May 12, 1999

To:Toronto Community Council

From:Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services

Subject:Report on Site Plan Application No. 397070 for 100-108 Charles Street West and 4 St. Thomas Street: to construct an 11 storey hotel (Ward 24-Downtown)

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to inform Council of the applicant's request to amend the settlement for the Victoria University Hotel by redesigning the proposed hotel at 100-108 Charles Street to incorporate the demolition of the existing historic houses and to request Council approval to do so and to make any associated revisions with respect to the current approvals. Should Council agree with the applicant's request, this report requests authority to inform the Ontario Municipal Board of this decision and authorize City staff to take the necessary steps to implement this decision.

Source of Funds:

Not applicable.

Recommendations:

1.That City Council concur with the applicant's request to demolish the historic houses at 100 -108 Charles Street as part of the new hotel proposal for these lands;

2.Should City Council adopt Recommendation 1, that:

a)the City Solicitor, in consultation with the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services, be instructed to amend the Site Specific By-laws to permit the revised hotel proposal; and

b)the City Solicitor be requested to inform the Ontario Municipal Board of these amendments and that City staff be authorized to take the steps necessary to implement such decision.

Council Reference/Background/History:

This site is located at the north-west corner of Charles and St. Thomas Streets southwest of the intersection of Bay and Bloor Streets. The site is adjoined by two apartment buildings to the north and a four storey office building currently under construction to the west (the McKinsey building). These buildings are located on lands owned by Victoria University, as are the Jackman Hall Residence (8 storeys) and the Centre for Christian Studies buildings (4 storeys) on the south side of Charles Street. East of the site, the developer of 1 St. Thomas received Ontario Municipal Board approval for a 36.3 metre high hotel in 1991.

In 1989, Victoria University issued a proposal call for the development of a larger site which included 21 and 23 Sultan Street. Following a hearing between the City, Victoria University and Huang and Danczky, in 1991, the Ontario Municipal Board approved an application for a much larger hotel than is currently proposed. However, that transaction was not completed and the University pursued other options for the site. The Board Order for that proposal was not taken out.

In 1993, as a result of the Cityplan process, and in recognition of the Board decision,the City redesignated the site from University to Low Density Mixed Commercial/Residential Area and rezoned it to CR T3 C2 R3. In light of the fact that there was still an outstanding Board Order, the University appealed these new designations to the OMB.

In 1997, Victoria University agreed to separate the site into two smaller parcels with the easterly portion to be developed as a hotel. The amended proposal was significantly reduced in size and improved from that previously approved by the Board. As a result, the City and Victoria University reached a settlement under which the appeal against Cityplan was dropped and new site specific by-laws were written for a reduced hotel proposal which included the retention of the front facades of the existing historic buildings on the north side of Charles Street. The previous proposal which had been approved by the Board similarly included the retention of such facades. Despite an objection by the Windsor Arms Hotel to the settlement, the Board ultimately issued a decision approving the revised hotel and office development but required minor amendments to the by-laws to reflect changes to the parking ratio and the requirement for amenity space.

The Order has not yet been taken out as during the course of completing the design of the building, the applicant concluded that the requirement to include the facades of the historic houses was not possible as originally intended.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

Factors in Considering the Request of the Applicant to Amend the OMB Settlement

1.Changing Context of the Area

The context in which this 1999 hotel application has been made is different from that of the 1993 Board hearing. One building has been erected and another has been approved that, while complementary to each other, change the streetscape of Charles Street.

a)The McKinsey Building

At the time of the 1993 Board hearing, the proposal was to construct a much larger hotel on a site that included the area fronting on Charles Street and St. Thomas as well as Sultan Street. It was proposed that the height of that hotel be 10 to 11 storeys. Since that time, the original site has been divided into two smaller, separate parcels and the westerly portion has been approved for a four storey office building, the McKinsey building, which is currently under construction.

Both the McKinsey building and the proposed new hotel have been designed by the same firm which has allowed for the inclusion of similar design features and the use of complementary building facades and materials. Common elements shared by these two buildings include the height of the podium, the podium setback from the lot line and the use of similar claddings of split face stone, rubble stone and brick.

