55 Mill Street, Alterations to Buildings No. 53, 54, 55, 56, 58, and 61 1

STAFF REPORT ACTION REQUIRED

Alteration of a Designated Heritage Property and Amendment of a Heritage Easement Agreement – 55 Mill Street, Buildings No. 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, and 61

Date: September 5, 2012

To: Toronto and East York Community Council Toronto Preservation Board

From: Director, Urban Design, City Planning Division

Wards: Ward 28 - Toronto Centre Rosedale

Reference Number:

P:\2012\Cluster B\PLN\HPS\TEYCC\October 10 2012\teHPS39

SUMMARY

This report recommends that City Council approve the proposed alterations to the property at 55 Mill Street, Buildings No. 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, and 61, subject to the removal of the proposal to construct a bridge between buildings 56 and 58. Collectively these buildings form part of the complex of buildings known as Pure Spirits Group of Buildings. They are located within the Distillery District on the east side of Trinity Street. The applicant is proposing alterations to allow for the rehabilitation of the vacant upper floors of these buildings for use as commercial office space.

RECOMMENDATIONS

City Planning Division recommends that:

1. City Council consent to the proposed alterations and authorize City officials to amend the existing Heritage Easement Agreement to 55 Mill Street, Building No. 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, and 61 in accordance with the drawings prepared by ERA Architects dated June 27, 2012 subject to the following conditions:

a. The proposed alterations described in Option 2, the bridge between buildings 56 and 58, be omitted from the drawings;

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b. Prior to the issuance of a heritage permit for the property at 55 Mill Street resulting from this proposal, including permits for the demolition, excavation, and or shoring of the subject property, the applicant shall provide building permit drawings to the satisfaction of the Acting Manager, Heritage Preservation Services; and

c. Within 90 days of completion of the work the owner shall submit replacement Heritage Easement Agreement photographs in accordance with the Heritage Easement Agreement.

Financial Impact There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report.

DECISION HISTORY The Distillery District was designated by City Council in 1976 under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law No. 154-76). In 1994, Toronto City Council approved Official Plan Amendment No. 2 to the King-Parliament Secondary Plan and passed Zoning By-law 1994-0396 to implement a specific planning framework for the Gooderham and Worts Distillery District. In the same year, By-law No. 1994-0397 was passed providing for the entering into of Heritage Easement Agreements for the conservation of the buildings within the District. A Heritage Easement Agreement was registered on title for the subject buildings on April 3, 1996.

ISSUE BACKGROUND In 2003 the property owner proposed a restoration plan for the upper storeys of the Pure Spirits Group of Buildings. This plan was approved by City staff, but was never implemented by the property owner. A revised plan was subsequently submitted, but was withdrawn when concerns were raised over a proposal to remove the three scaling tanks, which were identified as heritage attributes. In July of 2012 the applicant presented the current revised Restoration Plan. This plan proposes to incorporate the scaling tanks into the project in their current locations.

COMMENTS

Reason for Identification The Pure Spirts Buildings Group is an important component of the Gooderham and Worts Complex and an integral part of the series of historic buildings lining Trinity Street. The group consists of the Still Houses (Buildings 53, 54, 55, and 56), and the Mash Tum Room (Building 57). Constructed in 1873 with fully glazed west façades, the buildings were originally designed as a still and mixing rooms.

The Cannery Buildings (Buildings 58 and 59) were also constructed in 1873. They were originally constructed for case storage but they were later converted to other uses. They are located immediately south of Building 56 and also front on to Trinity Street.

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Tank House No. 1 is located on the north side of Pure Spirits Building Group adjacent to the nearly identical Tank House No. 2. Tank House No.1 contains a scaling loft with three scaling tanks. These buildings were constructed in 1873.

The Heritage Attributes of these buildings are found on both the interior and the exterior of the buildings. They include the three scaling tanks located in Tank House No. 1. A detailed list of Heritage Attributes can be found in Attachment 3.

Proposal Since the rehabilitation of the ground floors for retail, use the upper floors of the Pure Spirits buildings have remained largely unoccupied. The configuration of the upper floors and the interior heritage features have been constraints to the successful rehabilitation of this building. The Heritage Easement Agreement (HEA) acknowledged these constraints and identified a number of appropriate opportunities for change that would allow for the successful rehabilitation of the building.

