CITY OF VICTORIA HERITAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES August 9, 2011

Transcription

1 CITY OF VICTORIA HERITAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES August 9, 2011 Present: Absent: Staff: Ken Johnson, Chair John Dam Judith Cook Richard Collier Roger Tinney Barry Cosgrave Patrick Frey Patrick Dunae John Adams Steve Barber, Senior Heritage Planner Helen Cain, Planner/Heritage Planner Andrea Hudson, Senior Planner - Urban Design Lauren Martin, Heritage Secretary The Chair called the meeting to order at 12:05 pm. 1. Approval of Agenda That the agenda be approved as distributed. 2. Announcements Carried Copies of Preserve (Spring/Summer 2011) and the Heritage BC Quarterly (Spring 2011) were distributed. The electronic version of Preserve can be obtained by ing office@hallmarksociety.ca. Helen Cain announced that John Dam has submitted his resignation from the committee, effective immediately. He will be pursuing new opportunities in England, but plans to return to Victoria next year. Helen Cain reminded the committee that the early registration deadline for the Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI) Conference is August 15 th. The early registration deadline for the International National Trusts Organization (INTO) Conference is September 12 th. 3. Minutes of July 12, 2011 Meeting That the minutes of the July 12, 2011 meeting be adopted as distributed. Carried

2 Heritage Advisory Committee Page 2 of 5 4. Business Arising from the Minutes - nil 5/ Government Street Rezoning Application #00315 Proposal to permit an increase in density and height for a rooftop addition Heritage Alteration Permit #00118 Proposed rehabilitation, exterior alterations and addition to a heritage-designated building Within DPA 1 - Old Town and Chinatown (Heritage Conservation Area) Zoned: CA-3C - Old Town District For recommendation to Council Ray Hunt (applicant) and Misa Endrigo (InsideOut Planning and Architecture Inc.) were present. The proposal is to rezone and rehabilitate the heritage designated property at Government Street in DPA-1 (Old Town and Chinatown). A new one-storey addition to the roof of the four-storey building is proposed with 21 residential strata units on the new and existing upper floors and retention of one commercial unit on the ground floor. The Rezoning Application proposes to increases height and density of the subject property from 3.22:1 floor space ratio (FSR) to 3.42:1 FSR and from 16.9 metres to metres respectively. Pre-existing conditions exceed the CA-3C zoning that allows 3.1 FSR as maximum density and building height up to 15 metres. The heritage considerations with respect to the rezoning are the form and massing of the rooftop addition in relation to the heritage building. The Heritage Alteration Permit Application also addresses the form, massing and particulars of a one-storey rooftop addition and the technical details of the Conservation Plan. The latter provides an analysis of the historic fabric of the building and presents proposals to rehabilitate the building s character-defining elements including brick and stone masonry, wood windows and architectural metal. A Tax Incentive Program application is pending. The applicant proposes to preserve and repair the brickwork of the upper storeys of the façade, replace non-repairable bricks, and remove non-original brick details on the storefront. Stone columns and concrete capitals will also be repaired. All existing wood windows will be removed, restored to double-hung and replaced in situ and elements of architectural metal, such as panels, columns and flashing, will be preserved and repaired, including reinstallation of a parapet cap. The proposed fifth storey addition is set back from the roof edge, and located behind a mechanical unit. Design particulars are consistent with the guideline that recommends a clear distinction between a new addition and historic details. It will not be highly visible from the street and will not affect the historic character of the façades. Given that the location of the property is adjacent to two shorter buildings, the proposed additional height will contribute to and enhance the sawtooth skyline that is a character-defining element of Old Town. Ray Hunt: Existing building was constructed in The building interior has been deconstructed over the past 10 years, previous to the current owner. Remaining interior features of the building include two stairwells and high ceilings.

