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URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES

ST. LAWRENCE NEIGHBOURHOOD FOCUSED AREA

TORONTOJuly 2005 b

Aerial photo showing the study area for the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area

ST. LAWRENCE NEIGHBOURHOOD FOCUSED AREA URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES



TORONTOJuly 2005 – i

ST. LAWRENCE NEIGHBOURHOOD FOCUSED AREA URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.1 The Role of the St. Lawrence Focused Area Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.2 Old Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2.0 CONTEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2.1 The Study Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

2.2 City of Toronto Planning Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

2.3 Guiding Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2.4 Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3.0 STRUCTURE PLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

3.1 Areas of Special Identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

3.2 The Precincts and Corridors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

3.2.1 The Yonge Street Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3.2.2 Esplanade Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3.2.3 Berczy Park Precinct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

3.2.4 King Street Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

3.2.5 Church Street Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

3.2.6 Front Street Precinct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

3.2.7 The Market Precinct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

3.2.8 Jarvis Street Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

3.3 Gateway Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

3.4 Heritage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

3.5 Views and Key Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

3.6 Open Space Network – The Walks and Gardens Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

3.7 Sustainable Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

3.8 Public Art Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

3.9 Street Character Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINESTORONTO


4.0 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

4.1 Pedestrian Scale Design Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

4.1.1 Weather Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

4.1.2 Parking and Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

4.1.3 Mid-block Connections and Courtyards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

4.1.4 Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

4.2 Street Wall Scale Design Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

4.2.1 Street Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

4.3 Urban Scale Design Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

4.3.1 Building Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

4.3.2 Shadows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

4.3.3 Sky View and Ambient Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

4.3.4 Angular Plane and Step-backs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

4.4 Design and Architectural Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Existing Zoning Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Existing Height Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

The City of Toronto uses guidelines to clarify the urban design objectives of the Official Plan and zoning by-

laws. They assist in the translation of policies and performance standards into a variety of three-dimensional

options, for consideration by the municipality during the development approval process.

The City of Toronto Official Plan states that urban design guidelines are an important part of its implemen-

tation strategy. The focused area-specific St. Lawrence Design Guidelines outline the diversity of the various

precincts in the area and create a template for sensitive development which is responsive to the unique

historic character of the focused area of the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood.

These guidelines are an indication of Council’s broader planning and urban design aspirations for the St.

Lawrence Focused Area. They follow the Official Plan and area specific secondary plans in outlining a broader

picture for the future growth and development within the St. Lawrence and King-Parliament

Neighbourhoods.

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TORONTOJuly 2005 – 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The St. Lawrence Neighbourhood community is oneof Toronto’s most vital and celebrated districts thatdefines the historic roots of the city and contributesto its distinct image. It is located in the downtownarea along the former lakefront. For Toronto resi-dents, St. Lawrence provides a year-rounddestination of citywide significance for shopping,dining and cultural attractions in a highly urbane,pedestrian oriented setting. The area also has ahealthy mix of office, residential and commercialuses. This mix is essential in defining the FocusedArea as a vibrant part of the city, which is alive withactivity throughout most of the day, seven days aweek. These amenities, mix of uses and location alsomake the Focused Area of St. Lawrence a desirableplace to work and live. Because of these interests,the neighbourhood continues to experience growthand development. These urban design guidelines willhelp to outline the direction in which this communi-ty may develop in the future.

The goal of these guidelines is to improve thequality of the environment in the Focused Area ofthe St. Lawrence Neighbourhood and to ensure thatthe elements that contribute to the special characterof the diverse parts of the area are retained andenhanced. The main planning and urban designobjectives for achieving this goal include theenhancement of the areas of special character,enhancement of historic buildings and how they areviewed, and improvements and expansion of publicrealm areas such as parks, plazas and sidewalks.

These objectives can be achieved by:

• Providing a clear vision of the desired urban struc-ture for the area including areas of specialcharacter, the public and private realms which willprovide a framework for development.

• Providing a framework for appropriate relationshipsbetween buildings and the public realm, includingopen spaces, streets and public buildings.

• Identifying new and redevelopment opportunitiesand provide appropriate built form guidanceaddressing matters such as height, massing, setbacksand step-backs as well as quality of design.

• Identifying key opportunities to enhance, improveor add to the public realm including new public

spaces, landmarks, streetscapes, gateways and viewterminus.

• Providing a tool that can be used as a guide toassess development proposals.

• Continuing to promote a mix of uses whichcontribute to the vitality of the area.

1.1 THE ROLE OF THE ST. LAWRENCE FOCUSED AREA GUIDELINESUrban Design Guidelines are fundamental to areas ofspecial identity such as the St. LawrenceNeighbourhood Focused Area. The 2002 Official Planis explicit in its reliance on the preparation of designguidelines to interpret and implement its broad poli-cies on a more localized basis. Nowhere is this moreimportant than in areas of distinct character thatdefine the image of Toronto.

The central purpose of design guidelines is not toinhibit development or change it. On the contrary, itanticipates the area’s transformation and puts inplace the guidelines to shape development so as toensure it enhances rather than diminishes the qualityof the public realm. It goes without saying thatprotecting distinct and treasured areas, improvingstreetscapes, ensuring comfortable pedestrian condi-tions and providing animated sunlit public spaces arequalities that improve the viability of new develop-ment as much as benefiting the population thatalready lives, works and plays there. After all, it isoften these very qualities that attract development inthe first place.

The urban design guidelines are intended to servethe following central functions:

1) Development Review: In the context of redevel-opment of the area, the Urban Design Guidelinesprovide the tools for a coordinated and consistentresponse related to the City’s development reviewprocess for specific development applications. Thesealso suggest public realm improvements as theyrelate to Section 37 benefits.

2) Guidance to Developers: The St. LawrenceNeighbourhood Focused Area Urban DesignGuidelines is a public document that is available tothe development community. The Guidelines are

Figure 1 – Map of Toronto, 1858, showing the Walks andGardens Trust lands


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Some of the original buildings within the city arefound in Old Town Toronto. The following text islargely taken from The Old Town Toronto ActionPlan with the permission of SEDERI (South EastDowntown Economic Revitalization Initiative). OldTown Toronto is a community of distinct yetconnected neighbourhoods which have a remarkablehistory. The area is bounded by Yonge Street to thewest, Queen and Shuter Streets to the north, theDon River to the east and the railway embankmentto the south. The Focused Area for these guidelinesoccupies the western section of Old Town Toronto.

The lands that encompass the Old Town Torontohave one of the largest concentrations of 19thCentury buildings in Ontario. These lands includethe original site of the Town of York, and are atremendous heritage resource. The area’s historicbuildings and landscapes have the potential to serveas a unique framework for cultural and economicrevitalization.

The original Old Town was on the shoreline at FrontStreet. Old Town Toronto’s original street grid,established in 1793, has been expanded to allcorners of the modern city, and still serves toconnect the urban areas of the waterfront. Jarvis,Yonge, Church, Sherbourne, Parliament and CherryStreets provide north-south linkages within andthroughout the community, while the major east-west streets are Queen, Richmond, Adelaide, King,Front and The Esplanade.

