continue to be read as a strong vertical element.
There will be townhouses adjacent to the Cathedral. The setback and materials (dressed stone and glass), and the clear contemporary expression of these townhouses ensures that the Cathedral continues to dominate the composition.
A report considering a Zoning By-law Amendment for this site will be heard to the Planning Committee meeting of May 10, 2011 and a Site Plan Control Application has been received. The project has been considered by the Urban Design Review Panel.
DISCUSSION
Unlike most Heritage Conservation Districts in
the city, there are no specific guidelines to manage change in the Cathedral
Hill HCD. The goals of the study that
led to its designation under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act were
made clear in a public consultation session in 1989 that stressed that the
proposed district would ensure that “change and development is managed so as
not to detract from Cathedral Hill’s special character.”
At the City’s request, the applicant engaged a heritage consultant to
undertake further research on the buildings within the HCD and their cultural
heritage value (see Document 9 for electronic link to Study). In that document, the values of each building
were identified and a thorough background study undertaken. This information assisted in the evaluation
of the impact of the proposed development upon the heritage character of the HCD.
Recommendation 1
The proposed development requires the demolition of the existing 1959-60 Cathedral Hall and its replacement with a mixed use building, housing two townhouses as well as spaces for the use of the Cathedral. The addition will be joined to the church by a transparent glass link, which will serve as an accessible entrance to the Cathedral that will lead to the doors that were created when the 1959 building was constructed. This link will separate the Cathedral from the addition, and will create an attractive light-filled space inside, where the stone wall of the building will be exposed. The contemporary design expression of the glass link will clearly contrast with, and accentuate, the Gothic Revival character of the Cathedral (Document 8).
Recommendations 2, 3 and 4
The residential tower is located between the Cathedral and the Roper House. The semi-detached house that faces Queen Street will form its southern base, and four new townhouses will face Sparks Street. The 21-storey residential building will be accessed from the courtyard that faces the Cathedral. The location of the tower to the west of the Cathedral and its calm, elegant design expression will act as a counterpoint to the Cathedral spire.
Recent analysis of the cost of moving the semi-detached house off its foundations during construction and then moving it back onto its foundations has led the applicant to favour retention in situ during construction. Whatever the case, the Department will require that securities be taken through the Site Plan agreement process.
Recommendation 5
The 12-storey office tower will be located to the east of the
Cathedral, separated from it by a five-metre landscaped pathway. The building will feature a two storey podium
that breaks up the height and massing of the structure. At the third floor, the
building steps back from the Cathedral, and then above that level, steps
forward. The façade is vertically
divided into three by a combination of varied materials, shapes and setbacks to
diminish the impact of the building upon the cathedral. The Department would like to see some
alternatives to this treatment to see if it would be possible to further reduce
the impact of this building upon the cultural heritage value of the Cathedral. The
applicant has agreed to continue discussion on the design of the office
building.
Recommendations 6 and 7
The Ontario Heritage Act does
not provide any timelines for the expiry of heritage permits. A two-year expiry
date is recommended to ensure that projects are completed in a timely fashion
and according to the approved heritage permits.
Recommendation 8
Occasionally, minor changes
to a building emerge during the working drawing phase. This recommendation is included to allow the
Planning and Growth Management Department to approve these changes without
taking the project back to OBHAC, Planning Committee and City Council for
review.
Policy Framework
Official Plan
Section 4.6.1 (7) of the Official Plan addresses development and
heritage resources. The policies state that the City “will ensure the proposal
is compatible” by respecting massing, profile and character, matching setbacks,
and widths of adjacent heritage buildings,
minimizing shadowing, having a
minimal impact on the heritage qualities of the street and minimizing the loss
of landscaped open space and the impact of the development on the street as a
public place.
The Cathedral Hill HCD is a very small district, with dense urban
development, including mid/ high rise buildings ranging up to 17 storeys in
height, on its south, west and east sides.
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church is adjacent to the eastern boundary of
the District but is not designated under the Ontario Heritage Act; however, it is a Category 4 building on the
City’s Heritage Reference List. There
are three Queen Anne Revival style houses to the east of the proposed
development that are included in the HCD and which will remain.
