Heritage status recommended for 2 buildings where student rental tower planned
CBC News | Posted: October 19, 2020 9:00 AM | Last Updated: October 19, 2020
The yellow brick buildings near Richmond Row operated as a brewery dating back to 1860
On Monday, the City of London's planning committee will consider heritage designation for two houses west of Richmond Row that, if accepted, would interfere with a plan by York Developments to build a 22-storey luxury student apartment building on the site.
At its Oct. 14 meeting, the city's advisory committee on heritage voted to recommend heritage designation for 183 and 197 Ann St. One of the two yellow brick, two-storey buildings operated as the Kent Brewery from about 1860 to 1917, while the other was the residence of the Hamilton family who operated the brewery.
Currently, one of the two buildings is an auto repair shop; the other is an apartment rental unit.
The heritage committee report said the buildings are valued for their potential to "yield information on the nationally-significant brewing history of London-Middlesex." It also noted that they are important connections to a time when the North Talbot neighbourhood near the Canadian Pacific Railway was home to a handful of industries that employed people who lived nearby.
Kelley McKeating heads the London branch of the Architectural Conservancy Ontario and has written a letter to the planning committee in support of heritage designation for the two buildings.
"While they're not ornate and fancy like some historical houses are, they have the feel of London's industrial past and I think that counts for something," she said.
York Developments, which owns both properties and other adjacent parcels on the block, has requested delegation status for Monday's meetings. A representative from the company is expected to argue against heritage designation. CBC's calls to York Developments for comment on Friday were not returned.
In March, the company presented preliminary plans to build a 28-storey luxury student rental building on the site, but the application got a rough ride at the planning committee.
Some councillors expressed concern the tower would be a massive increase over the existing height restriction on the site, which is two-and-a-half storeys. Other concerns included a lack of pedestrian access to Richmond Row and the tower's potential to shadow three nearby residential buildings which are 12 to 18 storeys in height.
York has since amended its application and the plan now calls for a 22-storey apartment building. It's expected to come before a future planning committee meeting.
Even without the heritage restrictions, the tower would require amendments to zoning and the city's official plan.
McKeating is no fan of the student tower proposal and said York knew the height restrictions when they bought the Ann Street properties.
"This is really the wrong location for that building," she said. "There are many other places near the downtown core where they can build tall buildings without destroying the history and the soul of the city of London."
She suggested a better location might be empty land currently in use as parking lots southeast of the downtown core, near York and Wellington streets.
If the planning committee votes to approve the heritage designation for the two Ann Street houses, it will go on to full council for approval.
The planning committee meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m.