Recommendation: That, the following actions
be taken with respect to the decommissioning of the South Street Hospital:
a)
that,
on the recommendation of the Director, Land Use Planning and City Planner,
with the advice of the Heritage Planner, the following actions be taken with
respect to the five listed properties and three additional properties
identified as having heritage value by a recent heritage assessment, located
on the lands of the South Street campus of the London Health Sciences Centre
(LHSC):
i) for the buildings
located on the south side of South Street:
A)
the
LHSC and the Chief Building Official BE ADVISED that the Municipal
Council has no concerns with respect to the demolition of the Main Hospital
Building, the Pastoral Care Building, the Isolation Building and the Surgical
Building;
B) prior
to the demolition of the north wing of the Main Hospital Building, as well as
the Surgical Building, the Isolation Building and the Pastoral Care Building,
the buildings BE DOCUMENTED, including complete photographic
documentation of the building’s older features, and, where possible, measured
drawings be prepared of the original layout, as can be discerned, where such
drawings do not exist;
C)
the
main entrance and façade, including the limestone materials of the art deco
main entrance feature of the north wing of the Main Building, BE RETAINED
AND BE REUSED in a future building to be constructed on the site;
D)
NO
ACTION
BE TAKEN regarding the demolition of the Colborne Building at this
time; it being noted that the demolition and clearance of the lands on the
south side of South Street will be undertaken beginning in 2012 into 2013,
and the retention of this building will not preclude the clearance of the
remainder of the lands;
E)
the
Colborne Building BE PROTECTED until the feasibility of restoring the
building can be adequately assessed through a request for proposal process;
using a least-cost approach, this protection is to be accomplished by:
I) making
the building secure, including the installation of a security system;
II) undertaking
all necessary repairs to prevent water infiltration and to provide adequate
heat and ventilation;
III) retaining
the original doors, door and window surrounds, and fire protection equipment;
and,
IV) removing
hazardous materials, as part of the larger site remediation process, in a
manner that would not preclude the adaptive re-use of the building;
ii) for the buildings
located on the north side of South Street:
A)
NO
ACTION BE TAKEN
regarding the demolition of the War Memorial Children’s Hospital at this time,
noting that the London Health Sciences Centre will not be vacating the
remainder of the lands on the north side of South Street until after 2014;
B)
using
a least-cost approach, the War Memorial Children’s Hospital BE PROTECTED
in the interim by:
I)
making
the building secure, including the installation of a security system;
II)
undertaking
all necessary repairs to prevent water infiltration and to provide adequate
heat and ventilation;
III)
retaining
any original significant features, including the sunrooms; and,
IV)
removing
hazardous materials, as part of the larger site remediation process, in a
manner that would not preclude the adaptive re-use of the building;
C)
the
LHSC and the Chief Building Official BE ADVISED that Municipal Council
has no objection to the demolition of the c. 1950’s addition to the War
Memorial Children’s Hospital;
D)
a
source of financing BE IDENTIFIED to undertake a Heritage Building
Conservation Assessment in 2012 or 2013 of the Nurse’s Residence and Medical
School Buildings, prior to any recommendation on the future use or retention
of these buildings; it being noted that no action is required at this time
for the buildings located on the north side of South Street, as the London
Health Sciences centre will be continuing its use of these buildings for up
to two more years; and,
E)
NO
ACTION BE TAKEN
at this time, regarding the demolition of the Nurse’s Residence or Medical
School Building, noting that these buildings are still occupied by LHSC, and
will be vacated over the next two years.
iii)
the
LHSC BE REQUESTED to establish and contribute to the City, an amount equal
to the demolition and site remediation costs that would have otherwise been
spent for the Colborne building, to be used for mothballing the building
(including removing hazardous materials) and, if preservation is found to be
infeasible, the subsequent demolition of the buildings;
iv)
the
Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to identify a source of financing for
mothballing the Colborne Building and War Memorial Children’s Hospital
Building; and,
v)
as
part of the future redevelopment of the South Street lands, opportunities for
interpretation, such as a park, interpretive signage, commemorative works of
art, or landscape features, such as walls or pathways, BE DEVELOPED as
a means of commemorating the history and importance of the hospital, and
that, where feasible, materials salvaged from the site be incorporated into
the project;
b)
on
the recommendation of the City Solicitor’s office, the following
actions be taken with respect to LHSC South Street Campus lands:
i) the reports of Allan Avis,
B.Arch., OAA, MRAIC, CAHP concerning the War Memorial
Children’s Hospital (Building No. 52) and the Colborne building (Building No.
