Toronto City Hall

100 Queen Street West

Toronto, Ontario

Canada M5H 2N2

www.city.toronto.on.ca

Tel: 416-392-0142

Fax: 416-392-7536

File No.

November 5, 1998

To review and make recommendations respecting an application for a site specific amendment to Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code to permit the erection of a variety of first and third party signs on the east (Yonge Street) elevation of the Toronto Eaton Centre, as shown on the plans attached to and forming part of this application.

Source of Funds:

Not applicable.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

1. Application No. 998079, to permit the erection of twenty-seven (27) signs on the Yonge Street facade of the Toronto Eaton Centre, be approved substantially in accordance with the plans filed with the application in the Office of the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services.

 

2. The City Solicitor be requested to submit a draft by-law, in consultation with the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services, to amend Chapter 297, Signs, of the former City of Toronto Municipal Code, to permit the installation of signage proposed by this application on the Yonge Street facade of the Toronto Eaton Centre.

 

3. A minor variance from the former Metro By-law No. 118 to permit the erection of a sign tower structure and a canopy (neon letter) sign, subject to the applicant entering into an encroachment agreement with the City for these sign structures, be approved.

 

4. The applicant be advised, upon approval of Application No. 998709, of the requirement to obtain the necessary permits from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services.

 

5. An encroachment agreement be entered into between the applicant and the City of Toronto for the encroaching sign tower and canopy sign, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services.

 

6. The lease of rights including, but not limited to air rights, commercial uses and signage be reviewed by the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and be subject to a fair market rental determined by the Commissioner of Corporate Services and payable to the City of Toronto, Transportation Services Account, as of the installation date.

 

7. The applicant, Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd., pay all legal costs of the City of Toronto in the preparation and registration of the agreement.

 

8. The appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to undertake the steps necessary to give effect to the foregoing.

Background:

Since 1995, the Council of the former City of Toronto, has approved a number of initiatives aimed at encouraging the revitalization of lower Yonge Street (between Queen and College Streets), centred on the intersection of Yonge and Dundas Streets. (See Map 1) One of these initiatives was the establishment of the Downtown Yonge Street Regeneration Program and the designation of the area as a Community Improvement Project Area. Significant changes are being contemplated to the appearance of properties fronting on Yonge Street in order to create appropriate new development opportunities and facilitate the reuse of existing buildings for contemporary retail and entertainment purposes. A common theme throughout these renewal policies is the desire to create a sense of vitality and visual excitement through the use of oversized signage similar to that found in New York City=s Times Square.

Over the past year, numerous businesses within the Downtown Yonge Street Community Improvement Project Area have undertaken or applied for municipal approvals to undertake building facade improvements, major renovations and expansions that have incorporated exciting and dynamic proposals for signage. One of the largest of these proposals involves the Toronto Eaton Centre.

In April, 1998 the City approved an application by Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. to enlarge the perimeter of the Yonge Street facade of the Eaton Centre between Trinity Way and Queen Street West at the first and second floor levels so as to establish individual store fronts which are accessible from Yonge Street. The proposal, which also involves filling in the voids at the levels of the above ground parking garage, is now under construction. (See Figure 1)

The purpose of this report is to discuss the application by Cadillac Fairview to amend Chapter 297, Signs, of the Municipal Code of the former City of Toronto and grant a variance to former Metropolitan Toronto By-law No.118, in order to install signage on the renovated Yonge Street facade of the Toronto Eaton Centre.

The property is located on the block bounded by Dundas Street West, Yonge Street, Bay Street and Queen Street West , in a mixed-use (commercial residential) district. The site is home to the Toronto Eaton Centre, the most prominent shopping and tourist destination in the Greater Toronto Area.

The applicant is requesting permission to install signage on the east elevation of the building in conjunction with renovation of the Toronto Eaton Centre Yonge Street facade. (See Figures 1 - 4(a)) The facade renovation, which is currently underway, includes the addition of new storefronts, mirroring the pattern of typical storefronts found on the east side of Yonge Street.

The renovation also includes new signage opportunities consistent with the Official Plan policy for the Downtown Yonge Street Reinvestment Area, the aim of which is to revitalize Yonge Street as one of Toronto=s main shopping and entertainment streets. Several signs are proposed along the new Yonge Street facade of the Toronto Eaton Centre, extending from the south end of the building to just north of Shuter Street, south of the new entrance to the office tower at 250 Yonge Street. (See Figures 1 to 4(a))

The application includes five categories of sign types:

(* Sign Tower is an undefined sign type in Municipal Code, Chapter 297 - Signs)

The signs do not comply with Chapter 297 of the Municipal Code of the former City of Toronto in the following ways:

All of the proposed fascia signs in this category will be located above the second storey level of the building and are not permitted. Fascia signs which face a street are required to identify a commercial business within the building. All of the proposed signs will be used for the purposes of either first or third party advertising. The area of each of the proposed signs will be greater than 25 m5, which is the maximum allowable size for signs in CR and RA districts. These proposed signs will not meet the 60 metre separation distance requirement between third party signs. Six of these signs will be greater than 70 m5 in area, so they will not meet the 300 metre separation requirement for large signs (i.e. signs that are greater than 70 m5 in area). (See Figures 2 to 4)

