That, on the recommendation of the Managing Director, Planning and City Planner, with respect to the application by The Corporation of the City of London, relating to the property located at 391 South Street, the proposed by-law appended to the staff report dated August 13, 2018 as Appendix "A" BE INTRODUCED at the Municipal Council meeting to be held on August 28, 2018 to amend Zoning By-law No. Z.-1, (in conformity with the Official Plan), to change the zoning of the subject property FROM a holding Residential R7/ Residential R9/ Regional Facility (h-5*R7* D150*H30/R9-7*H30/RF) Zone TO a holding Residential R8 Special Provision Bonus (h-__*R8-4(_)*B-__) Zone and a holding Residential R9 Special Provision Bonus (h-__*R9-3(_)*H30*B-__) Zone; it being noted that the (B-__) Bonus Zone shall be implemented through one or more agreements to provide for an apartment building height maximum of 23 storeys or 80m (262 ft) with an increased density of up to 705 units per hectare in return for the provision of the following facilities, services, and matters:
a) a high quality development which substantively implements the site plan and renderings as appended to the staff report dated August 13, 2018 as Schedule “1” to the amending by-law, with minor revisions except where described in more detail below:
Lower Podium
i) ensuring that brick is the primary material used to clad the lower podium portion of the building;
ii) ensuring ground floor units facing the Riverfront Promenade and South Street include individually accessible and externally lockable front door entrances;
iii) ensuring ground floor units provide walkways that lead to: a City sidewalk, the courtyard, the River Promenade, and the mid-block connection;
iv) providing for elevated ground floor patios where possible, in order to provide for privacy and increase the livability of the ground floor units;
v) ensuring the principle entrances into the apartment buildings are prominent and easily identifiable by: introducing a break in the rhythm of massing, including a high level of clear glazing, or through the incorporation of canopies;
vi) ensuring high quality design of the south elevation with individual unit entrances and private amenity courtyard spaces oriented to the Riverfront Promenade, and avoid blank walls to provide a positive edge with active uses facing the promenade;
vii) providing a green roof treatment and/or amenity space on top of the lower podium roof;
viii) provision of all above-ground structured parking within the building entirely screened by active uses;
Courtyard
i) ensuring that the Colborne Building is appropriately integrated with the proposed courtyard by including entrances, patios, and active ground floor uses;
ii) utilizing similar materials, treatments and patterns (ie- paving, aerial string lights between new building and Colborne Building, etc) as the proposed SoHo Heritage Square to the north in the design of the proposed courtyard;
iii) maintaining the vista to the Children’s War Memorial Hospital Building from the courtyard, by relocating any artifacts such as the nurse’s residence arch from the north of the courtyard to elsewhere in the courtyard;
Upper Podium
i) incorporating brick is encouraged on the mid-rise (eight storey) portions of the building;
ii) ensuring that the material and colour palette provides for a cohesive design between all elements of the development including the lower podium, towers, top of towers, and the Colborne Building;
Tower
i) provision of slender point towers with floor plates less than 800m²;
ii) ensuring the design of the top of the towers provides interest to the skyline and is well integrated with the design language of the overall development;
iii) offsetting heights of 19 storeys on the north tower and 23 storeys on the south tower;
b) conservation, retention and adaptive re-use of the existing heritage designated Colborne Building;
c) provision of a publicly accessible open space courtyard which substantively implements the concept landscape plan appended to the staff report dated August 13, 2018 as Schedule “2” to the amending by-law, which features:
i) a publicly accessible connection over private lands from the SoHo Civic Space to the Riverfront Promenade;
ii) enhanced landscaping with the use of trees, shrubs, and various raised planting features;
iii) decorative paving reminiscent of the former Hospital uses;
iv) provision of publicly accessible seating areas;
v) provision of publicly accessible art pieces in accordance with the Public Art policies in section 20.6.3.3 of the Old Victoria Hospital Lands Secondary Plan through the installation of hospital artifacts; and,
d) provision of two levels of underground parking;
it being pointed out that at the public participation meeting associated with these matters, the individuals indicated on the attached public participation meeting record made oral submissions regarding these matters;
it being further noted that the Municipal Council approves this application for the following reasons:
· the recommended amendment is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS), 2014, which promotes intensification, redevelopment and a compact form in strategic locations to minimize land consumption and servicing costs and provide for a range of housing types and densities to meet projected requirements of current and future residents;
· the adaptive reuse of the existing Colborne Building is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, as it encourages a sense of place and preserves important built heritage;
· the recommended amendment conforms to the Old Victoria Hospital Secondary Plan and facilitates the development of one of the Four Corners and a High Rise Residential block, and contributes to the creation of a vibrant mixed-use node;
· the recommended bonus zone provides for an increased density and height in return for a series of bonusable facilities, services and matters that benefit the public in accordance with Section 20.6.3.3 of the Old Victoria Hospital Lands Secondary Plan; and,
· the recommended amendment is appropriate for the site and context, and will implement the vision of the Old Victoria Hospital Secondary Plan on the City-owned lands, and be a catalyst for revitalization of the overall SoHo community. (2018-D09)