The Old Town also holds many significant culturaland entertainment attractions and historical pointsof interest. These significant landmarks are inter-spersed between multi-unit residential buildings,office buildings, established commercial areas alongKing Street, and the restaurant and entertainmentdistrict on Front Street and The Esplanade.

intended to give clear guidance to the developmentindustry, or their consultants in the preparation of adevelopment concept in accordance with the criteriaand impacts as set out in these Guidelines.

3) Guidance to the Municipality: The guidelineswill help direct the City and prioritize public realmenhancements, streetscape improvements and thecreation of new parks and open spaces.

4) Community Improvement Plan: The guidelinesare intended to assist in the preparation of the St.Lawrence Neighbourhood Community ImprovementPlan. Council gave direction to prepare the Plan inOctober 2000. The study area for the plan is includ-ed on Figure 2: Key Plan Map. The CommunityImprovement Plan will identify strategies for improv-ing the quality of life in the St. LawrenceNeighbourhood Focused Area by highlighting variousissues to be identified, e.g., facade improvement,street closures, new streets and pedestrian cross-walks, heritage preservation and interpretation, newparkland, railway underpass improvements, treeplanting, environmental sustainability, street lighting,public realm enhancements and sidewalk widenings.

5) Heritage Conservation District: The St. LawrenceNeighbourhood Focused Area contains one of thelargest concentrations of historic structures in theCity of Toronto, including St. Lawrence Hall, theKing Edward Hotel, and the Gooderham Flat Ironbuilding. In addition to buildings of outstandingarchitectural merit, there are a number of solidgroupings of historic structures which provide thearea with an identifiable heritage character. Giventhese attributes, it is foreseeable that the neighbour-hood could be designated as a Heritage ConservationDistrict under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. Ifthis were the case, these urban design guidelinescould also be used as a reference document for theHeritage Conservation District study process.

1.2 OLD TOWNThese Urban Design Guidelines make several refer-ences to the character of the area. This character isdefined primarily by the architectural quality andbuilt form scale as derived from the original historicfabric that remains intact. As demonstrated by manyexisting contemporary buildings, new developmentsthat respect the historic quality and scale of the areacan reinforce and enhance the distinct character ofthe St. Lawrence Focused Area.




Old Town Toronto is also a major tourism destina-tion, a place where residents, workers, and visitorscongregate to celebrate arts, culture and heritage.The area has significant potential to be a first-classexample of a vibrant and sociable downtownlive/work community.

These guidelines discuss further the history of thearea and the important role that heritage plays inSection 3.4.

Figure 2 - Key Plan Map

2.0 CONTEXT

2.1 THE STUDY AREAFor the purposes of this study, the St. LawrenceNeighbourhood Focused Area extends from YongeStreet to the west, King Street/Court Street to thenorth, George Street to the east and the rail corridor(inclusive) to the south.



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Photo 1 – Background buildings of the Financial District

While the Downtown and Mixed Use areas arespecifically identified for intensification, new devel-opment is subject to a number of standards andqualifications regarding appropriate locations, builtforms, compatibility with surroundings, andcontributing to the public realm. Policy 6 of Section2.2.1 of the new Official Plan states specifically thatguidelines will be developed specific to districts ofhistoric or distinct character to ensure new develop-ment respects these contexts with respect to fit withexisting streets, setbacks, heights and relationships tolandmark buildings. For example, the Official Plan,Section 3.2.3 states: Built forms shall have “buildingmassing and heights in context with, and respectfulof, existing buildings and open spaces.”

2.3 GUIDING PRINCIPLES The following principles should be adhered to:

• Preserve and highlight the unique heritage charac-ter of the area

• Encourage new and preserve existing high qualityarchitecture appropriate to the area

• Support pedestrian amenities by maintaining ahuman scale to development

• Maintain the identity of the St. LawrenceNeighbourhood Focused Area as a unique area ofthe city with a distinctive character

• Expand and improve a high quality public realmincluding open space, parks and streetscape treat-ments.

Photo 3 – Consistent scale and high quality architecture blendsnew and old buildings on King Street East

Photo 2 – Consistent street wall on Front Street East

As mentioned earlier, the City Council adoption ofthe urban design guidelines will be followed by thedevelopment of a Community Improvement Plan.The City of Toronto will also continue to developurban design guidelines for important districts inthe city. One area which may warrant future guide-lines is the neighbourhood immediately to the northof the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Areabetween King and Queen Streets.

2.2 CITY OF TORONTO PLANNING DIRECTIONThe City of Toronto’s new Official Plan, adopted byCity Council in November of 2002, identifies St.Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area within theDowntown and Central Waterfront Area and theland use designation is primarily Mixed Use areas.




• Encourage the redevelopment or revitalization ofunder utilized sites to enhance the public realm

• Encourage a mix of uses which includes office,retail, commercial and residential

• Maintain a transition in scale from the higherheight areas along Yonge Street to the pedestrianscaled environment of St. LawrenceNeighbourhood Focused Area

• Maintain the predominant pedestrian scale andbuilding height that characterizes the area

2.4 OBJECTIVESThe following objectives have shaped the develop-ment of the Urban Design Guidelines:

1. The promotion of consistent around-the-clockand year-round active use of the Focused Area ofSt. Lawrence Neighbourhood. Courtyards, parksand pedestrian walkways should be the firstconsideration in determining an appropriatemassing for development.

2. In areas where low-rise (less than 6 storeys) ispredominant and it is the desired and definingbuilt form character, new development willrespect the existing scale.

3. In areas where high-rise buildings exist (such asthe Yonge Street Corridor), above grade setbacksshould be provided to create an appropriatestreet wall height to maintain a human scale atthe sidewalk and to ensure the physical and

visual comfort of the pedestrian with adequatesunlight, skyview and wind conditions.

4. Higher densities and building heights within thestudy area should be directed towards specificcorridors and areas along major arterial roadssuch as Yonge Street and parts of King StreetEast.

5. A balance of vehicular, cycling and pedestriantraffic should be maintained in the St. LawrenceFocused Area. The neighbourhood should beconsidered an area of “pedestrian priority” and inmany instances the pedestrian realm should beenhanced. However, continued accessibility byautomobile, transit and bicycle is recognized asessential to the economic viability of the area.

Photo 4 – Consistent street wall on The Esplanade Photo 6 – Landscaped promenade on The Esplanade

Photo 5 – Outdoor cafe on Front Street

Photo 8 – View terminus of St. James Cathedral



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6. Providing crosswalks or boulevards where pedes-trian traffic is heavy will enhance safety andpedestrian movement. Priority areas for pedestri-an crossing considerations are unsignalizedintersections with existing or potentially heavypedestrian traffic such as Front Street East,Wellington Street East and King Street East atthe intersections of Scott Street and VictoriaStreet.

7. Require the preservation and adaptive reuse ofheritage and character buildings.

8. New development should respect the current useof existing older buildings that contribute to thecharacter area.

9. The ‘greening’ of streets and open spaces shouldbe expanded to all parts of the study area.

10. A network of publicly accessible through-blockpedestrian ways, forecourts, courtyards and openspaces should be integrated throughout the area.

