TORONTO

August 27, 1998

To:City of Toronto Community Council

From:Managing Director, Toronto Historical Board

Subject:Inclusion on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties - 2190 Gerrard Street East

Purpose:

This report recommends that the property at 2190 Gerrard Street East be included on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Not applicable.

Recommendations:

1. That City Council include the property at 2190 Gerrard Street East on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties.

2.That the appropriate officials be authorized to take whatever action is necessary to give effect hereto.

Background:

In May, 1998, Heritage Toronto was requested to consider the property at 2190 Gerrard Street East for inclusion on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties. In letters dated August 6 and 10, 1998, the property owners were advised of the request; no response has been received.

As outlined in the attached report to the Board of Heritage Toronto (August 10, 1998), Heritage Toronto staff researched and evaluated the property according to the Board's criteria; it is worthy of inclusion on the Inventory of Heritage Properties as a Neighbourhood Heritage Property (Category C).

Comments:

At its meeting of August 26, 1998, the Board recommended that the property be added to the Inventory of Heritage Properties. The property at 2190 Gerrard Street East (Donald Stephenson House) is identified for architectural and historical reasons as the residence of the first Reeve of the Village of East Toronto, a well-designed example of the Queen Anne style, and a prominent feature in the East Toronto neighbourhood.

Conclusion:

Heritage Toronto recommends that City Council include the property at 2190 Gerrard Street East (Donald Stephenson House) on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties as a Neighbourhood Heritage Property.

Contact Name:

Ms. Kathryn Anderson

Preservation Officer, Historical Preservation Division, Toronto Historical Board

Tel: 392-6827, ext. 239

Fax: 392-6834

George Waters,

Acting Managing Director

(g:\report\1998\cc98\cc98024.thb)

copy:

Councillor Sandra Bussin, Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen Street West, Suite 20, Toronto,

M5H 2N2

Councillor Tom Jakobek, Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen Street West, Suite 2, Toronto,

M5H 2N2

HERITAGE TORONTO

August 10, 1998

To:Chair and Members, Toronto Historical Board

Subject:2190 GERRARD STREET EAST (DONALD STEPHENSON

HOUSE) - INCLUSION ON THE CITY OF TORONTO

INVENTORY OF HERITAGE PROPERTIES

From:Managing Director, Heritage Toronto (thb98029.hpd)

RECOMMENDATION

That the property at 2190 Gerrard Street East (Donald Stephenson House) be recommended for inclusion on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties.

COMMENTS

Background:

In a letter dated April 16, 1998, Heritage Toronto was requested to consider the property at 2190 Gerrard Street East for inclusion on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties. The owner was advised of the request in a letter dated August 6, 1998.

Discussion:

The request arose from a concern that this property might be threatened by the Norwood Terrace development to the north. Staff consulted the City's Planning Department who are unaware of any plans impacting this site.

The property at 2190 Gerrard Street East was evaluated according to the Board's criteria which indicates that it is a Neighbourhood Heritage Property and merits inclusion.

A Property Research Summary is attached.

George Waters

Acting Managing Director

RS/KA

encl.Property Research Summary

Location Map and Photograph

HERITAGE TORONTO

Property Research Summary

Basic Building Data:

Address:2190 Gerrard Street East (northwest corner of Gerrard

Street East and Enderby Road)

Ward:26 (East Toronto)

Current Name:not applicable

Historical Name:Donald Stephenson House

Construction Date:1894

Architect:none found

Contractor/Builder:none found

Additions/Alterations:date unknown: window opening converted to door opening

on east wall; two-storey sunporch added to east wall; portion of upper storey of east wall enclosed as sunporch;

window opening converted to door opening on west wall;

two-storey wing added to rear (north) wall

Original Owner:Donald G. Stephenson

Original Use:Residential (Single)

Current Use*:Residential (Apartment House)

Heritage Category:Neighbourhood Heritage Property (Category C)

Recording Date:August 1998

Recorder:HPD:KA

* this does not refer to permitted use(s) as defined in the Zoning By-law

Description:

The property at 2190 Gerrard Street East is identified for architectural and historical reasons. The house was constructed in 1894 for Donald G. Stephenson, a lumber merchant, realtor and loans officer who served as the first Reeve of the Village of East Toronto. The house is located one block west of the intersection of Gerrard and Main Streets, the centre of the East Toronto community. Stephenson's widow, Lucy, occupied the property until 1906 when William H. Clay acquired it. The Clerk and Treasurer for East Toronto during its transition from Village to Town to annexation by the City of Toronto in 1908, Clay also served as a school board representative and magistrate. He resided on-site until 1924.

The Donald Stephenson House displays the asymmetrical composition, mixture of materials, and variety of forms associated with Queen Anne styling. Constructed of red brick on a rough sandstone base, the building is trimmed with sandstone mouldings, string courses, window sills and labels, brick voussoirs, and wood window surrounds. Rising 2½ stories, the irregularly shaped plan is covered by steeply pitched hip roofs with a gabled dormer on the rear (north slope). Tall brick chimneys with multiple pots are located on the east, north and west slopes

On the principal (south) façade on Gerrard Street East, a turret dominates the southeast corner of the second storey. The turret has a moulded base, shingle cladding and a conical roof. It displays segmental-headed window openings with multi-paned sash windows. A round-arched entrance porch is located in the right bay beneath the turret. Inside the porch, an oval window opening highlighted by brick keystones flanks a single leaf door with a round-arched transom. In the left bay, a frontispiece rises 2½ stories beneath a pedimented gable with shingles and a double window opening. Beneath the gable, a flat-headed window opening in the second storey surmounts a large round-arched window opening containing three sash windows.

The east wall facing Enderby Road has a projecting frontispiece covered by a pedimented gable with shingle cladding, a bracketed cornice, and a two-part window opening. Below, the wall contains asymmetrically placed round-arched and flat-headed window openings (one has been converted to an entrance). The two-storey enclosed sunporch to the left of the frontispiece and the single enclosed sunporch at the north end of the wall are not included as important heritage elements. On the west wall, a pedimented gable tops a two-storey bay window. Left of the bay window, the wall contains individual and paired flat-headed window openings. The rear (north) wall is covered by a two-storey flat-roofed addition which is not identified as an important heritage element.

Located on the northwest corner of Gerrard Street East and Enderby Road, the property at 2190 Gerrard Street East is associated with the early development of the East Toronto community. The Donald Stephenson House is a well-designed example of the Queen Anne style and a prominent feature in the East Toronto neighbourhood.