The applicant is proposing to rehabilitate the upper floors of these buildings for commercial office use. The proposed alterations include the following, described in detail in the plans prepared by ERA Architects dated June 27, 2012, and included as Attachment 4:

1. New masonry openings at the third and fourth levels; 2. Rationalizing floor levels to improve access in the scaling room (Building 61,

Lower 3rd Floor) and adaptation of space inside the scaling tanks (including door openings and a new floors) as office related uses;

3. Extending and adding stairway connections providing required access and egress to upper floors;

4. Providing door openings for light, views, and access on the east elevation; 5. Rehabilitation of the building envelope to allow occupation of upper floors; 6. Inserting additional floors in Building 54 – 56 to rationalize the floor system 7. A roof top deck on Building 61 as an amenity and egress for office uses; and, 8. As an option: A bridge connection over Building 57 connecting the second

floors of Building 56 and 58, and work to the second floors for office use.

The HEA includes a substantial list of permissible alterations that would allow for the rehabilitation of the heritage buildings. However, many of the alterations proposed by the applicant were not anticipated in the original Agreement. For this reason, staff do not have the delegated authority to approve this proposal and Council approval is required.

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As required by the terms of the Heritage Easement Agreement the applicant has submitted a Restoration Plan prepared by ERA Architects dated (July 21, 2003, revised June 26, 2012) in support of the application. Heritage Preservation Services has reviewed the Restoration Plan and the drawings for conformity with the Principles for Conservation for the Gooderham and Worts/Triangle Lands, and the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada.

The Gooderham and Worts/Triangle Lands Heritage Assessment Report 11 included the following Principles for Conservation:

Principles for Conserving Buildings This first set of principles intends to govern matters of restoration, rehabilitation and continued use of buildings identified as heritage resources.

1. Find viable uses and users for existing buildings. 2. Adapt new uses to existing spaces. 3. Maintain each building’s relationship to its neighbours and to the complex as a

whole. 4. Respect the aging process.

Respect the visual expression of the period(s) of each building’s construction and operation.

5. Respect the materials and traces of accumulations, accretions and additions. 6. Respect craft and quality where it survives. 7. Keep as much as possible. 8. Alter and intrude as little as possible.

For restoration, follow evidence; for invention, follow precedent.

The Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada In 2008 Toronto City Council adopted the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada as the official document guiding planning, stewardship and conservation approach for all listed and designated heritage resources within the City of Toronto. In addition to the Principles for Conservation, staff have also reviewed the proposed alterations through the lens of the Standards and Guidelines.

Heritage Comments The proposal to alter the upper floors of the Pure Spirits Building for commercial office will necessitate a large number of alterations as these building were originally constructed and configured for specific industrial distilling uses. Since continuing the original use of these buildings is no longer possible, finding a viable use for the buildings is necessary to ensure their long term protection.

The applicant has proposed a comprehensive mitigation strategy to mitigate the impacts the alterations will have on the site. The new wooden floors will be constructed in a way that will allow them to be reversed at a future date. Care has been taken to minimize the

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visual impact of the proposed alterations. The new roof deck will be stepped in at the sides and the guard rail will be designed with visual impact in mind. The new door openings on the scaling tanks will be located at the back of the tanks so that they are largely invisible from most parts of the room. The design language of the new alterations such as the interior and exterior stairs, and interior doorways will be consistent with the latter interventions on the site. City Planning staff have some concerns about the legibility of some of the proposed alterations. In keeping with Standard 11 of the Standards and Guidelines these new alterations should be designed in a way that makes them compatible yet distinguishable from the historic place. At the same time Principle 5 of the Principles for Conserving Buildings calls for new alterations to be a visual expression of each building's construction and operation. Some of the new interventions as drawn appear to closely mimic the historic place and could be confused by visitors as being original or from the period of the sites' historic significance. In other cases it is unclear how existing door openings will be filled in so that that their existence will remain legible. Heritage Preservation Services has raised this issue with the applicant and staff will work with the applicant at the Heritage Permit phase on a design solution to address these issues.

Option 2 – Bridge The applicant has proposed the construction of a new bridge over Building 57 that would serve to connect the second floors of Building 56 and 58. This intervention has been proposed to allow for an alternate means of egress from the second floor. Unfortunately, the applicant has not submitted sufficient plans and drawings to allow staff to fully understand the rational for the proposal or the potential impact that this alteration will have on the heritage buildings and on the iconic character of Trinity Street. Staff have some initial concerns that the proposal may not conform to Standard 11 of the Standards and Guidelines or principles 5 and 9 of the Principles for Conserving Buildings.

City Planning staff have been working with the applicant and have asked for additional plans and drawings for this proposal. However, the applicant has requested that staff report on the overall project as quickly as possible to allow for the accommodation of a potential commercial tenant for the space. For this reason staff are recommending approval of the majority of the rehabilitation project subject to refinement at the heritage permit phase, but due to insufficient information are recommending that Council omit the proposed bridge alterations from the plans.