11. Excellence in architectural, landscape, signage,lighting and civic design should be promoted.

12. Encourage the integration of public art, includ-ing opportunities to convey aspects of the localculture throughout the area.

13. Implement environmentally sustainable designsincluding the use of green rooftops for newdevelopments and redevelopment of existingstructures.

14. Active at grade uses should be provided in newdevelopments to promote a dynamic, interestingand safe street life.

15. Portions of new residential development that donot provide retail or active uses at grade shouldincorporate residential units with direct streetaccess to the greatest extent possible.

16. Weather protection elements, such as glasscanopies should be provided adjacent to side-walks and other pedestrian areas where possibleand desirable.

17. Sites that terminate view corridors or serve asgateways should incorporate landmark designand signature art or architectural treatments.

18. Incorporate appropriate forms of signage tocomplement specific character areas such as “OldTown”.

19. The facade of parking structures should incorpo-rate lighting, signage, artist installations, vines,trellises, and other architectural elements.

20. Location of parking and service access for newdevelopment should, wherever possible, minimizethrough-traffic and street presence. Accessshould not generally be located at a terminus orgateway location.

21. Design innovation and excellence should bepromoted.

22. Above-grade parking in the St. LawrenceNeighbourhood Focused Area is discouraged.

Photo 7 – Existing commercial buildings on Colborne Street




3.0 STRUCTURE PLAN

The primary components that make up the St.Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area, includingstreets, parks and open spaces, help to establish astructure for the urban design guidelines and aguide for future development in the area. Thissection provides a description of the key organizingelements that inform the public realm and builtform.

3.1 AREAS OF SPECIAL IDENTITYMany of the City of Toronto’s Part II Plans makereference to areas of special identity. These areas aredistinctly legible parts of the urban fabric whichhave unique qualities. Within the study area we haveidentified three sub-areas which we attribute havethese qualities. The Berczy Park area is an urbanpark which is framed by a collection of some verysignificant heritage buildings. The Esplanade is a

Figure 3 - Areas of Special Identity



distinct and recognizable mixed-use street which haswide sidewalks, linear parks and grand promenades.The Market area has the distinction of beingToronto’s ‘piazza’ for shopping.

In order to understand in more detail these specialareas, the guidelines have subdivided them up intoprecincts and corridors.

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3.2 THE PRECINCTS AND CORRIDORSThe St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area iscomprised of a variety of sub-areas of distinct char-acteristics. These Urban Design Guidelines haveselected various precincts and corridors, each definedby its attributes in terms of built form, function andidentity. The organization of the St. LawrenceFocused Area into these more manageable sub-areasallows consideration of the specifics of each settingand ensures that development is appropriate to itslocation. Figure 4 depicts these precincts and corri-dors.

Figure 4 - Precincts and Corridors




3.2.1 THE YONGE STREET CORRIDOR

This Yonge Street Corridor is located between thesouth limit of the railway tracks and King Street andconsists of sites on both sides of the street. Thebuildings along this corridor are generally the tallestbuildings in the study area forming a height transi-tion ridge at the western extent of the Focused Area.Yonge Street is a highly animated pedestrian streetwith shops, restaurants, entertainment venues andcafes lining the street.

Because of the high pedestrian activity in the area,particular consideration should be given to thedesign of the ground floor to ensure that the side-walks are animated with appropriate uses such asshops and building entrances. Large storefront typedisplay windows will help increase visibility into theretail areas. In order to further benefit the pedestri-an, vehicular access points across sidewalks toparking and loading areas along Yonge Street shouldnot be permitted.

One of the main vehicular entrances to downtownand to the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood FocusedArea is from Yonge Street. Motorists traveling alongthe expressway or pedestrians coming from thewaterfront enter downtown along Yonge Street frombeneath the railway underpass. The underpass(Teamway) should undergo widening and significantimprovements to lighting and paving as part of anyredevelopment’s in the area.

Emerging from the underpass gives motorists andpedestrians a sense of arrival. The northeast cornerof Yonge Street and The Esplanade is one of the firstcorners one sees as they emerge from the underpassand is considered by these guidelines as a majorgateway feature of city-wide significance. Newdevelopment on this corner should capitalize on thissignificant site by creating a memorable architecturalsymbol that is transparent, welcoming and icono-graphic.

In order to provide a more comfortable and conven-ient pedestrian environment, projects proposed alongthe west side of Yonge Street south of the federalbuilding should incorporate mid-block pedestrianconnections to Bay Street as discussed in the UnionStation Master Plan. Safe and convenient pedestriancross-over walkways normalized intersection withtraffic lights should also be taken into considerationas part of any development on this important inter-section.

Photo 9 – Buildings within the “transition ridge” on the edge ofSt. Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area

Photo 10 – Enhanced connections to Union Station are a priority

Photo 11 – Future development along Yonge Street to be pedestrian oriented



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A number of existing buildings within the YongeStreet Corridor are commercial with a healthy officefunction. These uses add to the vitality andcommercial viability of the area bringing people tothe neighbourhood throughout the day.

New developments that are compatible with theexisting form and use in this area are encouraged.

3.2.2 ESPLANADE CORRIDOR

This corridor extends along The Esplanade fromYonge Street in the west to Jarvis Street in the east.The Esplanade is centred on a grand mix-use streetthat is a destination in its own right. Althoughprimarily residential in function, its vitality anddistinction will be defined by its historically respect-ful architecture and pedestrian-scaled street wall,vibrant streets with cafes and restaurants, and itsdouble tree-lined wide sidewalks. The Esplanade willprovide an important pedestrian linkage between theFinancial District and Union Station to the west andthe Market, St. Lawrence Neighbourhood FocusedArea and Crombie Park to the east. Redevelopmentshould be sympathetic to the area and improve thequality of the environment. Redevelopment siteslocated adjacent to historic buildings offer theopportunity for new development to enhance thesestructures and reinforce the character area.

As described with the Yonge Street Corridor, thenortheast corner of Yonge Street and The Esplanadehas a primary gateway site which should signify anentrance to downtown and the St. LawrenceNeighbourhood Focused Area. The Esplanade has thedual function of being a connector street from avehicular point of view, as well as a primary pedes-trian street, particularly on the north side. The northside of The Esplanade is currently highly animatedwith restaurants and outdoor cafes. The sidewalkson the north side of the street are 9 metres wideand have generous streetscapes and tree planting.New development sites should continue this sidewalkwidth and where possible continue the promenade(double row of trees) that exists along TheEsplanade east of Church Street. Where sidewalkwidths are narrow, such as the south side of theHummingbird Centre, development plans should bestudied in conjunction with a possible road narrow-ing from Yonge to Scott Street in favour of a widerboulevard and streetscape.

