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
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 RECOMMENDATION
That the Local Architectural
Conservation Advisory Committee recommend that Planning and Environment Committee
recommend that Council approve the construction of a new building at 170 Bank
Street/324 Laurier Avenue West in the Bank Street Heritage Conservation
District in accordance with the plans by CORE Architects, received on February
28, 2007 and that further design revisions be subject to the approval of the
Director, Planning and Infrastructure Approvals Branch.
(Note: 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.)
RECOMMANDATION 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 à son tour au Conseil d'approuver la construction d'un nouvel
immeuble au 170, rue Bank / 324, avenue Laurier Ouest, dans le District de
conservation du patrimoine de la rue Bank, conformément aux plans déposés par
CORE Architects et reçus le 28 février 2007, et que les révisions à la
conception soient soumises à l'approbation du directeur de l'Approbation des
demandes d'aménagement et d'infrastructure.
(Nota : L’approbation de la demande de modification aux termes de la Loi
sur le patrimoine de l’Ontario ne signifie pas pour autant qu’elle satisfait
aux conditions de délivrance d’un permis de construire)
BACKGROUND
This report has been prepared to allow for the construction of a new mixed-use building (the Mondrian) located at 170 Bank Street/324 Laurier Avenue West which is within the Bank Street Heritage Conservation District, designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 175-2000). The Ontario Heritage Act requires that all new construction in a Heritage Conservation District be approved by City Council. A location plan is included as Document 1.
DISCUSSION
The
Bank Street Heritage Conservation District was designated under Part V of the
Ontario Heritage Act by City Council in 2000. Following this designation,
appeals were filed by a number of property owners and the Ontario Municipal
Board (OMB) held two mediation sessions. Agreements were reached regarding the
overall district and specific sites, including the vacant site at 170 Bank
Street/324 Laurier Avenue West. A significant aspect of the mediation as reported
to LACAC, PEC and Council in March/April 2006 consists of an agreement not to
place a heritage overlay under the Zoning By-law on the two heritage districts
until 2021. While the proposed mixed-use building at this location was not
designed at the time of the OMB mediation in 2001, the current development
potential permitting a high building was recognized. The issues discussed at
that time relative to this site correspond to the guidelines contained in the
Central Area West Heritage Conservation District Study and the Summary
Architectural Character Statement included as Document 2. In essence, these
issues dealt with the relationship of any new infill building to the overall
Bank Street streetscape and specifically the adjacent Bank of Nova Scotia building.
The
proposed mixed-use development consists of a 24-storey building with
approximately 249 residential units on the 6th to 24th floors (tower), 215
public parking stalls on the 2nd to 5th floors (podium level), and at grade
retail space along Bank Street and part of Laurier Avenue West. Residential parking for the condominium
tower is accommodated below-grade. The five storey podium is 16.6 metres above
grade and clad in a white, translucent glass.The glass panels are staggered to
allow for ventialtion of the parking levels.The residential tower rises above
the podium and is oriented closest to Laurier Avenue West.
It
is set back on the sixth floor to provide a transition/separation from the
podium as seen from Bank Street. The tower, with the exception of balconies, is
setback 1.5 metres from the edge of the podium along Bank Street. Rooftop
amenities, including a swimming pool and landscaped area, are provided above
part of the parking structure. Drawings are included as Documents 5-8 of this report.
Specific
aspects of the "Central Area West Heritage Conservation District
Plan" Guidelines for the Bank Heritage Precinct at this location are as
follows :
The key issue will be to attempt to preserve the scale and rhythm of the existing older buildings on Bank Street and to preserve good conditions of sunlight on that street.
Ground
floor space on Bank Street should continue to be retail, maximizing the number
of independent retail interests within the overall frontage.
New
building elements on the Bank Street frontage should have heights not exceeding
four storeys.
Elements
of building massing higher than that should be set back, and concentrated on
the portions of the building site facing onto Laurier Avenue West and Slater
Street.
Servicing
to new buildings on this site should also be off Slater Street or Laurier
Avenue West.
New building elements on the Bank Street frontage
should not exceed four storeys, and should take into account the heights on the
blocks north and south to accommodate an appropriate transition to the lower
heights of Centretown.