These buildings will act as a backdrop to the proposed structures. The proposed
development features buildings with narrow facades facing Queen and Sparks
Streets that are similar to the adjacent heritage buildings in width and
continue the rhythm of the street, established by the dominant element of the
front façade of the Cathedral. The
buildings within the Cathedral Hill HCD currently have irregular setbacks, with
the present Cathedral Hall projecting in front of the Cathedral. The new setbacks proposed for the buildings
will be uniform and respect the existing setbacks. The high-rise buildings on the south side of
Queen Street already shadow the HCD and the Garden of the Provinces to the
north, and, while the proposed buildings, at 12 and 21 storeys, will
increase shadowing, the impact of the additional shadowing will not affect the
experience for users of the Garden of the Provinces in the summer or winter,
and the effect in the spring and fall will be acceptable as the shadow from the
west tower will be relatively narrow.
The proposed development, with its courtyards, more uniform setbacks,
street-oriented townhouses, reduced surface parking (from over 50 to three
spaces), and new landscaping adjacent to Roper House, will re-establish the
street as an appealing pedestrian precinct that honours its historic buildings.
Provincial Policy Statement
(PPS)
The PPS now requires that “significant built heritage resources and
significant cultural heritage landscapes” be conserved. Conservation is defined
as: “the identification, protection, use and/or management of cultural heritage
and archaeological resources in such a way that their heritage values,
attributes and integrity are retained.”
The PPS prohibits “development or site alteration … on adjacent lands to
protected heritage property” until “it has been demonstrated that the heritage attributes
of the protected heritage property will be conserved”. Thus, prior to development
or site alteration of sites adjacent to protected heritage properties, evaluations
of the impacts are required.
The impact of the development was examined in the “Cultural Heritage
Impact Study” prepared by Bray and Associates (see Document 9, entire document
available online with Agenda or on file with City Clerk); and was also reviewed
extensively by the Urban Design Review Panel (see Document 10 for Panel
comments).
The Cultural Heritage Impact Statement stated four objectives of the
project. These were:
• To conserve the
Cathedral and Lauder Hall is situ
• To conserve Roper
House and its flanking lawns in situ
• To preserve views
of the Cathedral spire and façade from the north and along Sparks Street
• To retain a
pedestrian streetscape along Sparks and Queen Streets.
The objectives
informed the design of the project as it evolved.
Section 3.3, “Summary of Impact …” of the “Cultural Heritage Impact
Statement” enumerated the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed design.
The advantages included the retention of key buildings, such as Cathedral Hill,
Lauder Hall, and the Roper House, the demolition of the 1959-60 Cathedral Hall,
and the retention of important views. Disadvantages included the partial,
rather than entire, retention of the Queen Street semi-detached building, the
height of the new buildings relative to the Cathedral spire and the impact of
the residential building on Roper House. The conclusion of the “Cultural
Heritage Impact Statement” outlined some of the efforts already made to
mitigate the preceding disadvantages.
They include the elimination of surface parking, the construction of a
new Cathedral Hall, the use of compatible materials, the setting of the
residential tower upon a podium base that matched the Roper House in scale, the
stepping back of the office tower, the creation of street related-residential
uses, and the overall design of the project that accentuates the verticality of
the spire.
Standards and Guidelines
In the absence of guidelines that specifically address the management of change in the Cathedral Hill HCD, Parks Canada’s “Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada” were consulted. City Council adopted the “Standards and Guidelines” in 2008 and the second edition of this document was released recently. There are a number of “Standards and Guidelines” relevant to this project. These include:
Standards
Standard 1
(a) Conserve the heritage value of an historic place.
(b) Do not remove, replace or substantially alter its intact or repairable character-defining elements.
(c) Do not move a part of an historic place if its current location is a character-defining element.
The proposed development is intended to ensure that Christ Church Anglican Cathedral continues to serve the community, thereby conserving the intangible heritage of the HCD as an ecclesiastical zone since the 1840s. This preservation of use contributes to preserving this aspect of the heritage value of the historic place.