3 Heritage Advisory Committee Page 3 of 5 The alley from the street on the south side of the building will have a gate and lead to an entrance that will access the new elevator. Bicycle storage will be provided in the basement, with a ramp and stairs. Ground level will have two entrances - one facing the street and the other through the alley. Windows on the south side, overlooking the adjacent building, will be retained. Windows on the north side are on the property line; a light well will be constructed for one unit to provide light and to meet fire suppression regulations. One window on the west side will be filled in. Rooftop addition will be set back from the front and sides of the existing building and will have minimal visual impact to the building and the surrounding streetscapes as it will be below the tall parapet at its cornice. Seismic upgrading will also be done; the upgrading will not be close to the front windows, the struts will be hidden within partitions, and a steel membrane enclosure will be used. Frontage will be modeled on the c.1910 photograph; the infill in the windows and the false brickwork will be removed. Fire escapes will be removed on the south side. An application for the Tax Incentive Program has been submitted to the City of Victoria. Committee Comments: Is the proposed size of the units (less than 300 sq. ft.) allowable within the zoning bylaw? There are no zoning issues regarding the unit size. What is the rationale for the top floor? To provide additional residential units. Is the dead-end corridor allowed within Appendix A of the Building Code? Yes. What building materials will be used for the addition? Horizontal stucco panels that will be the same colour as the brick; horizontal bands on back and sides; side hung contemporary wood windows; glazed aluminum handrail; steel mechanical unit; a parapet cap will be replaced to shield the mechanical unit from the street; missing finial will be reinstated. Could you provide more details about the light well? It will be inside the building with windows on both sides; it could provide a patio area for the unit; it will have three storeys of exposed brickwork which could become a green wall; the windows will be 9 high and the ceiling 8 high. What building materials will be used for the street level façade? Wood (type not yet determined), masonry, metal flashing at sidewalks, colour of paint will follow the previous advice of the Planning Department. The brick is currently stained red, underneath it is yellow and then grey paint. That Rezoning Application #00315 for Government Street be recommended to Council for approval.

4 Heritage Advisory Committee Page 4 of 5 That City Council authorize the issuance of Heritage Alteration Permit #00118 in accordance with: 1. Plans dated June 10, Development meeting all bylaw requirements, except for height and density 3. Provision of a gate and fence design to the satisfaction of heritage planning 4. Final plans to be in accordance with plans identified above. 5. Final details of the colour palette and storefront to be approved by the Senior Heritage Planner prior to building permit. Ken Johnson stepped away from the Chair for the next application. Patrick Frey assumed the Chair Yates Street Heritage Alteration Permit #00131 Proposed rehabilitation and exterior alterations to a heritage-designated building Within DPA Block Yates Street Heritage Conservation Area Zoned: CA-51 - Central Area (Yates Street) District For recommendation to Council Donald Luxton (Donald Luxton & Associates), Brent Beatson and Lisa Lock (Concert Properties Ltd.) and Foad Rafii (Rafii Architects Inc.) were present. The proposal is to incorporate the rehabilitated façade of Yates Street into a mixed use development at Yates Street. The heritage-designated building retains little integrity and there is little historic context remaining in DPA-9. The original ground floor is radically altered from its original appearance, the brick parapet was removed and the second storey brickwork is covered with stucco. Facadism is not supported by the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada, which recommend minimal intervention. However, given the lack of integrity of the façade, its isolated location on the block and vulnerability to future demolition, the Façade Conservation Plan and Addendum represents a compromise with the preservation of many of the building s character-defining elements. The Plan recommends a full set of interventions such as preservation and restoration of brick and metal elements of the second floor of the façade, reconstruction of the lower façade to replace its original appearance, and repair and restoration of historic wood sash and glazing. The report also provides direction for the re-use of bricks in the sidewalls as elements of the new construction to incorporate additional fabric of the heritage property. Donald Luxton: Façade has been significantly altered over time. Originally the building had an arched carriageway on the ground floor. If the bricks can be cleaned of paint, stucco, staining and black mortar, they will be retained as is; if this is not possible, the entire façade will be painted.

5 Heritage Advisory Committee Page 5 of 5 The façade will be braced while construction is completed behind it, then tied into the new development and rehabilitated. Ground floor restoration will include rehabilitation of the entire storefront and reframing of the arched west entrance with raised brick elements (similar to the Hooper designed Metropolitan Building), and restoration of the original cornice. Entry bay will step out asymmetrically. Four original windows on the upper floor and the large granite threshold will be retained and reinstalled. Original bricks will be used for the sidewalls of the façade which will create a 3D effect. The sidewalls will be one third the length of the existing building. Façade will present as an individual structure. The remainder of the building will be demolished. Committee Comments: Will the two brick columns on the façade be retained? Yes, along with the dentils. What about the potential for turning around the bricks? This may not be possible as a patchy look could result, and there may be increased breakage due to increased disturbance of the bricks. Integrity of the 1905 building envelope is listed as a CDE in the statement of significance in the staff report. This will, in fact, be destroyed. The SOS will need to be updated to reflect the retention of its south façade only. Direction is appropriate. The façade will present as a large piece of sculpture. That City Council authorize the issuance of Heritage Alteration Permit #00131 in accordance with: 1. Façade Conservation Plan, by Donald Luxton & Associates, dated August Addendum to #1 above, dated July Development meeting all bylaw requirements 4. Final plans to be in accordance with plans identified above. Ken Johnson resumed the Chair. 8. New Business - nil 9. Adjournment - 1:15 pm W:\Heritage\HERITAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE\MINUTES\2011 HERITAGE MINUTES\August 9.doc