The scale of street wall along The Esplanade has aheight which is fairly consistent (20-24 metres). The

Photo 12 – Glass clock and sidewalk cafes on The Esplanade

Photo 13 – Potential development site on The Esplanade atChurch Street

Photo 14 – Streetscape along The Esplanade, east of ChurchStreet




existing stock of finely detailed brick clad buildingseast of Scott Street begins to introduce what theseguidelines refer to as the character area. The charac-ter area refers to those buildings which have acommon scale, materiality and level of detail whichestablishes a common theme for the area. Whilemost of these buildings tend to be from the latepart of the 19th Century and from the pre-WorldWar period of the 20th Century, there are severalexamples in the study area where new and moderndevelopment has been able to blend with and rein-force the character of the area.

New development along The Esplanade shouldmaintain the scale and architectural character of thearea and create street walls which are rich withdetail and are clad in a material which is sympathet-ic to the context. Materials such as brick, granite,terracotta limestone and other natural stones areencouraged. Concrete cladding, precast panels andreflective glass on the majority of the facade are notin keeping with the character of the area and aretherefore discouraged.

The south side of The Esplanade at Yonge Streetcurrently has a small parking lot. Of primary impor-tance for this site is the long term possibility for anabove ground pedestrian connection which willeventually connect the St. Lawrence NeighbourhoodFocused Area with Union Station.

At the recent St. Lawrence West charrette, a range ofuses for this site were discussed – from a parkette toa parking structure. Any above-grade uses for thissite should consider an animated frontage with retailor other uses as well as weather protection.

Beginning east of this site on the south side of thestreet there exists a continuous double height colon-nade, which provides continuous weather protection.The colonnade continues for most of the length ofThe Esplanade to Church Street (Figure 17). East ofChurch Street only remnants of the colonnaderemain as overhangs and projections above the mainentrance to buildings at 85-115 The Esplanade. Mostof the sidewalk remains without weather protection.It is recommended by these guidelines, that remain-ing sites along the south side of The Esplanadecontinue to have weather protection, either byextending the existing colonnade or by wide glazedcanopies that project a minimum of 3 metres.

A number of existing buildings along the Esplanadeare commercial with a healthy office function. Theseuses add to the vitality and commercial viability ofthe area bringing people to the neighbourhoodthroughout the day.


Figure 5 - Urban design sketch for the southwest corner of Church Street and The Esplanade illustrating supportable built formconcepts as discussed in these guidelines that fit within the current zoning bylaw and relate to the existing heritage buildings acrossthe street.



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3.2.3 BERCZY PARK PRECINCT

This precinct is centered on Berczy Park and on thebuildings which frame it. The park is framed on thewest by 33 Yonge Street, a 12-storey office buildingwhich is stepped-back at the 7th and 10th floors inorder to allow afternoon sun to reach the park. Tothe north along Wellington Street East, Berczy Parkis framed by a mixed use high-rise development aswell as a number of low-rise buildings which arelisted and have heritage significance. On the eastside of Berczy Park is the Gooderham (Flat Iron)Building with its famous mural. To the south alongFront Street East is the Hummingbird Centre and theSt. Lawrence Centre, as well as a number of low-risedesignated buildings which have heritage signifi-cance. These buildings with their low-rise scale, finearchitectural and terracotta detailing contribute tothe character of the area.

These guidelines consider Berczy Park and the build-ings which frame them to be within a heightsensitive area. The primary objective of creating thisheight sensitive area would be to maintain the scaleand character of the park and to protect the parkfrom the adverse affect of building shadows and lossof skyviews.

Figure 21 refers to Berczy Park as ‘sensitive to build-ing shadows’. New development proposed in thevicinity of the Berczy Park should not create unduenew shadows on the park between the months ofMarch 21st to Sept 21st. A 44º angular plane whichbegins 20 metres above the lot line currently existsin Zoning Bylaw No. 438-86 along the south side ofFront Street East. This angular plane is designed tomaintain sunlight on the park. New development to thesouth of the park is to be within the prescribed angle.

The streets surrounding the park have a high level ofpedestrian traffic. Restaurant and cafes surround thepark on all four sides. Retail fronting on the parkhas large display windows to further animate thestreet. New development in this precinct shouldmaintain a high level of transparency and animationat the street level.

A number of existing buildings within the BerczyPark Precinct along Front Street East are commercialwith a healthy office function. These uses add to thevitality and commercial viability of the area bringingpeople to the neighbourhood throughout the day.


Photo 15 – Fountain in Berczy Park

Photo 16 – Sunlit Berczy Park

Photo 17 – Heritage buildings on north side of Berczy Park




3.2.4 KING STREET CORRIDOR

This precinct is generally located on both the northand south sides of King Street from Yonge Street inthe west to beyond Jarvis Street in the east. On thewest side of this corridor the building at 1 KingStreet West at 51 storeys is within the height peakof the Financial District. Building heights east ofYonge Street are within the existing Yonge Streetheight peak and then gradually decrease in heighteast of Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel.

Structures on King Street East are predominantly amixture of high-rise office and commercial-residen-tial buildings as well as a hotel and several finerestaurants. Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel,and those buildings east of it, are within the charac-ter area as defined by these guidelines. Thesebuildings on the south side of the street have aconsistent scale, materiality and are of heritagesignificance. New development on the street shouldrecognize the scale and materiality of the street wall.A row of listed heritage buildings along the southside of Colborne Street are also within the bound-aries of this corridor. These buildings are within thecharacter area, any proposed development on theblock on the north side of Colborne Street mustmaintain the scale and materiality of the existingstreet wall.

East of Church Street the buildings continue tomaintain a desired scale and character. The northside of the street is the St. James Cathedral whichterminates the view corridor from Front Street East.This landmark building sits within the park-likesetting of St. James Park. St. James Park is locatedalong the northern boundary of the study area inthe King Street Corridor. The park is identified as a‘public open space’ and is a shadow-sensitive area.The park is one of the largest open spaces in thispart of downtown and is an important amenity forthe people who live and work in the neighbourhood.

The park is framed by consistently scaled buildingswhich vary in height from 3 to 8 storeys. Higherbuildings such as the Quality Hotel or the KingGeorge condominiums are visible from the park butare set back from the park’s street wall.

For the most part, the design of these buildings arestone and brick and contribute to the character ofthe area. When in the park, the views to the westare the St. James Cathedral and the back drop of theFinancial District and skyline. Looking towards the

Photo 18 – Landmark building on King Street, Le RoyalMeridien King Edward Hotel

Photo 19 – Sculpture Garden on King Street East

Photo 20 – Consistent street wall east of Le Royal Meridien KingEdward Hotel



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north, east and south allows for a greater amount ofsky view and access to natural light.

New buildings fronting King Street East include theSaatchi & Saatchi building as well as the KingGeorge Condominium. The Saatchi & Saatchi build-ing maintains the scale of the street and referenceswindow proportions of the nearby St. Lawrence Hall.The signature treatment of the corner introducesMarket Lane Park. The King George Condominiumbuilding maintains a large (10-metre) step-backabove the street wall height so that the podiummakes reference to the neighbouring designatedhistoric buildings.

Buildings on the south side of King Street East, eastof Jarvis Street are designated and have historicsignificance and should be maintained.

New projects and renovations of existing buildingsalong King Street East should use good qualitymaterials with rich architectural detail, particularly atthe pedestrian scale. New developments that arecompatible with the existing form and use in thisarea are encouraged.