The heritage character not only of the Cathedral but also of the HCD will be improved through the removal of the unsympathetic 1959-60 addition and its replacement with a new hall, linked to the Cathedral with a simple glass structure. As the link to new Cathedral Hall is set back from the front façade of the Cathedral and the existing Hall projects to the sidewalk edge, the removal will also improve views and the pedestrian experience.
The Cathedral Hill HCD has heritage value as a remnant residential neighbourhood. In the 19th century, the west end of the current downtown core was a residential neighbourhood containing the houses of many prominent lumber barons and industrialists and a number of more modest houses. Currently, the HCD is the site of five houses from this era.
Three of them are not the subject of this project, but the other two; the semi-detached house located at 441-443 Queen Street and the Roper House at 71 Bronson will remain. A portion of the semi-detached house will either be retained in situ during construction and serve as townhouses at the base of the residential tower, or be removed during construction and re-instated. In either case, the residential character of this block of Queen Street will remain. In addition, six new townhouses will be constructed at the base of the residential tower and beside the Cathedral, which will serve to strengthen the street-level residential character of the area. Similarly, the residential tower will create new units, further reinforcing the re-emergence of the area as residential. This return to residential uses will enhance one of the former uses of the area.
Standard 11
(a) Conserve the heritage value and character-defining elements when creating any new additions to an historic place or any related new construction.
(b) Make the new work physically and visually compatible with, subordinate to, and distinguishable from the historic place.
Part (b) also requires an addition to be subordinate to the historic place. This is best understood to mean that the addition must not detract from the historic place or impair its heritage value. Subordination is not a question of size; a small, ill-conceived addition could adversely affect an historic place more than a large, well-designed addition.
The addition that will link the Cathedral, Lauder Hall and its new Hall respects this Standard. As described above, it is physically and visually compatible with the character of the Cathedral but distinguishable from it.
The character of the HCD as a whole and the impact of the entire development upon it has been the subject of a good deal of discussion since the inception of this project in 2010. From that time, Heritage staff has worked closely with the applicant, their heritage consultant and City land use planners to ensure that the Cathedral would continue to be the centrepiece of the HCD. Responding to staff concerns, the views of the public, the Urban Design Review Panel and members of the Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee, the residential tower was moved as far to the west of the site as possible and was designed as a narrow tower, aligned north-south in order to frame the Cathedral, and to provide a backdrop for the landmark Roper House. The office building was set back from the sidewalk to allow pedestrian views of the Cathedral to remain. Both new buildings also use materials to create differences between the buildings and to allow the rugged character of the rough cut Nepean sandstone of the Cathedral to stand out. Although the new development also uses stone, it will be smooth faced to provide a contrast to the original stone. The use of glass and metal will also create buildings that are light and transparent, providing a neutral background for the heritage buildings that will respect their heritage value.
The rocky promontory upon which the Cathedral and the rest of the District are located is a character-defining element of the district. The views toward the promontory from the Portage Bridge are among Ottawa’s iconic views. The location of the new structures in relation to the Cathedral and within the HCD and their architectural expression will ensure that this view continues to remain as such.
While it cannot be denied that this is a large intervention into a small heritage district, the sensitive location of the new buildings, the use of complementary materials such as dressed stone and glass, the elimination of an unsightly parking lot and the creation of new public spaces such as the walkways, and a courtyard as well as the forecourt in front of the Cathedral, mean that the heritage value of the area will not be impaired (for an architectural analysis, see Document 11).
Guidelines
4.1 Guidelines for Cultural Landscapes, including Heritage Districts
4.1.1 Evidence of Land Use
Guideline 12 Designing a new feature when required by a new use that is compatible with the past or continuing land use.
The new proposal continues the ecclesiastical use of the District, and reaffirms the former residential character of the area. It preserves all the existing heritage buildings on the site. Finally, the site plan, with its pattern of pedestrian walkways, and the courtyard adjacent to Cathedral Hall, provides new access to the site and its pre-eminent building, the Cathedral, and to the historic Lauder Hall.