One of the proposed first party signs in this category will be erected above the second storey or 10 metres above grade and will not be located within the commercial unit frontage. The maximum permitted sign area is 25 m5. The proposed sign has a sign area of 60 m5. This proposed sign will be located above the garage parking entrance to the Eaton Centre at the foot of Shuter Street and acts as a view terminus to the end of this street. (See Figure 4 )

Three of the fascia signs in this category will not be located within a commercial unit frontage, (see Figure 2) and only portions of 7 tenant fascia identification signs will be located within their commercial unit frontages. (See Figures 2 to 4) The Sign By-law requires all first party fascia signs that identify a retail store or other commercial activity be located on the portion of a building wall facing a street that is occupied by that business. The purpose of this by-law provision is to provide visual congruence and fair opportunities for signage to commercial tenants.

In this instance, strict adherence to this requirement is unnecessary, as all of the stores that front onto the Yonge Street elevation will contain identification signs. Additional signage (4 fascia signs) is being provided for promotional advertising for tenants or for other interior stores that have no street presence. (See Figures 2 & 4)

With respect to the 7 tenant identification signs noted above, portions of these signs will be erected over doorways which contain internal emergency exits. The proposed signs do not interfere with the operation of the exits or create visual confusion for patrons entering storefronts from Yonge Street. These signs will be contained within building elements, such as columns and will result in a more balanced, aesthetic appearance along this facade. (See Figures 2 to 4(a))

The applicant is proposing three directional signs in conjunction with the operation of the parking garage at the Shuter Street garage entrance. (See Figure 4 ). One sign indicating AToronto Eaton Centre Parking@ will identify the entrance to the parking garage. The top portion of the proposed sign will be located more than 0.8 m above the second floor level. Another variance results because the proposed sign is located above this entranceway and below the bottom of the windows of the second floor .

The parking identification sign will be flanked underneath, on either side, by two non-encroaching directional signs (indicating a vertical clearance height for vehicles). The latter signs will be suspended from the ceiling rather than mounted wholly against the wall of the building, as required by the Municipal Sign By-law.

The applicant is proposing to erect a 46 metre high vertical sign structure above the proposed canopy over the southeast entrance to the Toronto Eaton Centre, at Trinity Way. (See Figures 3 & 5 ). This illuminated tower structure will support two large vertical sign panels mounted at a 45 degree angle from the street and used for the purposes of either first or third party advertising. The two proposed sign panels will each have a sign area of approximately 112 m5 and will be indirectly illuminated with flood lights directed downward from the top of the sign. This proposed lighting will have the least impact on neighbouring properties and properties on the west side of Yonge Street that face the site.

In addition, two identification signs (one facing north and the other south), consisting of illuminated letters identifying the AEATON CENTRE@ will be attached to the centre mast of the tower. This tower structure will be located above the canopy sign at the southeast entrance to the building.

The proposed sign tower is an unidentified sign type, so is not permitted by the Municipal Sign By-law. The proposed sign that will be used for third party advertising purposes will be located within 60 metres of other third party signs on this building and due to its size (greater than 70m5 in area) it cannot comply with a further separation distance requirement of 300 m from the six other proposed third party fascia signs on this building facade (Category 1 signs that are over 70 m5 in size).

Category 5 - Canopy Sign for the Purpose of Identification

A canopy sign is proposed above the southeast entrance to the Eaton Centre. (See Figures 3 & 5 ). This sign will consist of neon letters indicating AEATON CENTRE@ and will be situated on top of the canopy along the front edge of the structure. Because the sign will extend about 2.34m above the uppermost point of the canopy structure, it will not comply with the Municipal Sign By-law. The area of the sign copy also exceeds the allowable maximum of sixty percent of the area of the canopy perimeter.

Both the sign and the canopy will encroach onto the public right-of-way (city sidewalk) and will be located within 0.6 metres of the curb line of the street.

Former Metropolitan Toronto By-law 118, which applies to the Yonge Street right-of-way, prohibits signs to project more than 18 inches beyond the street line. The proposed sign tower and the AEaton Centre@ identification signs attached to the mast will encroach over the Yonge Street public sidewalk by approximately 2.34 metres. (See Figure 5) The proposed canopy sign will have the same encroachment over the sidewalk. A variance from the former Metro By-law 118 is required to allow the encroachment of these sign structures over the public right-of-way.

Since 1995, the Council of the former City of Toronto has approved a number of initiatives aimed at encouraging the revitalization of Downtown Yonge Street, between College Street and Queen Street. These initiatives have included the adoption of the Downtown Yonge Street Community Improvement Plan and various Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments to facilitate reinvestment in this area. (See Map 2).