3.2.5 CHURCH STREET CORRIDOR

The Church Street Corridor extends from CourtStreet in the north to the large Toronto ParkingAuthority garage south of The Esplanade.

The parking garage is, in fact, the southern viewterminus of the street. Future consideration is to begiven to improving this vista by either adding retailand office uses, re-cladding the most visible portionsof the garage, or by adding a public art feature.

Just to the north of the parking garage is an exist-ing parking lot at the southwest corner of Churchand The Esplanade. Future development plans forthis site should take into consideration the streetwall scale along The Esplanade and its impact onshadows of the existing outdoor cafes. The cornertreatment at The Esplanade and Church Streetshould take into consideration the desire for signa-ture treatment similar to the buildings on the otherthree corners. Weather protection should also beconsidered for all new developments along thiscorridor.

The buildings on the northwest (70 The Esplanade)and northeast (5 Church Street) corners of ChurchStreet and The Esplanade create a gateway to thecharacter area which is to the north. This character

Photo 21 – Undesirable view terminus at the foot of ChurchStreet can be improved by public art or architectural treatments

Photo 22 – Looking south on Church Street from Front Street

Photo 23 – Church Street ‘ambience’




area is defined by consistently scaled buildings whichhave a high level of architectural detail, commonmateriality and relate to the pedestrian scale. In newdevelopments, particular attention will be paid tothe heights of building podiums, step-backs andsetbacks and design character in order to achievecompatibility with the existing buildings on thestreet.

Buildings identified as having heritage value will beprotected and their scale and character respected inthe scale and character of new development. TheGooderham (Flat Iron) building is the landmarkheritage building within this area. New buildingsalong this corridor should be properly articulated soas to not obstruct views towards the cupola of theGooderham building.

The north-south streets in the study area, includingChurch Street, offer the public art opportunity tothematically re-create the former City of Torontoshoreline which used to be located just south ofFront Street. Public art, streetscape or commemora-tive plaques are all creative devices which may beused to note this important part of the city’s history.

An angular plane of 44º beginning at 16 metresabove the lot line currently exists in the City ofToronto Zoning Bylaw No. 438-86. The intent ofthis angular plane is to maintain the street wall scaleof the predominant existing buildings and to allownatural light to penetrate onto the sidewalks.

There are some existing buildings within the studyarea which do not conform to the angular plane.Some of these buildings only marginally exceed the16 metre height. Other buildings near the study areabreak the height drastically, although there remainsat least 50 percent of the frontage along ChurchStreet that does comply with the angular plane.

New developments within this precinct should haveregard for the angular plane as mentioned above.The degree with which the height or angle is exceed-ed and the length of the site with which it isexceeded will be carefully studied for its compliancewith the intent of the angular plane.

Photo 24 – Front Street Precinct looking west from Jarvis Street

Photo 25 – New buildings conform to the existing angular plane

Photo 26 – North passageway on Front Street East



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3.2.6 FRONT STREET PRECINCT

One of the most important precincts within thestudy area, the Front Street Precinct is locatedbetween Church Street and Market Street. Althoughlocated along a street, this area has more of thespatial characteristics of a precinct than a corridor.This precinct, with its boulevarded street, is thecommercial ‘piazza’ of the Focused Area. Thisprecinct is primarily recognized as a retail/pedestrianprecinct and is framed by the view towards theGooderham Building to the west and the St.Lawrence Market to the east.

This precinct, in its entirety, is within the characterarea. Large storefront windows and outdoor cafesare encouraged and help animate the streetscape.Mid-block pedestrian mews which have vistas whichterminate at landmark structures also established thecharacter of the area and create a European ambi-ence. Farquhars Lane has the potential to beimproved as a safe pedestrian connection to TheEsplanade.

As with the Berczy Park Precinct, the 20-metre 44ºangular plane which is in place in Zoning Bylaw No.438-86 for the south side of Front Street Eastshould be enforced to allow natural light to pene-trate onto the streets and sidewalks for as much ofthe year as possible and as much of each day aspossible.

Streetscape improvements would help to establishthe special character of this precinct. Crosswalkenhancements by the BIA are forthcoming to helpsignify the importance of the ‘5 corners’ intersection.

3.2.7 THE MARKET PRECINCT

The focal point of the entire neighbourhood is theSt. Lawrence Market. This building, along with theNorth Market, forms a major gateway to and fromthis special character area. The Market Precinctincludes St. Lawrence Hall.

These landmarks as described above are significantenough to be seen by these guidelines as a distinctprecinct. Urbanistically, these buildings form acontinuation of the Front Street Precinct. These twoprecincts are congruent to each other with a seam-less transition between them.

In the summer of 2004 Toronto City Councilapproved development parameters for the Northbuilding of St. Lawrence Market. These built form

Photo 27 – Front Street East passageway

Photo 28 – St. Lawrence Market interior

Photo 29 – View of the former North St. Lawrence Market, builtin 1904, which was demolished in 1967




and urban design guidelines were inspired by theoriginal North Market building from 1904 which wasan architectural replica of the existing South Marketbuilding.

The guidelines will create a building which respectsthe scale of the existing South Market building andSt. Lawrence Hall, and has step-backs which conformto the existing Jarvis Street angular plane. The urbandesign guidelines for the North Market are created insuch a way that the new building, when completed,will architecturally relate to the existing SouthMarket building to create a major gateway of city-wide importance.

The program for the North Market building contem-plates underground parking which is to be builtbelow the North Market building. Design guidelinesfor Market Lane Park include new planting, pavingand landscaping. The design guidelines also call foranimated park frontages with large windows whichcan be opened up in summer months creating aninviting building on both its Jarvis Street and MarketLane facades.

At one time, the North and South Market buildingswere connected by a grand glass archway. It isdesired by these guidelines to have streetscapeimprovements and special paving to help visuallyconnect the two buildings and symbolically makereference to the historic arch which was once inplace.

South of the South Market there is an existingToronto Parking Authority surface lot which is desig-nated in the Official Plan and zoned for a park.

Figure 7 - Illustration sketch showing Council-approved Urban Design Guidelines for the North Market

Figure 6 - North and South Market buildings are a signifcantgateway to the area

The land is owned by the City. It is desirable tocreate a new park on this property which wouldcontinue Crombie Park west of Jarvis Street andcreate a visual terminus landscape. Once a park iscreated on this lot, the south face of the SouthMarket building will have more of a public front.Mitigating the impact of the existing loading of theSouth Market building on the park is desirable. Thiscould be achieved either by internalizing the loading,by streetscape enhancements, or with the design ofthe park by creating a landscaped buffer on itsnorthern edge. South-facing retail overlooking thenew park is encouraged.



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3.2.8 JARVIS STREET CORRIDOR

The Jarvis Street Corridor runs along Jarvis Streetfrom King Street East in the north, George Street inthe east, Market Lane south of The Esplanade on thewest, and the railway tracks to the south.