4.3 Guidelines for Buildings
4.3.1 15 Designing a new addition that is compatible in terms of materials and massing with the exterior form of the historic building and its setting.
The addition and new entrance to the Cathedral, described above, is compatible with the materials, form and massing of the Cathedral. Designed of glass, it will allow views of the stone walls of the Cathedral, and its contemporary design and expression will complement the Gothic Revival style of the structure. The location of the entrance link, setback from the front façade of the Cathedral, will create a forecourt allowing views to the Cathedral along Sparks Street.
The design, materials and massing of the new towers specifically address both the Cathedral and Roper House. The intention is to have the towers expressed in a palette of light materials to counterpoint the heavy stone masonry of the Cathedral as well as and the brick of the Roper House and the Queen Street semi-detached house.
4.3.1 18
Finding solutions to meet accessibility requirements that are compatible with the exterior form of the historic building.
The new entrance to the Cathedral itself will feature a staircase and a lift because the floor of the Cathedral is above grade. This function, because it will be internal to the structure, is compatible with the building.
4.3.1 25
Removing a non-character defining feature of the building’s exterior form, such as an addition built after the restoration period.
The incompatible 1959-60 addition to the Cathedral which, through its location, massing and materials, detracts from the Cathedral will be removed and replaced with a compatible building addition that respects the “Standards and Guidelines.”
Tall buildings in heritage
districts/ Views
Tall buildings have the potential to have a profound effect upon their setting and their location relative to historic resources and their architectural expression must be taken very seriously. The context and the impact of tall buildings on the character not only on the immediate area but also on the city as a whole are critical. Good design is paramount, and equal attention should be paid to their relationship with the public realm at ground level and the architectural treatment of the top because of its effect on the skyline. Tall buildings can increase the functionality of an area and enrich the public realm. They are most appropriate in an area where there are other tall buildings, as their impact is not as great when they are surrounded by similarly- sized structures.
The Zoning by-law of the City of Ottawa defines view planes to ensure that the Parliament Buildings remain dominant in the landscape of the downtown area. The proposed towers do not affect these defined view planes. In addition to this, the view of the Parliament Buildings from the Beechwood Cemetery is also protected. These are the only views that are officially protected in the city, however, there are views of the Cathedral that are important to its cultural heritage value because of the historic decision to locate it on a promontory, and these views were taken into account in this project.
The view of Christ Church Cathedral from the Portage Bridge is one such view. In this location, the Cathedral, with its prominent location upon the escarpment, is viewed against a backdrop of nine-to-seventeen storey buildings to the south and west. The new development will not obscure this view of the Cathedral rather it will frame the building, with the taller of the two towers located farther away to the south and west and the shorter tower, closer. The towers are specifically designed in a mixture of dressed stone, glass and metal to appear light in contrast to the “sturdily built” Cathedral with it heavy stone masonry construction, stepped gable ends, buttresses and steeple. Similarly, the view directly south from Wellington Street, will also frame the building (for the architect’s impression of the views, see Document 12; for existing view analysis, see Document 13).
The Cathedral is also evident from the Western Parkway but recent construction at LeBreton has obscured some of these views, as may future construction in that area.
Conclusion
The Planning and Growth Management Department has examined the proposed project in the process of assessing the Zoning By-law Amendment and the application under the Ontario Heritage Act. These are separate applications, one under the Planning Act and the other under the Ontario Heritage Act. The Department supports the Zoning Amendment Application and has recommended its approval.
The Department supports the application under the Ontario Heritage Act because the two new buildings and the new addition to the Cathedral respect and complement the Part IV designated Cathedral and the Cathedral Hill HCD. The proposed development will preserve the Cathedral, Lauder Hall, the Roper House and a portion of the semi-detached building at 441-443 Queen Street. It will replace an unsightly surface parking lot and create a wider sidewalk, and a series of walks and courtyards. The new buildings, through their articulation, materials and design will provide an ensemble with the historic Cathedral at its centre. For these reasons, the Department has no objection to the construction of the new Cathedral Hall, the residential building and the office building, (subject to design modifications as noted earlier), that are proposed for the Cathedral Hill Heritage Conservation District.