The former City of Toronto Official Plan recognizes the significance of Downtown Yonge Street as a Prominent Area and a Priority Retail Street. The objectives of the Plan are to reinforce this area as a major shopping and entertainment destination and a primary location for street related retail and entertainment uses. The DowntownYonge Street corridor, extending from Queen Street to just north of Gerrard Street has been designated as a Reinvestment Area in the Official Plan. This designation provides for greater building densities and introduces built form controls for development in this area.

Significant improvements are envisioned for Yonge and Dundas, including the development of a new public square on the southeast corner of this intersection and a new urban entertainment centre on the northeast side. There is an approved Amedia tower@ for signage purposes included with the renovation that is currently underway for the Atrium-on-Bay building at 306 Yonge Street, located just to the north of Dundas Street, on the west side of Yonge Street.

Part of the vision for this prominent retail area is to create a sense of visual identification and vitality through the introduction of oversized signage, similar to that of Times Square in New York City and Piccadilly Circus in London, England.

The Yonge/Dundas area serves as a significant tourist and visitor destination in the Greater Toronto Area. The Toronto Eaton Centre is the most predominant shopping venue in the region and attracts the most visitors, drawing more than 50 million visitors annually, a quarter of whom are tourists.

The first phase of the Toronto Eaton Centre facade improvement, involves the expansion of the building to provide a better retail presence on the street and is well underway. It is anticipated that enlivening this portion of Yonge Street through redevelopment and prominent signage will improve this area and provide a more lively pedestrian oriented streetscape that will attract more tourists and visitors and benefit the local retailers and property owners.

The proposal to integrate large fascia signs for first and third party purposes into the new facade expansion that is currently under construction for the Toronto Eaton Centre will add to the vibrancy and visual excitement of this area. This proposal will also act as one of the catalysts for the renewal of the Yonge Street corridor.

Across the street from the Toronto Eaton Centre, on the east side of Yonge Street, is a low rise retail strip containing a number of historical buildings of up to four stories in height. The first two floors of the facade renovation of the Toronto Eaton Centre will mirror the low rise scale of retail activity across the street.

The Municipal Sign By-law of the former City of Toronto only permits first party identification signs on the first two floors of a commercial building, which reflects the traditional character of most of the City=s main streets. In order to enhance the facade renovation of the Toronto Eaton Centre and mirror the traditional signage on the east side of Yonge Street across from the site, only first party tenant fascia signs are proposed below the second floor level of the new Toronto Eaton Centre facade. (See Figures 2 to 4(a))

The 9 larger fascia signs that are designated for either first or third party purposes will be located above this level and will not extend above the roof line. None of the proposed signs will be permitted to cover window glazing.

The three proposed directional signs above the Shuter Street parking garage entrance are needed to provide directions to visitors who wish to use this parking facility and will replace existing signs at this location.

The proposed sign tower above the southeast entrance to the building (at Trinity Way) will add to the excitement and balance the effect of the Elgin and Wintergarden Theatre and Pantages Theatre roof signs on the east side of Yonge Street, across from the site. The sign tower will also contain two neon identification signs (indicating AEATON CENTRE@) that will be erected above this entrance and will give definition to it. (See Figures 3 & 5)

The illumination on this tower, including the tower structure itself, as well as the signs, will be static and the colours of the lights will be pastel to avoid creating undesirable visual impacts on the properties directly across Yonge Street. These neighbouring properties are zoned for future mixed commercial and residential uses, so it is important that the development opportunities of these lands not be adversely affected by this proposed sign structure.

Finally, a proposed neon letter sign, indicating AEATON CENTRE@ will be erected on top of the canopy structure above the southeast entrance to the building, below the sign tower. The sign will provide definition and identification to this entrance. (See Figures 3 & 5).

As both the sign tower and the canopy sign will extend about 2.44 metres over the City sidewalk, a minor variance from the former Metro Sign By-law is needed, along with an encroachment agreement with the City of Toronto. Officials with the Transportation Division of Works and Emergency Services do not object to a variance for this encroachment, provided that an Encroachment Agreement is entered into between the applicant and the City, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services.

The proposed fascia signs, sign tower, directional signs and neon canopy sign are important elements that are necessary to complete the reconstruction of the Yonge Street facade of the Toronto Eaton Centre, along its southern portion (just north of Shuter Street, below the office tower at 250 Yonge Street). This application meets all of the planning objectives of the Official Plan Amendment for the Downtown Yonge Street Reinvestment Area and will complement other new development projects in this area, including the Atrium-on-Bay expansion and the Yonge Street Redevelopment Project on the east side of the Yonge / Dundas intersection. It will also complement the current facade improvement program for smaller buildings along this major retail strip.

Given these reasons, I am recommending approval of this application, including the introduction of a draft by-law by the City Solicitor to implement this proposal. I am also recommending that this approval be conditional on the applicant entering into an encroachment agreement with the City of Toronto for the sign tower and canopy sign, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services.

Telephone: (416) 392-0142

Fax: (416) 392-7536

E-Mail: dstevens@city.toronto.on.ca

Beate Bowron

Director, Community Planning, South District