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Should the applicant wish to continue with the bridge proposal, City Planning staff will continue to work with them in the review of their design and a further report to Council will be required.

CONTACT Mary L. MacDonald, Acting Manager Heritage Preservation Services Tel: 416-338-1079; Fax: 416-392-1973 E-mail: mmacdon7@toronto.ca

SIGNATURE

_______________________________ Robert Freedman, Director Urban Design City Planning Division

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment No. 1 – Location Plan Attachment No. 2 – Photographs Attachment No. 3 – Reasons for identification Attachment No. 4 – Proposed Alteration

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LOCATION MAP: 55 MILL STREET ATTACHMENT NO. 1

The arrow marks the portion of the property at 55 Mill Street where the Pure Spirits Building Group is located.

This location map is for information purposes only; the exact boundaries of the property are not

shown.

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LOCATION MAP: 55 MILL STREET

Pure Spirits Building Group

53 Still House 61 Tank House No. 1 54 Still House 62 Tank House No. 2 55 Still House 62A Long Room 56 Still House 57 Mash Tun Room 58 Cannery 59 Cannery

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PHOTOGRAPHS: 55 MILL STREET ATTACHMENT NO. 2

Pure Spirits Building Group West Elevation Fronting on to Trinity Street as Seen From Mill Street

Pure Spirits Building Group West Elevation Fronting on to Trinity Street

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PHOTOGRAPHS: 55 MILL STREET

Pure Spirits Building Group West Elevation Fronting on to Trinity Street

Pure Spirits Building Group West Elevation Fronting on to Trinity Street

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PHOTOGRAPHS: 55 MILL STREET

Pure Spirits Building Group West Elevation Fronting on to Trinity Street

Pure Spirits Building Group North Elevation

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PHOTOGRAPHS: 55 MILL STREET

Pure Spirits Building Group North Elevation

Detail Showing Window Opening on the North Elevation to be Restored

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REASONS FOR IDENDTIFICATION: 55 MILL STREET ATTACHMENT NO. 3

“Reasons for Identification" – Pure Spirits Building Group (Buildings No. 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)

The Pure Spirits Building Group is identified as an important component of the Gooderham and Worts Complex and an integral part of the series of historical buildings lining Trinity Street. The group is comprised of the Still Houses (Building 53, 54, 55 and 56), Mash Tun Room (Building 57), Cannery (58 and 59), Tank Houses No.1 and No. 2 (Building 61 and 62), and Long Room (Building 62A).

“Reasons for Identification" – Still Houses (Buildings 53, 54, 55 and 56)

The Still Houses are four adjoining, almost identical buildings facing Trinity Street. They abut Tank House No.1 (Building 61) on the east and the Mash Tun Room (Building 57) on the south. Constructed in 1873 with a fully-glazed west façade, the buildings we originally designed as still and mixing rooms.

The Still Houses are rectangular in plan with red brick walls above a stone base. Building 53 rises three stories with a flat roof, while Buildings 54, 55, and 56 are four stories with a mansard roof. The west facades and the north face of Building 53 are fully exposed. On the first three stories of the west facades, full height glazed opening are organized by brick and stone piers with stone caps. The entrances have paneled and glazed wood doors, sidelights, and glazed transoms (the entrance to Building 54 has been altered). A decorative wrought iron balcony extends across the second-storey level. The north façade of Building 53 has a pier and inset panel arrangement. The plain brick east walls of the Stills Houses and the south face of Building 56 are partially obscured by the adjoining buildings.

The interiors of the Still Houses have varying floor-to-floor heights, and some have mezzanines. The interiors feature wood floors and stairs, brick fire walls and corbels, and square-headed door openings (some of the openings have been filled in). On the east wall of Building 53 is a ground-storey segmental-headed opening with steel fire doors.

“Reasons for Identification" – Mash Tun Room (Building 57)

The Mash Tun Room is located on Trinity Street between the Still Houses (Buildings 53, 54, 55 and 56) on the north and the Cannery (Building 58 and 59) on the south. The buildings abuts Tank House No.1 (Building 61) on the east. Constructed in 1873, the building originally contained storage tanks.

The one-storey Mash Tun Room is rectangular in plan with a flat roof, stone base, and red brick walls. The west façade is the only exposed wall. A central round-headed entrance with paired wood doors and a fanlight is flanked by two round-headed openings with wood sash windows. The openings have brick voussoirs and stone sills. A bridge extends from the roof of the Mash Tun Building over Trinity Street and across the roof of

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the Offices (Building 33 of the Cooperage and Maltings Building Group) to the Boiler House (Building 2 of the Stone Distillery Building Group).