RURAL IMPLICATIONS
CONSULTATION
Adjacent property owners have been notified by letter of the application and the dates of the Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee and Planning Committee meetings.
The Centretown Citizens Community Association has been informed of the project.
Heritage Ottawa is aware of this project.
COMMENTS BY THE WARD COUNCILLOR(S)
Application for a
New Development in the Cathedral Hill HCD
The current zoning, permitting approximately 4 storeys along the street
edge and 6 storeys within the interior of the block, was established by the
former City of Ottawa in order to protect the primacy of the Cathedral’s
silhouette atop the escarpment, and against the skyline.
While I was prepared to accept the previous version of this submission,
which although pushing the height to an extreme, had the advantage of being no
taller than the background buildings at 85 and 95 Bronson Avenue. The taller
and more aggressively-shaped version, which was produced at the urging of
the Urban Design Peer Review Panel, is excessively tall and will in my view
overwhelm the Cathedral and its attendant buildings such as the Roper House.
Nationally significant views from the west and north would be forever
destroyed.
Cathedral Hill is one of the Central Area’s most important heritage
conservation districts, and I am deeply concerned that this developer has been
encouraged to submit an insensitive, awkward and inhumanly-scaled design. For
these reasons I do not support the approval of this new development within the
Cathedral Hill Heritage Conservation District.
LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS:
If this application under the Ontario Heritage Act is appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board, it is anticipated that a three- to four-day hearing would result.
Should the recommendation be refused reasons will have to be provided. If an appeal of the refusal were to occur, an external heritage planner would need to be retained at an estimated cost of $15,000.00-$20,000.00. Additionally, if circumstances were to require that outside legal counsel be retained to undertake the hearing, this would cost an estimated $30,000.00.
CITY STRATEGIC PLAN
F1 Become leading edge in community and urban design including housing creation for those in the city living on low incomes and residents at large.
F2 Respect the existing urban fabric, neighbourhood and the limits of existing hard services, so that new growth is integrated seamlessly with established communities.
TECHNICAL IMPLICATIONS
N/A
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
If this application under the Ontario Heritage Act is appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board, it is anticipated that a three- to four-day hearing would result.
Should the recommendation be refused reasons will have to be provided. If an appeal of the refusal were to occur, an external heritage planner would need to be retained at an estimated cost of $15,000.00-$20,000.00. Additionally, if circumstances were to require that outside legal counsel be retained to undertake the hearing, this would cost an estimated $30,000.00.
Funds would be available within available resources.
APPLICATION PROCESS TIMELINE STATUS
This application was completed within the 90-day time period prescribed by the Ontario Heritage Act. The time period expires on July 5, 2011.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 Location Map
Document 2 Map of Cathedral Hill HCD
Document 3 Photographs
Document 4 Statement of Reason
Document 5 Annotated Aerial View
Document 6 Site Plan
Document 7 Elevations
Document 8 Cathedral Hall Link to Cathedral
Document 9 Extract from Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment
Document 10 Urban Design Review Panel Comments
Document 11 Architect’s Site Analysis
Document 12 Architect’s View Impressions
Document 13 Additional Views
DISPOSITION
City Clerk and Solicitor Department, Legislative
Services to notify the property owner and the Ontario Heritage Trust
(10 Adelaide Street East, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1J3)
of Council’s decision to allow the development within the Cathedral Hill HCD to
proceed.
DOCUMENT
4
STATEMENT OF
REASON
Christ Church Cathedral
By-law 77-80
Christ Church Cathedral, Queen Street and Sparks Street, is recommended for designation as being of architectural and historical value. The site was donated by Nicholas Sparks in 1832. The first church was built during 1832-33. The present building was erected during 1872-73, being designed by King Arnoldi, a prominent Ottawa architect. In 1897 Christ Church was established as the Cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa.
In its overall exterior appearance, the church is of the Gothic Revival style, sturdily conceived and comparatively severe. Christ Church’s prominent role in the life of the City is marked by its striking location atop a promontory marking the western edge of Ottawa’s Central Area.