67) BE
RECEIVED
for information; and,
ii) upon completion of the 2012 budget
process, a source of financing BE IDENTIFIED by the City Treasurer, in
an amount estimated to be up to $2,500,000, to contribute to the overall cost
of Phase A decommissioning work to be carried out by LHSC on City lands
located south of South Street in late 2012 and 2013;
c)
the
Civic Administration BE REQUESTED to report to the Finance and
Administrative Services Committee on minimizing the mothballing costs of the Colborne Building and War Memorial Children’s Hospital building;
it
being noted that the Planning and Environment Committee heard verbal
presentations from J. M. Fleming, Director of Land Use Planning and City
Planner, D. Menard, Heritage Planner and received the attached
presentation from G. Belch, Corporation Counsel and a verbal presentation,
including photographs, demonstrating the information provided below from A.
Avis, Allan Avis Architects Inc., with respect to this matter:
Children’s
War Memorial Hospital:
·
the
south wing was built in 1922;
·
the
north wing was built in 1945;
·
the
building is built entirely of brick;
·
the
building has approximately 220 windows;
·
there
is approximately 20,000 square feet of brick exterior;
·
Indiana
limestone was used in the design;
·
in
1978, a rooftop addition was added as a recreation area;
·
the
parapet below the rooftop addition has crude mortar joints;
·
the
stone elements are in good condition;
·
the
brick is questionable in some areas;
·
the
metal bands are painted, galvanized metal;
·
advising
that they removed the brick in some areas and the mortar is still in good
condition;
·
advising
that the mortar and brick needs to be addressed in short-order or this will
create more problems;
·
the
parapets are major structural components;
·
there
are single-hung windows with mutton bars;
·
there
is evidence of rot;
·
advising
that there was discussion of turning this building into affordable housing
units as an adaptive re-use, but the windows would all need to be replaced;
·
there
are wide corridors inside the building;
·
the
rooms are approximately 15 feet; and,
·
there
is a sun-room at each end of the building.
Colborne Building:
·
the
building was built in 1899, with additions added in 1922 and c1920;
·
this
building has similar cornices and a hip roof;
·
the
building is 260 feet in length;
·
there
are approximately 156 door and window openings;
·
there
are areas of severe brick deterioration; however, in other areas, the bricks
are in reasonable condition;
·
advising
that the steel lintels are causing problems with the stone work as it
expands;
·
the
detailed metal cornices are painted;
·
at
the north end of the building, the roof is slate;
·
at
the south end of the building, the roof is asphalt;
·
advising
that the roof is in rough condition; and,
·
advising
that the corridors are 7 to 8 feet wide, with the rooms remaining 15 feet
wide;
it being
pointed out that at the public participation meeting associated with this
matter, the following individuals made an oral submission in connection
therewith:
·
M.
Woodward, 142 Waterloo Street – advising that a survey of the members of the
SoHo Executive expressed overwhelming support of Civic Administration’s
Option #2.
·
S.
Bellyk, 304 South Street – advising that the art-deco portion of the wing is
quite solid and is a prime candidate for renovation; advising that the
art-deco is more solid than his house, which is 105 years old; and enquiring
as to what the negatives to this are.
·
D.
McBurney, #4 – 466 South Street – expressing appreciation to everyone who
worked on this initiative; and expressing support for Civic Administration’s
Option #2, which is the most flexible option.
·
J.
Hodder, Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, London Branch – enquiring as to
the maximum length of time for mothballing and how long can the two buildings
be held before they are demolished.
·
G.
Ecker, 181 Grey Street – indicating that the staff report is
straight-forward; expressing concern with the verbage about this being a
“new” neighbourhood when the SoHo area is trying to pull together as a
community; and advising that he would rather see the wording amended to read as
an “enhancement” to the neighbourhood.
·
J.
O’Neil, Vice-Chair, London Advisory Committee on Heritage – advising that the
original reason that the hospital is located here is because this is where
the Irish and Black community lived; indicating that it was the first building
for the dead and dying; advising that if you give it 10 to 15 years, it is
going to be the #1 place in the city to live; expressing support for the
staff recommendation; advising that this is the first place that radiation
was effectively used to combat cancer in the world; expressing surprise for
the recommendation to save the 1945 addition, as the builders had to cut
corners with the war going on; suggesting that the Civic Administration
further review this and consider saving the 1922 portion of the building;
advising that the Colborne Building was the first children’s hospital in
Southwestern Ontario; and indicating that if you cover the roof in solar
panels you may be eligible for a government grant; suggesting that the
building be used as an adaptive reuse so that you can put in what you want;
indicating that the street level view is considered with new buildings in Old
East being 2 or 3-storeys; and advising that the windows don’t have to be
wood, but can be a material that looks like wood.
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