2150 Lake Shore Heritage Impact Assessment
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2150 LAKE SHORE HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT 2150 - 2194 - LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD WEST 23 PARK LAWN ROAD TORONTO CPPIB Park Lawn Canada Inc FCR (Park Lawn) LP 1957 aerial photograph of the Site and surroundings (City of Toronto Archives, annotated by ERA). Project # 17-290-03 COVER PAGE: 2150 Lake Shore Boulevard Prepared by PE / SI / EA / RL West (ERA 2019). PREPARED FOR: PREPARED BY: Jodi Shpigel ERA Architects Inc. FCR (Park Lawn) LP #600-625 Church St 85 Hanna Avenue, Suite 400 Toronto ON, M4Y 2G1 Toronto, ON M6K 3S3 416-963-4497 416-216-2052 ii HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 2150 & 2194 LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD WEST, TORONTO CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY v 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Scope of the Report 1.2 Site Description and Context 1.3 Context Photos 1.4 Existing Heritage Status 1.5 Adjacent Heritage Resources 1.6 Protected Views 1.7 Archaeological Potential 2 SITE HISTORY 9 2.1 Pre- and Early Contact History (to 1791) 2.2 Early Subdivisions and Settlement (1791-1880s) 2.3 Industrial Development: Brickmaking on Site (1880s-1920) 2.4 Leisure and Recreation: Motor Tourism on Site (1920s-1940s) 2.5 Industrial Development: Christie Lakeshore Bakery (1949-2013) 2.6 Waterside Residential Development: Humber Bay Shores (2000s-2010s) 3 ASSESSMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE VALUE 18 3.1 Ontario Regulation 9/06 Evaluation 3.2 Draft Statements of Significance 4 ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING CONDITION 25 5 POLICY REVIEW 26 6 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 29 7 IMPACT ASSESSMENT 31 7.1 Impact Summary 8 CONSERVATION STRATEGY 33 8.1 Conservation Approach 8.1.1 Conservation of Heritage Attributes 8.1.2 Interpretation of Historic Themes 8.2 Impact Mitigation Strategies 9 CONCLUSION 46 10 PROJECT PERSONNEL 47 11 REFERENCES 48 APPENDICES A Roof Plan by Allies and Morrison LLP B Visual Assessment of the Christie Water Tower by Carvajal Structural Engineers Inc. S EPTEMBER 27, 2019 11:07 AM iii Ex EcutivE Summary Background Conservation Strategy This Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) has been prepared Because the Site’s cultural heritage value is largely as a component of an Official Plan Amendment (OPA) intangible, ERA’s recommended conservation approach application for the properties at 2150 Lake Shore is the development of a robust interpretation program Boulevard West (also municipally known as 23 Park for the Master Plan Site. The interpretation program Lawn Road) and 2194 Lake Shore Boulevard West (“the would be intended to communicate the Site’s intangible Site”). The OPA supports the redevelopment of the Site cultural heritage value, through the use of diverse media as illustrated by the Master Plan, which has been filed to on and off the Site. inform the City of Toronto’s development of a Secondary Plan for the area. The Christie Water Tower is proposed to be retained, relocated and incorporated into a planned neighbourhood Cultural Heritage Value park as a key component of the Site’s interpretation program. This HIA finds that the Site carries the following elements Impact mitigation strategies will ensure that the Christie of cultural heritage value: Water Tower retains its visibility from the Gardiner • Design value associated with the existing commercial Expressway and CN Rail corridor, and its prominence bank building at 2194 Lake Shore Boulevard West; as a landmark industrial projection along Toronto’s waterside regional transportation routes. • Association with Christie, Brown & Co., a significant institution in the Humber Bay community; Site-Wide Interpretation Program • Association with broader themes of Toronto’s waterfront history: industrial production, and leisure, The interpretation program would use various media recreation and public use; (e.g. sculptural art pieces, sidewalk inlays, panels, murals, oral history projects, interpretive public realm design) to • A physical, visual, functional and historical convey the stories of the Site’s four key historical themes: relationship to the key transportation routes adjacent to the site: the Gardiner Expressway, the • Natural systems and resources; Canadian National Rail corridor, and Lake Shore • Key transportation routes; Boulevard West; and, • Industrial production and employment on site; and, • Landmark value via the Christie Water Tower. • Leisure, recreation and public uses on the waterfront. While there are some remnant physical heritage attributes Ideas for interpretation program elements are explored that convey this value, much of the historic built form in Section 8.1.2 of the HIA. Collaboration between the has been lost. Other elements of value are intangible, proponent, the City of Toronto and local community and cannot be conveyed through building conservation members will be necessary in order to implement the strategies. interpretation program. Proposed Development: The Master Plan Recommendations The proposed Master Plan for the Site and surroundings ERA recommends that this HIA be followed by four includes the