DOCUMENT
5
Cathedral Hall, to be removed
3.3 SUMMARY OF
IMPACT ON CULTURAL HERITAGE RESOURCES
ADVANTAGES
OF THE PROPOSED DESIGN
Roper House and its front and side lawns will
remain in situ and be preserved. The house foundation will be repaired and it
is anticipated that it will remain in its current use as Diocesan offices and rental
apartments. Roper House will remain as a landmark on the western edge of the
escarpment that marks the transition into the downtown core, a key heritage
objective identified in the Cathedral Hill Heritage Conservation District Plan.
Lauder Hall and the Cathedral will remain in situ
and be preserved. The non-heritage Cathedral Hall will be demolished and
replaced with new church-related uses and residential townhouses that better
reinforce the pedestrian scale of the Sparks Street streetscape. Important
views of the landmark Cathedral spire will be retained. The Queen Street
townhouses will be conserved in part. The front portion of the townhouses,
including the front wall and portions of the side walls and roof, will be
retained and integrated within the new townhouses proposed for this part of the
residential tower podium base.
DISADVANTAGES OF THE PROPOSED DESIGN
The new towers will be slightly higher than the
Cathedral spire and considerably higher than the other existing heritage
buildings on the subject lands. Roper House will be seen against the backdrop
of a tall
building, albeit with a neutral podium base in the
background.
Only portions of the Queen Street townhouses will
be retained and the conserved portion will have to be secured and moved to
another part of the subject lands during construction of the underground
parking, then moved back and integrated within new residential construction.
This approach is clearly less desirable than retention of the existing
structures in situ, in whole or in part.
CONCLUSION:
RATIONALE FOR THE CHOSEN DEVELOPMENT OPTION
In summary, although the proposed new buildings are clearly much larger than
the existing heritage buildings, their impact is mitigated by several design
measures. A podium base on the residential tower matches the height of Roper
House and Lauder Hall and is also shifted west as far as possible from the
Cathedral so as not to compete with the heritage church. The eastern building
also respects the Cathedral’s landmark status by stepping back at key datum
points on its façade to retain views of the architectural features of the
Cathedral spire. In both cases, the new towers have been designed with small
footprints and very strong vertical lines in order to accentuate and compliment
the verticality of the Cathedral spire. Providing street-related residential
uses along Queen Street respects the character of the residential streetscape
and continues the existing land use. By providing sufficient density on the
site, the Church will earn lease payments that ensure ongoing revenue to cover
the maintenance costs for the Heritage assets on the site, ensuring their preservation
for future generations. These design responses address both the physical and
associative heritage values of the Cathedral Hill Heritage Conservation
District.
Full Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment
§ Report 1- Background Research
§ Report 2 - Final - – Impact Assessment
• Downtown
Ottawa Urban Design Strategy, Appendix A to Heritage Impact Statement (Report
2)
412 SPARKS | Formal Review
*Note: These recommendations will be forwarded onto Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory Committee (OBHAC) for their review.
General
Comments
- The Panel has appreciated working with the design and applicant team on this project and has found the evolution of this design very rewarding.
- This is one of the most important sites in
Ottawa and the most significant site that the Panel has had the
opportunity to review up to this point. The extra care and attention the
applicant has taken to consider and incorporate the Panel’s
recommendations is appreciated.
- The Panel commends the applicant on their
presentation and their thoughtful urban design analysis. While the Panel
is generally pleased with the direction of the project, there are a number
of contextual issues, including elevations and landscaping issues, which
require further development.
Landscape
and Public Realm
· The Panel would have liked to see more detail about the design and intent for the open spaces and the public realm. The Panel notes that landscaping needs to be examined more closely, including the selection and use of proposed materials and planting.
· The Panel notes the importance of looking at the relationship between the landscape and the larger context. There is some concern that the landscaping strategy is somewhat fragmented, particularly as it relates to a strategy concerning street trees. The Panel stated that if the crabapple trees in front of the Cathedral are retained there should be a clear rationale for this decision. The Sparks Street sidewalk should be lined with large trees (not three small trees) that open up in front of the Cathedral plaza and continue across the front of the commercial plaza, connecting to the grid of trees to the north of the site. Large street trees, such as a number of native maple species, should be planted in front of the townhomes and continue along the block.