In recognition of its design merits, the McKinsey building won the 1997 Award of Merit from the 'Canadian Architect', a national review of Canadian architecture.

b)Victoria University Theatre

At the time of the original proposal for the whole site, the property on the south side of Charles Street to the west of this site was used as a tennis court. Since that time, a 500 seat theatre has been approved for the site. While not designed by the same architects, in designing both the McKinsey building and the proposed new hotel, efforts were made to achieve similar massing, setbacks and compatible materials. It is the intention of Victoria University to use identical cladding materials as used in the office building and proposed for the new hotel, when constructing the theatre.

2.Condition of Existing Historic Buildings

The applicant's contractor has advised that structural repairs to the existing masonry and the repair and removal of masonry units of the historic buildings will likely be required given their current state of repair. To construct an efficient parking structure, the excavation and construction that would have to occur under and around the facades could also create a safety hazard. The alternative of dismantling the facades now and reconstructing them after the garage construction was completed, would be extremely difficult and unsatisfactory from the perspective of historic preservation and was found to be undesirable, when presented to the Heritage Toronto Board in November 1998. At that time, the Board agreed that it would not oppose the demolition of the houses but that an extensive record of what is contained within the houses should be undertaken and salvageable architectural material be made available to any interested party. The applicant has indicated their agreement with such a condition.

3.Patio

At the time of the most recent Board hearing, the provision of a patio on the Charles Street side of the hotel was addressed. Access to the patio was to be gained through the historic facades. In the current proposal, the patio, while slightly smaller than the original design, is proposed for the same location on the Charles Street frontage with similar access points.

3.Required Amendments to the Existing By-laws

The applicant requests the City's agreement to amend the settlement for Victoria University Hotel, as these matters have proceeded to the Board by way of a settlement between the parties. Should Council agree to the demolition of the historic houses, the following amendments would be required for the Official Plan and Zoning By-law:

a)Official Plan Amendment

Official Plan Amendment 118 would need to be amended so as to delete from Section 18.424 (3) the words following "Section 41 of the Planning Act" in order to remove the requirement for an agreement to secure the conservation and maintenance of the portions of the Charles Street houses;

b)Zoning By-law Amendments

The following changes would be required to the Zoning By-law to permit the building as proposed:

i)Amend the building envelope to delete the references and outline of the existing buildings that were to be retained and to reflect the new proposed envelope;

ii)Increase the podium height from 12.3 to 13.7 metres;

iii)Extend the podium setback to a distance of 1.085 metres from the lot line;

iv)Amend the building envelope to permit the projection of a one-storey podium element (4.625 metres in height) to a distance of 0.2 metres from the lot line;

v)Delete Section 1."440. Sections (xi) and (xii) pertaining to the entrances from the historic buildings; and

vi)Delete references in (xvi) to Section 8 (3) PART XI 2(i) and (ii) so as to leave in place the requirement for entrances and main floor to be at grade.

Contact Name:Helen Coombs

Telephone: (416) 392-7613

Fax: (416) 392-1330

E-Mail: hcoombs@toronto.ca

Beate Bowron

Director, Community Planning, South District

(p:\1999\ug\uds\pln\to991905.pln) - smc

APPLICATION DATA SHEET

Confirmed Municipal Address:100, 102, 104, 106 & 108 Charles Street West and 4 St. Thomas Street.

PLANNING CONTROLS (For verification refer to Chief Building Official)

Official Plan Designation:	Low Density Mixed Commercial Residential Area.	Site Specific Provision:	No
Zoning District:	CR T3.0 C2.0 R3.0	Historical Status:	No
Height Limit (m):	18.0; 14.0	Site Plan Control:	Yes

PROJECT INFORMATION

Site Area:	1518.0 m2		Height:	Storeys:		11 + mech.
Frontage:				Metres:		32.50, 37.50
Depth:
				Indoor		Outdoor
Ground Floor:			Parking Spaces:	25
Residential GFA:			Loading Docks:	5	B
Non-Residential GFA:	9400.0 m2		(number, type)	2	C
Total GFA:	9400.0 m2

	FLOOR AREA BREAKDOWN
	Land Use	Above Grade	Below Grade
	Office	9400.0 m2

PROPOSED DENSITY
Residential Density:	Non-Residential Density: 6.19	Total Density: 6.19