Pedestrians and motorists travelling north alongJarvis Street enter the precinct from the underpassbelow the railway corridor. This gateway featurecreates a sense of arrival. Consideration should begiven to the design of the block on the west side ofJarvis Street to acknowledge this gateway.Conversely, the railway corridor is the neighbour-hood’s visual terminus of Jarvis Street. Futureimprovements may include art features and othercosmetic upgrades which may improve the viewterminus. At the same time, underpass (Teamway)widening or upgrades to paving, bird-proofing,painting, and lighting is desirable.

The site at 18 Jarvis Street is a potentially large sitewhich would be suitable for redevelopment. Futurebuilt form massing on this site must have considera-tions for the proposed extension of Crombie Park tothe north. Proper frontage to this park must includean appropriate scale to the park edge which mini-mizes shadow impact as well as having weatherprotection and an animated park frontage with shopfronts and cafes (Figure 8B). Improvements to theexisting Crombie Park, east of Jarvis Street, by wayof increased landscape and green areas are alsoencouraged.

A building which is highly regarded for conformancewith the principles of these Urban Design Guidelinesis the St. James Condominium at the southeastcorner of Jarvis Street and King Street East. Thisbuilding is a modern terraced building whichcontributes successfully to the character area. Thebuilding is scaled and treated to blend with theneighbouring historic buildings and conforms to theJarvis Street angular plane. Retail at grade with largestorefront windows adds to the animation of thestreetscape and public realm. The vehicular entranceto this development also blend well within the builtform to lessen the visual impact on the public realm.

An angular plane of 44º which begins 16 metresabove the property line currently exists in the ZoningBylaw No. 438-86 for both sides of Jarvis Street.The intent of this angular plane is to maintain thestreet wall scale of the existing buildings on thestreet as well as to allow natural light to penetrate

Photo 30 – New and old buildings blend together on JarvisStreet between Front Street East and Adelaide Street East

Photo 31 – Railway underpass on Jarvis Street south of WiltonStreet

Photo 32 – Jarvis Street looking south from Front Street East




onto the sidewalks. New development along thiscorridor should take into consideration the intent ofthis angular plane. Street wall cladding in this areashould exhibit a high quality of materials and detail,particularly at the pedestrian scale.

In order to provide weather protection, an improvedpedestrian environment and a unifying element

Figure 8A - Sketch showing the proposed Crombie Park extension looking south from The Esplanade

Figure 8B - Sketch showing the proposed Crombie Park extension looking north from Wilton Street

along Jarvis Street, continuous glazed canopies,continuous colonnades, and other weather protec-tion should be provided within new developmentsfronting along the west side of Jarvis Street,between the South Market and the railway under-pass.



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3.3 GATEWAY TREATMENTThe urban design guidelines identify potential andexisting gateways, identified in Figure 9, which relateto each of the precincts.

Gateways represent significant opportunities to markentry into either the downtown Financial District orthe St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area.

A gateway may be implemented by a streetscapeelement or reinforced by an appropriate architecturalexpression. Gateways and focal areas can be

Figure 9 - Gateway Treatment

expressed through a combination of landmarks,building mass, landscaping, signage, upgraded side-walk treatments, special lighting, gathering area(where possible), seating, and public art. The scale ofthe ‘gateway element’ should be in keeping with thecontext of the area which it is introducing.

There are a number of sites in the Focused Area thathave been identified as either existing gateway sitesor potential gateway sites. Of those, there are foursites which are considered city-wide gateways. Thenortheast corner of Yonge Street and The Esplanadeis significant as it is the first site which one encoun-




ters as one emerges from the railway underpass. Asthis corner may redevelop in the future it is impor-tant to understand its significance. The design ofthe corner element should be architecturally signifi-cant and be transparent and welcoming to convey tothe passers-by the rich cultural venues found within.Other architectural elements and public art may havea role to play in creation of this gateway feature.

Similarly, the southeast corner of Yonge and FrontStreets is a gateway of city-wide significance for itsview of the canopy, entrance and facade of theHummingbird Centre, and the role it plays in intro-ducing the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood FocusedArea. Streetscape improvements, upgraded landscapeand public art may have a role to play in enhancingthis gateway element in the future.

The Gooderham (Flat Iron) building is also identifiedas a major gateway of city-wide significance. Alandmark building in this instance creates thegateway which introduces the Berczy Park Precinctor the Front Street Precinct depending on whichdirection one is travelling. This precinct may be

embellished by streetscape improvements, public artor landscape improvements. At the time of writing,some of these initiatives were already underway bythe St. Lawrence Market BIA through theirStreetscape Revitalization Initiative.

The St. Lawrence Market, as mentioned previously, isconsidered by these guidelines as the focal point forthe neighbourhood. The South Market, along withthe North Market building forms a major gateway toand from this special character area. Developmentparameters for the North Market building wereapproved by Toronto City Council in the summer of2004. The North Market building will undergo rede-velopment which will maintain the scale, materialityand architectural character of the South Market inorder to create a major gateway. The developmentparameters referred to this gateway as identified bytwo civic building which architecturally relate toeach other. Other significant gateway features havebeen identified in Figure 9. Each of these gatewaysare significant in reinforcing the existing characterarea and introducing the streets of each precinct.

Photo 33 - The Gooderham (Flat Iron) Building is a majorgateway and landmark building

Photo 35 - Major gateway location to be enhanced at thenortheast corner of Front Street and The Esplanade

Photo 34 - Hummingbird Centre is the western gateway to theSt. Lawrence Neighbourhood



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3.4 HERITAGE The historical origins of the St. LawrenceNeighbourhood date back to the late 18th Centurywhen the Town of York (forerunner to the City ofToronto) was established as the capital of UpperCanada. Under the direction of Lieutenant-GovernorJohn Graves Simcoe, a ten-block townsite was laidout between present day Front Street East, GeorgeStreet, Adelaide Street East and Berkeley Street. Eastof the town toward the Don River, the land was allo-cated for government uses where the First ParliamentBuilding was completed in 1797. The lands to the

Figure 10 - Heritage Properties

west were reserved for the military, while the areanorth of the community was divided into a series ofPark Lots that were awarded to associates of theprovincial government as the setting of countryestates.

The townsite quickly outgrew its original boundariesand expanded westward beyond Jarvis Street. St.James Anglican Cathedral was established on KingStreet, the community’s principal artery, with theCourthouse Square to the west and Market Squareon the south. In 1797, a New Town was createdbetween Victoria and Peter Streets, where the streets




were extensions of the grid pattern introduced inOld Town. When the Town of York was incorporatedas the City of Toronto in 1834, the boundaries wereset at Front, Bathurst, Dundas and ParliamentStreets, with Old Town remaining the commercialnucleus and most densely populated area of thecommunity. Landmark buildings constructed duringthis era included the Bank of Upper Canada (1827)and the Fourth Post Office (1834) at 252 AdelaideStreet East, the Second City Hall (1844) at 91 FrontStreet East, and the City Buildings (1841) at 107-111and 125 King Street East.