· The Panel notes that there should be a hierarchy of outdoor spaces with the forecourt in front of the Cathedral being the most important urban space on site that is supported by all the other urban spaces. The forecourt is an integral component to the success of the project and should be landscaped appropriately. Through landscaping, it can also be linked to the Garden of the Provinces and Territories. The office and commercial tower landscape should be supplementary to this primary space.
· The south side of Queen Street should be examined as the applicant develops the landscape strategy for the site’s facing edge. The street tree treatment of the landscape along the north Queen Street edge should complete and complement the existing landscape on the south side of Queen Street.
·
Sensitivity to landscaping details will be
important to the success of connecting spaces. For example, the Panel suggested
that the design of the narrow sliver of the Philosopher’s Walk could be in some
way married to the treatment of the parking ramp (e.g. through lighting or
hardscape strategies).
· The Panel suggested the possibility of providing a series of steps up from the Escarpment Park, west of the Garden of the Provinces and Territories to the projecting escarpment wall opposite the Cathedral. The Panel suggested that this be seen as compensation for the greatly increased density on the site and would create valuable linkages both for the site’s residents and future pedestrian movement linking between LeBreton open spaces and Sparks Street itself (as proposed by the City of Ottawa’s Downtown Ottawa Urban Design Strategy).
· The Panel is not satisfied with the landscape treatment to the west side of Roper House. Although a lawn in the past, there could be a more imaginative way of using landscaping to enhance this part of the site. The Panel notes that the Roper House lawn should be considered as part of the park to the north and that a rich landscape solution should be developed that could serve to connect the site to the Garden of the Provinces and Territories. The Panel recommends that the applicant examine possibilities for this landscape as they develop detailed plans of the ground plane.
· A series of visual cues could be developed to help tie this site together with its surroundings. The Panel recognizes that the small spaces are evolving in terms of their responses to their respective adjacent uses; however, it is important to ensure these spaces are linked cohesively and give primacy to the Cathedral forecourt.
Built Form and Materiality
· The Panel is fairly comfortable with the proposed material palette. The Panel encourages the applicant to translate the simplicity of their sketches into the refinement of design and material selection for each building. The Panel also suggests the creation of 1:50 elevations, in particular for the first few floors, to help in the final selection of materials and design refinements.
· The proposed stone base of the office building and residential town houses is moving in the right direction. The sense of the Panel is that above the stone base, the tower buildings should visually disappear into the sky and be relatively simple; the Panel is wary of tall, heavy elements competing with the Cathedral’s prominence.
· As the design of the towers evolves and materials are considered in more detail, the Panel suggests that the use and impact of darker colour choices should be carefully considered, especially when seen above or immediately beside key heritage buildings.
· The Panel is somewhat concerned about the idea of the “set of three” dominant vertical elements and feels that the Cathedral and its spire should be the uniquely dominant element on the site. The Panel would like some assurance that the prominence of the Cathedral and its spire is in fact what the applicant is proposing.
· The Panel would like a better sense of how the selected materials and forms of the buildings will marry themselves together and to the site. The Panel encourages the applicant to explore further simplifying the vocabulary and palette of the two taller buildings.
· The design resolution of the curved element at the top of the residential tower appears to be too dominant and heavy and should undergo some refinement.
Invitation
Back
· While the project is moving in the right direction and has come a long way from the earlier presentations, the Panel is interested in reviewing further evolutions of the design.
· The Panel invites the applicant back for further review but understands that a development application has been submitted and is conscious of the related time constraints. Given this, a small sub-group of the Panel could be available to the applicant, outside of the normal monthly meeting times, to further review the project.
· In such a situation, the Panel would find the following additional drawings helpful in understanding the proposed development:
o Larger scale elevation details (1:50 scale, coloured elevations of first few floors)
o A series of pedestrian level drawings of the courtyard spaces and streetscape at human scale, including from the south side of Sparks Street. This could perhaps be accomplished using the applicant’s Sketch Up model.
Spire
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