Rideau Centre Revitalization
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RIDEAU CENTRE REVITALIZATION CULTURAL HERITAGE IMPACT STATEMENT PREPARED FOR THE CADILLAC FAIRVIEW CORPORATION LIMITED BY BARRY PADOLSKY ASSOCIATES INC. ARCHITECTS, URBAN DESIGN, AND HERITAGE CONSULTANTS REVISED JULY 29, 2013 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page A. INTRODUCTION 2 B. CURRENT CONDITIONS/INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT SITE 4 C. BACKGROUND RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS 15 D. SUMMARY OF STATEMENTS OF SIGNIFICANCE 28 E. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 35 F. IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 52 G. CONCLUSION 54 APPENDIX A: PHOTOGRAPHS OF EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS/BUILDINGS APPENDIX B: HISTORIC DOCUMENTS APPENDIX C: STATEMENTS OF CULTURAL HERITAGE VALUE APPENDIX D: SCHEMATIC DESIGN DRAWINGS APPENDIX E: PREVIOUS CITY OF OTTAWA DOCUMENTS RELATED TO OGILVY’S HERITAGE DESIGNATION AND DEMOLITION CONDITIONS/APPROVAL RIDEAU CENTRE REVITALIZATION CHIS, JULY 29, 2013 BARRY PADOLSKY ASSOCIATES INC., ARCHITECTS. 2 A) INTRODUCTION The Rideau Centre, constructed in 1982, is a large shopping centre located on a 15.54 acre site in downtown Ottawa. There are three heritage buildings on the Rideau Centre site - the Transportation Building, a turn of the century office building located on the northwest corner of the site; the former Ogilvy’s Department Store, a turn of the century commercial building located on the northeast corner of the site; and the Registry Office, constructed in 1874, and located on the southeast corner of the site. All three of these buildings have Part IV designations under the Ontario Heritage Act. There are also a number of designated heritage buildings facing the Rideau Centre site including a group of six turn of the century retail buildings located at 89 to 115 Rideau St. to the north; the Government Conference Centre and the Rideau Canal to the west; and the Carleton County Courthouse and Carleton County Jail across from the Registry Office to the east. The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited is currently preparing to commence the Rideau Centre Revitalization, a multi-staged project that includes the Rideau Centre Expansion, and various projects related to exterior and interior modifications to the existing Rideau Centre. Some of these projects have the potential to impact the heritage buildings on or adjacent to the site. The Rideau Centre Expansion will be located on the Ogilvy’s site and an adjacent portion of land to the south known as the Besserer Loop. It is across from the six designated heritage buildings on the north side of Rideau St. (89-115 Rideau St.). The expansion project includes the dismantling of the Ogilvy's heritage facades and the reinstatement of these facades onto the new structure. Some of the exterior modifications to the existing Rideau Centre are in proximity to adjacent heritage buildings and also include new interventions to the ground floor of the Transportation Building. None of the current projects are anticipated to impact the Registry Office. RIDEAU CENTRE REVITALIZATION CHIS, JULY 29, 2013 BARRY PADOLSKY ASSOCIATES INC., ARCHITECTS. 3 In January 2013, the consulting team of Barry Padolsky Associates Inc. Architects (BPA) were engaged by The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited to prepare a Cultural Heritage Impact Statement (CHIS) for the Rideau Centre Revitalization. The purpose of the CHIS is to provide an independent professional opinion regarding the impact of proposed developments on cultural heritage resources. As outlined in the City of Ottawa Official Plan, Section 4.6.1, CHIS’s are required to: • describe the positive and adverse impacts on the cultural heritage resources (on or adjacent to the site) that may reasonably be expected to result from the proposed development; • describe the actions that may reasonably be required to prevent, minimize or mitigate the adverse impacts; • demonstrate that the proposal will not adversely impact the defined cultural heritage value of the property, and/or its streetscape/neighbourhood. This CHIS is a required deliverable for the site plan application for the Rideau Centre Expansion. It is also a required deliverable for upcoming heritage permit applications. Heritage permits will be required for the portion of the Rideau Centre Expansion at the reinstated Ogilvy’s facades, and for the modifications to the Transportation Building. A heritage permit was previously issued in 2006 for the Ogilvy's façades dismantling and reinstatement work, which included a CHIS prepared by Barry Padolsky Associates Inc. Architects (BPA). This CHIS includes assessments of the following Rideau Centre Revitalization projects: • the Rideau Centre Expansion and the impact of this work on the cultural heritage value of the Ogilvy's property and the designated heritage buildings located at 89 to 115 Rideau St. on the north side of Rideau St.; • the refurbishment of the existing Rideau Centre facades on Rideau St. and Colonel By Dr. and the impact of this work