Elements of building massing higher than that
should be set back a depth not less than 10 metres.
The
project as a whole covers a large parcel which extends west along Laurier
Avenue and to some extent on Gloucester behind the Bank of Nova Scotia. The
primary focus of the Central Area West Heritage Conservation District Study
guidelines and OMB discussion was on the relationship of a future infill
building to the overall Bank Street streetscape and specifically the adjacent
Bank of Nova Scotia building. In order to provide a more comprehensive design
review of the entire project, the design has gone through a full review by the
Urban Design Review Panel. This review has resulted in several design changes
including more glazing on the Gloucester Street elevation to the east of the
existing Bank of Nova Scotia as well as improvements to the retail frontage on
Bank Street.
The
proposed Mondrian condominium apartment building respects many of the guidelines
contained in the Central Area West Heritage Conservation District Study. The
five story retail/parking podium along Bank Street is the same height as 162
Bank Street to the north. A sun/shade study demonstrates miminal impacts on the
east side of the Bank Street Heritage Conservation District north of Laurier
Avenue at key times. Retail uses will be provided at grade along Bank Street.
Structural columns along Bank Street provide some continuity at grade with the
columns of the Bank of Nova Scotia. The massing of the residential tower has
been oriented towards Laurier Avenue rather than Bank Street enabling a
transition from the tower to the podium to the Bank of Nova Scotia building and
then to the Centretown Heritage Conservation District which begins at
Gloucester and extends south along the Bank Street frontage.
The
Mondrian wraps around the Bank of Nova Scotia on the north and west sides and
the precast concrete walls of the Mondrian will match the buff colour of the
stone of the Bank. These blank walls will also be illuminated to provide a
background which will set off the Bank of Nova Scotia at night. The southern
elevation of the Mondrian will have some glazing at grade to ensure that the
five metre space between the Bank of Nova Scotia which is used for periodic
access to and egress from the bank is illuminated.
The Mondrian does not meet all the guidelines described in Document 2. The podium is one storey higher than requested at five storeys and the residential tower has not been setback to any significant degree from Bank Street at Laurier Avenue. Notwithstanding this, the Department has determined that the project has met many of the requested guidelines as noted above and warrants approval. It is anticipated that a project of this scope will require minor design adjustments as it proceeds through the various stages of development approval and this report recommends delegation of that approval to the Director of Planning and Infrastructure Approvals.
CONSULTATION
Adjacent
property owners and local community associations were notified by letter of the
date of the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC) and
Planning and Environment Committee meetings and were provided with comment
sheets to be returned to LACAC. This is in accordance with the City's public
participation policies.
The
Ward Councillor Diane Holmes is aware of this project.
The
Centretown Citizens Community Association is aware of this project.
The
Bank Street BIA is aware of this project.
Heritage
Ottawa is aware of this project.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
APPLICATION PROCESS
TIMELINE STATUS
This application has been processed within the 90
days specified under the Ontario Heritage Act.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 2 Summary Architectural Character Statement
Document 3 Site
Photos
Document 4 Conclusions from Mondrian-Cultural Heritage Impact Statement. Full document distributed separately to LACAC and on file with the LACAC Coordinator
Document 5 Perspective view looking southwest along Bank Street
Document 6 Perspective view looking northwest along Slater Street
Document 7 Bank Street elevation/streetscape
Document 8 Canopy and streetscaping detail
DISPOSITION
The Corporate Services Department, Council and Committee Services Division, to notify the applicant/agent J. E. Ironside Consulting Ltd., 2055 Prince of Wales Drive, Nepean, Ontario, K2E 7A4, the architect CORE Architects Inc., Ste. 600, 317 Adelaide Street West, Toronto, Ont. M5V 1PG and the owner, Ambassador Realty Inc., 185 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, Ont., and the Ontario Heritage Trust (10 Adelaide Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1J3) of City Council's consent for demolition, new construction and reinstatement in the Bank Street Heritage Conservation District.
SITE PHOTOS DOCUMENT
3
Bank Street
PERSPECTIVE VIEW LOOKING SOUTHWEST
BANK STREET ELEVATION/STREETSCAPE DOCUMENT
7
CANOPY AND STREESCAPING DETAIL DOCUMENT
8