The Old Town neighbourhood was dealt a devastat-ing blow by the Great Fire of 1849 that damaged ordestroyed buildings in the blocks between King,Church, Adelaide and George Streets. After the fire,the fourth and current St. James Cathedral rose onthe same site at 106 King Street East. Public build-ings that were part of the reconstruction includedthe York County Courthouse (completed in 1853) at57 Adelaide Street East, and St. Lawrence Hall(1850) as the site of municipal offices, shops and apublic market at 151 King Street East.

By the mid-19th Century, the arrival of the steamrailways impacted the area as the tracks were laidsouth of Front Street East on lands originallyintended as a public promenade. With the proximityof the railways, industry and commercial interestsconcentrated in the neighbourhood. Importantexamples of commercial warehouses from the 1860sand 1870s survive, including the Dixon Building at45-49 Front Street East with its distinctive cast ironfacade.

With the opening of Timothy Eaton’s and RobertSimpson’s department stores on Yonge Street in the1880s, the commercial core of Toronto moved awayfrom King Street East. George Gooderham, head ofthe Gooderham and Worts Distillery, attempted todraw attention back to the area with the construc-tion of the “Flat Iron Building” at 49 WellingtonStreet East in 1892. This was followed by theGooderham family’s financing of the upscale KingEdward Hotel, which opened at 37 King Street Eastafter 1900. Despite these efforts, the neighbourhooddeclined throughout the early 20th Century whenmany historic buildings were razed or neglected.

The rejuvenation of the district east of Yonge Streetbegan in the 1960s with the construction of the O’Keefe Centre and the St. Lawrence Centre for thePerforming Arts and the restoration of St. LawrenceHall. Residential uses were welcomed back to the

Photo 36 – St. Lawrence Neighbourhood circa 1940s

Photo 37 – Front Street East buildings with cast iron facades

Photo 38 – Rich architectural detail on buildings located on thesouth side of Colborne Street



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area with the development of the St. LawrenceNeighbourhood, a planned community of medium-rise apartment blocks and low-rise townhouses thatopened east of George Street in 1977.

Within today’s St. Lawrence Neighbourhood, the areabetween Yonge Street, King Street East, GeorgeStreet and the railway tracks to the south containsover thirty properties that are recognized on the Cityof Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties for theircultural and architectural significance.

Preservation and enhancement of these propertiesand the natural heritage is vital to the identity ofthe St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area.

Character defining features of the area such as thetraditional height of the street facade, setback of thefacade from the front property line, and texturalfinish of materials are encouraged to be incorporatedto enhance new and existing development. Newbuildings should be compatible with, and enhanceadjacent heritage buildings and may be set backfrom existing buildings to enhance their potentialand amenity value.

Figure 10 depicts designated and listed heritagebuildings, as well as buildings identified for research.New buildings should be compatible with the exist-ing heritage properties and character of the District.

Listed and designated heritage buildings in the areashould be preserved in all cases. Buildings which mayhave heritage or architectural merit that contributesto the identity of the area or precinct, should beidentified.

Photo 40 – Former glass gateway over Front Street connectingthe Old North Market with the South Market

Photo 39 - St. Lawrence Hall Photo 42 - St. Lawrence Market

Photo 41 - Fine architectural detailing found in the characterarea




3.5 VIEWS AND KEY SITESAn increased sense of orientation and greater legi-bility of the different precincts and corridors of theSt. Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area can besupported by reinforcing key view corridors and byproviding landmark features at highly visible loca-tions. Views through and to significant sites, canassist in drawing greater pedestrian movement in allareas.

Figure 11 identifies existing landmark buildings.Views towards them from all directions should be

Figure 11 - Views and Key Sites

protected and reinforced. Of particular importance isthe view towards the cupola of the Gooderham (FlatIron) building which must be maintained from allapproaching streets and vistas where it is currentlyvisible.

Landscape elements as well as views and vistas ofBerczy Park and Crombie Park should also be main-tained and properly framed by buildings which willcontribute to the character of the area.



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Photo 43 – Significant view of the Gooderham (Flat Iron)Building

Photo 44 – Market Lane Park

Photo 45 – St. Lawrence Hall

Photo 46 – Waterfall at the Sculpture Garden

Photo 47 – South Market as view terminus along WellingtonStreet East

Photo 48 – South facade of the South Market may be enhancedto better address the future park




begins at Yonge Street and continues to theGooderham and Worts historic district.

In order to understand the potential of these pedes-trian linkages and connected park systems wereference the plan from the 1800s for the Walks andGardens Trust.

In 1793 the Town of York was established byLieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe as thecapital of Upper Canada. The capital building wasbuilt in 1797 on a site at Front and Berkeley/Parliament Streets.

3.6 OPEN SPACE NETWORK – THE WALKSAND GARDENS TRUSTThese Urban Design Guidelines identify a range ofopportunities to improve and expand the publicnetwork of parks, open spaces, pedestrian linkages,forecourts, courtyards, and the quality of the pedes-trian experience of the existing road network – inparticular, the opportunity of creating a new park byextending Crombie Park west of Jarvis Street.Through these guidelines we have the opportunity toextend the promenade of Crombie Park westwardcreating a delightful pedestrian experience which

Figure 12 - Open Space Network Plan



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Photo 49 – Berczy Park looking west to the Financial District

Photo 50 – Intimate spaces like the Sculpture Garden are aunique characteristic of the neighbourhood

Photo 51 – Wide sidewalks with trees enhance the public realm

Photo 52 – Outdoor cafes on Front Street East

Photo 53 – Pedestrian view corridor to King Street East

Photo 54 – Promenade with double row of trees on TheEsplanade in Crombie Park




with decorative paving, water features and publicart

• Encouraging new developments to incorporatepublic squares and green spaces as part of theirdesign

• Creating well designed open spaces which compli-ment adjacent spaces

• Preserving the existing character areas by encour-aging tree-lined streets

3.7 SUSTAINABLE DESIGNThese guidelines support and promote SustainableDesign, Green Building Technology such as LEED(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)Certification, the Better Buildings Program, and thesustainable design principles found in the 2002Official Plan. This section is a very brief summarydrawn from the Canada Green Building Councilwebsite which we are providing as an introductionto the topic of green buildings in Canada. Moreinformation can be found at the Canada GreenBuilding Council and its published materials forauthoritative information.

LEED Canada was officially launched in 2004. TheCanadian LEED Green Building Rating System hasbeen developed by the Canada Green BuildingCouncil, a national not-for-profit corporation. LEEDCanada-NC 1.0 is specifically applicable to newdesigns and major renovations of new commercialbuildings, institutional buildings and high-rise resi-dential buildings. LEED aims to improve occupantwell-being, environmental performance andeconomic returns of buildings using established andinnovative practices, standards and technologies.