on the cultural heritage value of the Transportation Building, the Government Conference Centre, and the designated heritage buildings located at 89 to 115 Rideau St. on the north side of Rideau St.; • the interventions and modifications to the Transportation Building and the impact of this work on the cultural heritage value of this building and the adjacent Government Conference Centre; and • the rehabilitation of the two existing overhead pedestrian bridges spanning Rideau St. and the impact of this work on the cultural heritage value of the Transportation Building and the designated heritage buildings located at 89 to 115 Rideau St. on the north side of Rideau St. This CHIS also includes a summary of the conservation strategy, and the current status and recommendations, related to the ongoing Ogilvy's facades dismantling and reinstatement work. RIDEAU CENTRE REVITALIZATION CHIS, JULY 29, 2013 BARRY PADOLSKY ASSOCIATES INC., ARCHITECTS. 4 B) CURRENT CONDITIONS/INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT SITE: CONTEXT: 2013 Aerial Photograph The Rideau Centre, constructed in 1982, is currently the largest shopping centre in Ottawa and is located in the Retail, Arts and Theatre Precinct in downtown Ottawa, as defined by the City of Ottawa Official Plan. The Retail, Arts and Theatre Precinct comprises of the Rideau Centre (including the Hudson's Bay Company), the Ottawa Convention Centre, limited small scale retail frontage on Rideau Street, and the complex of arts and theatre venues to the south and east of the Rideau Centre. Refer to the Urban Context Plan – City of Ottawa Urban Precincts (DOUDS), page 6. The Rideau Centre site is a large 15.54 acre property bounded by Rideau St. to the north, Colonel By Dr. to the west, Nicholas St. to the east and the MacKenzie King Bridge to the south. The site is not located within a designated heritage district but is adjacent to the Byward Market Heritage District located immediately to the north, and the Sandy Hill West Heritage District to the east. There are a number of designated heritage buildings on and adjacent to the Rideau Centre site as described below. Refer to the Urban Context Plan – Heritage Buildings and Districts, page 7. In general, the existing buildings along Rideau St. between Sussex Dr. and Dalhousie St., in proximity to the Rideau Centre site, include an eclectic mix of architecture reflecting Rideau Street's past role as one of Ottawa's principal commercial streets. The buildings are predominantly low scale structures, with a few high rise buildings, both old and new. RIDEAU CENTRE REVITALIZATION CHIS, JULY 29, 2013 BARRY PADOLSKY ASSOCIATES INC., ARCHITECTS. 5 2008 Aerial Perspective To the north, the existing buildings on Rideau St., between Sussex Dr. and William St., consist of a continuous turn of the century commercial streetscape of heritage buildings, with the exception of the Freiman Mall which was constructed as part of the Rideau Centre circa 1982. Further east along Rideau St., the existing buildings are a mixture of turn of the century commercial buildings and modern infill buildings. A group of six designated heritage buildings at 89 to 115 Rideau St. (Part IV designation, OHA) are located across the street from the Rideau Centre site. To the west, the western entrance to Rideau St. is framed by the Government Conference Centre (former Union Station) and the Chateau Laurier Hotel. Both of these structures are FHBRO "Classified" heritage buildings constructed circa 1909-1912. The east facade of the Government Conference Centre, faces Colonel By Dr., and is directly across from the Rideau Centre site. Further south on Colonel By Dr. is the Rideau Canal, a National Historic Site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To the east, the existing buildings along Nicholas St. between Rideau St. and Daly Ave., include an office building at One Nicholas, and the Novotel Hotel. The former Albion Hotel (Part IV designation, OHA), constructed circa 1871, is located on the northeast corner of Nicholas St. and Daly Ave. and is now a wing to the Novotel Hotel. Further along the east side of Nicholas St., south of Daly Ave., is the Arts Court complex which includes the former Carleton County Court House (Part IV designation, OHA) constructed circa 1870- 1871, and the Nicholas Hostel, which was the former Carleton County Jail (Part IV designation, OHA) constructed circa 1860-1862. To the south, on the south side of the MacKenzie King Bridge, is the DND headquarters, a highrise office tower, constructed in the 1970's. Refer to Appendix A Photographs of Existing Site Conditions/Buildings for additional information. RIDEAU CENTRE REVITALIZATION CHIS, JULY 29, 2013 BARRY PADOLSKY ASSOCIATES INC., ARCHITECTS. 8 THE SITE: The overall Rideau Centre site is approximately 15.54 acres (62,888 sq. m.) and has approximately 245m of frontage along the south side of Rideau St., 270m of frontage along Colonel By Dr., 254m of frontage along Nicholas St., and 198m of frontage along the MacKenzie King Bridge. The Daly Avenue roadway underpass, constructed circa 1982, bisects the site linking Nicholas St. to Colonel By Dr. Besserer St.