Koolgreen
Active Member
http://robertmoffatt115.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/imperial-oil-1-lr.jpg
my favourite don mills structure....
my favourite don mills structure....
Another Don Mills building (not to be forgotten) was the OHA Building, 24 Ferrand Dr. - an award-winning structure when built in 1961.
It was demolished in 1994 and the foundation was used to facilitate a new 'Mormon Church' (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints-built 1996).
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of course there is this imperial oil gem.
Wasn't that demolished around the time the Loblaws Superstore was built? .
IMPERIAL OIL BLDG:
Built 1962 - abandoned by Imperial Oil early 1990s.
Designed by John B. Parkin Associates.
Imperial Oil was awarded a 1964 Massey Medal for Architecture and an honourable mention at the Sao Paulo International Biennale of Architecture and Design.
Yeah, Imperial Oil was demo'd in 1992--years before Superstore came up in its place...
One more question. When nominating a building as a heritage structure, there are two options -- 'Nominated for: Listing On Inventory or Designation Under OHA'. Which should I check when filling out a form?
The listing process goes through Heritage Preservation Services ( a division of the Planning Department), which, if they agree with the premise that the building should be listed, prepares a comprehensive report for City Council, which will vote to add the building onto the Inventory of Heritage Properties. The system is extremely disfunctional because of a combination of bad management within the department and severe under-staffing (check out the thread under Projects & Construction on "Motel 6 - 376 Dundas Street East, in which Councillor McConnell asked staff to prepare a report on listing the building and essentially ignored her request and the building has now been EIFS-ed beyond recognition). In another sad case, the building known as Hungarian House, a handsome Moderne structure on St. Clair near Dufferin, (which was the original home of Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue), was rejected (or ignored) for listing by Preservation Services, largely based on the ambivalence of Councillor Mihevic. The building is now demolished.
Because of this disfunctionality, relatively few buildings get listed nowadays.
http://www.toronto.ca/heritage-preservation/heritage_questions.htm
Listing a building in the inventory is just the city recognizing that a building is a heritage building and adding it to its list of heritage buildings. There is no protection against demolition. The OHA gives the city the ability to refuse demolition of a designated building. Getting a building designated under the OHA is far better.
Speaking of Don Mills modernism -- I contacted the owners of One Medical Place (20 Wynford Dr -- posted a few pages back) re a heritage nomination. The person I spoke with said they appreciate the design elements that I pointed out and that they've worked hard to maintain the building over the last 9 years, etc., but they aren't interested in pursuing a heritage nomination. Such a piss off. If they appreciate the beauty of the building, why wouldn't they want to preserve it? I'm getting so fed up in my quest to nominate certain buildings. Most owners haven't even bothered to reply to my inquiries on their properties.
Staff will only designate a building if they think it's in danger. There is a lot of work in preparing a designating bylaw for Council (legal plus heritage staff). Most of the buildings on the Inventory seem to be listed; http://app.toronto.ca/HeritagePreservation/setup.do?action=init
If you are serious about getting a building listed, filling out forms is the least effective route to go. The three approaches I would recommend would be: 1) Consult a heritage architect (like ERA) for advice; 2) Meet with Heritage Preservation Services; 3) Meet with the Ward Councillor. Other groups include Heritage Toronto and the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. Remember also that if the land owner is hostile to the idea, it truly will be an uphill battle, but good luck!