“Reasons for Identification" – Cannery Building 58 and 59

The Cannery defines the south edge of the Pure Spirits Building Group. It abuts the Mash Tun Room (Building 57) and Tank Houses No. 1 and No. 2 (Buildings 61 and 62) on the north and the Long Room (Building 62A) on the east. Constructed in 1873 for the case storage, the Cannery was later converted for other uses.

The Cannery is rectangular in plan covered by a flat roof with brick parapets. The two westernmost bays facing Trinity Street are four stories and the rest of the Cannery is three stories. Above a stone base, red brick walls are divided into bays by piers and panels with sawtooth brick detailing. The segmental-headed and square headed openings have wood sash windows, wood, doors, brick voussoirs, and stone sills. The third openings are larger. There is a steel escape on the south wall.

A bridge connects the Cannery to the Case Goods Warehouse (Building 74 which is slated to be demolished) to the south, and an enclosed conveyor extends from the Cannery to the Case Goods Warehouse to the abandoned railway corridor. A network of pipes extends across the west façade of the Cannery Pump House (Building 60) to the south. Two individual pipes connect the Cannery to the Pump House. Two chutes extend form the upper stories of the Cannery down through the roof adjoining Long Room (Building 62A).

On the interior of the Cannery, the lower stories are divide up into two parts (Building 58 and 59) by a brick partition wall with arched openings. The interior features wood floors, stairs and beams, cast iron and wood columns, brick corbel and, in the southwest corner of the third floor, wood partitions. The floor-to-floor heights vary, with the third storey being higher than the others.

The Cannery contains wood tank bases and a spiral case goods chute.

“Reasons for Identification" –Tank House No.1 (Building 61)

Tank House No.1 and No.2 are two adjoining, almost identical buildings along the north side of the Pure Spirits Building Group between the Still Houses (Building 53, 54, 55 and 56) and the Mash Tun Room (Building 57) on the west, the Cannery (Building 58 and 59) on the south, and the Long Room (Building 62A) on the east. Constructed in 1873, the buildings originally contained tanks.

The single-storey Tank House No.1 and No.2 are rectangular in plan and covered by flat roofs with a brick parapet on the east end of the Tank House No.2. Above the stone base, only red brick walls of the north facades are fully exposed. The north walls have small square-headed shuttered opening placed between large round-headed openings containing

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multi-paned wood windows and paired doors with fanlights. All of the openings have brick voussoirs and stone sills. There is a one-storey addition above Tank House No.1 abutting the Still Houses (Buildings 53, 54, 55 and 56) to the west and the Cannery (Buildings 58 and 59) to the south. It has a brick north face with a segmental-headed opening containing paired wood doors, and a metal-clad east face with square headed windows and a door. A network of pipes connects Tank House No.1 to the Carthouse and Stables (Building 51 and 52 of the Boiler House Building Group) to the north. Two pipe bridges extend across the roof of the Long Room to connect Tank House No.2 to the Paint Shop (Building 63) to the east, and another pipe bridge extends across the roofs of Tank Houses No.1 and No.2 and the Long Room to the roof of the Paint Shop.

On the interior, a brick wall divides Tank House No.1 from Tank House No.2. The interior features timber posts and beams, hipped roof skylights, ground-level wood floors, decorated metal brackets on the north wall, and segmental-headed entrances, most with paired steel fire doors. There are elevated wood tank floors with wood tank bases supported on masonry and timber footings. A Scale Tank Loft located above the west end of Tank House No.1 is partitioned into two rooms, the north room having a lead-covered floor, wood stairs, and an access opening through the floor.

Tank House No.1 contains a barrel trough and floor scale, dump trough, and light fixtures. The Scale Tank Loft has a water still and two flavoring tanks in the north room, and three scale tanks in the south room. Tank House No.2 contains a weigh scale.

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PROPOSED ALTERATIONS: 55 MILL STREET ATTACHMENT NO. 4

Proposed West Elevation

Proposed North Elevation

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PROPOSED ALTERATIONS: 55 MILL STREET

Proposed East Elevation

Proposed South Elevation

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PROPOSED ALTERATIONS: 55 MILL STREET

Proposed East West Section

Proposed Lower Third Floor Plan

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PROPOSED ALTERATIONS: 55 MILL STREET

Proposed Upper Third Floor Plan

Proposed Fourth Floor Plan

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PROPOSED ALTERATIONS: 55 MILL STREET

Proposed Roof Plan

Proposed North South Section

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PROPOSED ALTERATIONS: 55 MILL STREET

Proposed Second Floor Plan – Bridge – Option 2

North South Section – Bridge – Option 2

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PROPOSED ALTERATIONS: 55 MILL STREET

Illustration Showing the Proposed Alterations to the Scaling Tanks within Tank House No. 1