establishment of new roadways, a plan for 15 subsequent studies/plans: new high-rise buildings, three new public squares, and a commemorative neighbourhood park, within which the • A view study to better understand the Christie Water Christie Water Tower is proposed to be conserved. The Tower’s landmark quality and visibility along the commercial bank building at 2194 Lake Shore Boulevard Gardiner Expressway, to ensure that its proposed West is proposed to be replaced with a landmark gateway relocation will conserve its heritage attributes; building at the northeast corner of Park Lawn and Lake • A Conservation Plan specific to the Christie Water Shore. Tower; and, The Master Plan responds to planned components of the • An Interpretation Plan outlining specific on- and City’s upcoming Secondary Plan, which include a new GO off-site interpretation strategies, with reference to transit station on Site, and a major new relief road for the all four of the Site’s historic themes. Gardiner Expressway which would run along the Site’s north edge. The infrastructural work for the construction of the relief road will necessitate the temporary removal of the Christie Water Tower and the regrading of the Site. iv HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 2150 & 2194 LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD WEST, TORONTO 1 ir Nt ODuctiON 1.1 Scope of the Report ERA Architects Inc. (ERA) have been retained by the owner to act as a heritage consultant for the Master Plan being developed for the properties at 2150 Lake Shore Boulevard West and 2194 Lake Shore Boulevard West (“the Site”), and their surroundings. GARDINER EXPRESSWAY RAILWAY THE SITE 2150 LAKE SHORE BLVD W 2194 LAKE SHORE BLVD W PARK LAWN ROAD LOCATION OF CHRISTIE LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD WEST WATER TOWER The Site and properties within it, overlayed onto a contemporary aerial photo- graph (Google Maps, annotated by ERA). The purpose of an HIA, according to the City of Toronto’s HIA Terms of Reference, is to evaluate the proposed development in relation to cultural heritage resources and recommend an approach to the conservation of the heritage value of these resources. This HIA evaluates the Master Plan in relation to the Site’s cultural heritage value and any heritage attributes that convey that value. This report was prepared with reference to the following: • City of Toronto Terms of Reference for Heritage Impact Assessments (2010); • Ontario Regulation 9/06 Criteria for Determining Cultural Heritage Value or Interest; • Ontario Heritage Tool Kit; • Parks Canada’s Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Plac- es in Canada (2010); • Provincial Policy Statement (2014); and, • City of Toronto Official Plan (2015). S EPTEMBER 27, 2019 11:07 AM 1 1.2 Site Description and Context The Site comprises the majority of the area bounded by Park Lawn Road (west), Lake Shore Boulevard West (south), the Canadian National Rail corridor (north), and by on-and-off ramps for the Gardiner Expressway (northeast). The Site is comprised of two properties: 2150 and 2194 Lake Shore Boulevard West. There are currently two structures on Site: • The Christie Water Tower, at 2150 Lake Shore’s north edge, a remnant industrial artefact from the demolished Christie Lakeshore Bakery; and, • A BMO Bank of Montreal branch in a single-storey commercial building located at 2194 Lake Shore Boulevard West, at the northeast corner of Lake Shore Boulevard West and Park Lawn Road. The Site’s immediate context consists of a range of uses, including: • North: the Ontario Food Terminal and other low-rise commercial uses, with residential uses beyond; • East: a highway exit route and mixed-use and residential towers; • South: mixed-use residential towers and a waterfront trail and park; • West: mixed-use towers. BMO Bank of Montreal (ERA 2019). Property data map showing 2150 Lake Shore Boulevard West in blue and 2194 The Christie Water Tower (ERA 2019). Lake Shore Boulevard West in orange (City of Toronto, 2014, annotated by ERA). 2 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 2150 & 2194 LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD WEST, TORONTO The Queensway CNR Rail Corridor Gardiner Expressway Park Lawn Road Lake Shore Blvd W Aerial view, showing the Site in orange (Google Maps, annotated by ERA). COMMERCIAL BUILDING WATER TOWER Lake Shore Blvd W Gardiner Expressway CNR Rail Corridor Park Lawn Road Axonometric view, showing the Site in orange (Google Maps, annotated by ERA). S EPTEMBER 27, 2019 11:07 AM 3 1.3 Context Photos Northbound view across the Site, with the Gardiner Expressway behind the Christie Water Tower (ERA, 2019). View into the Site (right) while driving eastbound along the Gardiner Expressway (Google Streetview, 2019). 4 HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT | 2150 & 2194 LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD WEST, TORONTO View to the Site (left) while driving westbound along the Gardiner Expressway (Google Streetview, 2019). View of adjacent properties along Lake Shore Boulevard West, southeast of the Site (ERA, 2019). S EPTEMBER 27, 2019 11:07 AM 5 Northward view from the corner of Park Lawn and Lake Shore of the bank building on Site at 2194 Lake Shore Boulevard West (ERA, 2019).