LEED Canada-NC 1.0 consists of an explicit set ofenvironmental performance criteria, organizedwithin five key performance categories: SustainableSites; Water Efficiency; Energy and Atmosphere;Materials and Resources; and Indoor EnvironmentalQuality. A sixth category, Innovation and DesignProcess, rewards exceptional environmental perform-ance or innovation over and above that explicitlycovered in the basic LEED credits. Projects earnpoints towards certification by meeting or exceedingspecified technical requirements. The points awardedadd up to a final score to achieve a LEED Silver,Gold or Platinum level of certification. A few recent-ly announced developments in the downtown haveregistered their projects for designation. This desig-

The city began to grow rapidly in the early 1800s. Inan effort to reserve lands for public benefit, a water-front strip of land in 1818 was placed in a specialWalks and Gardens Trust. The Trust lands includedeverything south of Front Street to the lake, fromPeter Street in the west to the Parliament Buildings(Berkeley Street) in the east. By 1840, the city beganto sell water lots south of the Trust lands for devel-opment and by the mid-1850s the land was sold tothe railways which built east and west of the city.The legislation that was put in place to sell the Trustlands also insured that the funds from the land salebe placed in a special fund for the purchase andimprovement of other parkland.

By the early 1900s the Walks and Gardens Trust isall but forgotten from City ledgers. In the late 1990sthe local community with the assistance ofCouncillor Pam McConnell researched the Trust toindicate that it was still in effect. This was followedby Council instructing in the year 2000 the forma-tion of a working group to investigate the status ofthe trust, whether any money remains in it or isowed, as well as liability issues.

Today, the city still owns land included in the origi-nal Trust, including a portion of Union Station andthe Hummingbird Centre.

Key initiatives included in these guidelines include:

• Create a new park south of the St. LawrenceMarket

• Enhancing existing open spaces such as BerczyPark

• Create or improve existing pedestrian connectionsthroughout the study area

• Providing additional mid-block pedestrian connec-tions where possible

• Expanding the unique courtyard theme throughoutthe St. Lawrence community

• Enhancing streetscapes through tree planting,paving material, street furniture, and public art

• Incorporating forecourts and sidewalk widening forsidewalk/street activities such as sidewalk cafesand spill-out retails

• Creating a promenade along the north side of TheEsplanade from Yonge Street to Jarvis Street

• Historical interpretation of the former shoreline



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nation indicates that the engineering and construc-tion incorporate advanced energy and water useefficiency.

3.8 PUBLIC ART PROGRAMPublic art will play a significant role in reinforcingthe urban design guidelines for the public realm inthe St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area.

Opportunities for public art can range from the inte-gration of ideas into streetscape, open space andbuilt form designs to the creation of independent

Figure 13 - Public Art Opportunities

sculptures. Gateways and visual corridor terminationscould become prominent public art sites. It is antici-pated that the City’s Private Developer Percent forPublic Art Program will be a major contributor tothe improvement of publicly accessible areas, bothon private and public lands. Public Art policies andguidelines are referenced in the City’s Urban DesignHandbook.

Two potential public art opportunities, which wereidentified at the West St. Lawrence charrette, are thepossibility of recalling or conveying throughstreetscape the old shoreline which was once located




Photo 57 – Trompe l’oeil mural on Gooderham Building facingBerczy Park by Derek Besant

Photo 58 – “Family Group” sculpture in Berczy Park by AlmuthLutkenhaus

Photo 59 – The “Griffen” located in an outdoor plaza on FrontStreet East created by sculptor Emanuel Hahn and carved byLouis Temporale

Photo 55 – “Our Game” at the Hockey Hall of Fame by EdieParker

Photo 56 – “U.V. Ceti” on Wellington Street East by AndrewPosa

just south of Front Street. The second major oppor-tunity exists at the foot of Church Street where thecurrent view terminus is a large unsightly parkinggarage. Other themes may be developed which wouldhave relevance to the study area, for example, arailway theme as well as a wharf theme.

Figure 13 locates existing public art in the area anddefines potential public art opportunities.



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3.9 STREET CHARACTER TYPESExisting or anticipated pedestrian and vehicularpatterns of traffic define the Street Character Typesdepicted in Figure 14. Streets that have equally highlevels of pedestrian and vehicular traffic are consid-ered to be Primary Urban Streets.

Streets that have mostly vehicular traffic are consid-ered to be Primary Connector Streets. Streetsdominated by pedestrian traffic are consideredPrimary Pedestrian Streets. Neighbourhood Streetsare streets which support residential neighbourhoods

such as those south of Wilton Street. This classifica-tion is intended to define appropriate approaches forbuilt form considerations, depending on the functionof the street.

PRIMARY URBAN STREETS

Primary Urban Streets, generally have larger build-ings that reflect the broad functional importance ofthe street. However, the manner in which the buildings interface with the street should be highly sensitive to the comfort and interest of thepedestrian.

Figure 14 - Street Character Types




Architectural treatments should be appropriatelyscaled to make an impression on people moving incars as well as walking. Yonge Street, Church Street,Jarvis Street and Front Street East are primary urbanstreets.

On Primary Urban Streets, the built form shouldengage both the vehicular and the pedestrian traffic.The extension of display windows, transparency tothe second floor level, and appropriately scaledsignage, all respond well to the significant vehicularfunction of the street and support the pedestrianexperience. If outdoor cafes are provided, theyshould be set back or bounded by landscaping treat-ment to mitigate noise and air quality from the highlevels of vehicular traffic.

PRIMARY CONNECTOR STREETS

Primary Connector Streets have a wide reachingfunction for vehicular traffic and are less traveled bypedestrians. Connector streets are often used toprovide vehicular access to Primary Urban Streets.Scott Street, Market Street are primary connectorstreets.

A positive pedestrian experience will rely on theeffectiveness of the streetscaping treatment. Thebuilt form should incorporate landscaping treatmentto enliven otherwise neutral building edges.

PRIMARY PEDESTRIAN STREETS

Primary Pedestrian Streets are like Primary UrbanStreets in their need to insure the comfort and visualinterest of the pedestrian. However, reinforcement ofthe human scale, a vibrant street life including side-walk cafes and spill-out retail activities, andpedestrian priority are pre-eminent. Front Street East(between Church and Jarvis) with their wide side-walks and cafes is a primary pedestrian street as isThe Esplanade (between Scott Street and ChurchStreet).

On Primary Pedestrian Streets that are predominantlycommercial, transparency at the sidewalk, as well asawnings and canopies, provide comfort and interestfor the pedestrian. Narrower retail frontages aredesirable on these streets and signage should beappropriately scaled to the pedestrian. Outdoor cafesand opportunities for spill out retail should beaccommodated within setbacks and close to thepedestrian traffic.

On Primary Pedestrian Streets that are predominantlyresidential, the animation of the sidewalk is accom-plished through the provision for street accesshousing and landscaping. Street access housingrefers to a pattern of buildings which places multipleentrances to individual units on the street level asopposed to one common entrance shared by multi-ple units. To ensure privacy, grade shifts andlandscaping will assist to buffer and screen the inte-rior spaces from the eye level of the pedestrian.Furthermore, stairs and porches will add anotherdimension of visual interest to the building frontage.Grade-related townhouse units such as those alongVictoria Street south of King Street East are goodexamples of this type of streetscape animation.

NEIGHBOURHOOD STREETS

Neighbourhood Streets support stable residentialneighbourhoods and should reinforce the residentialscale of the street. In neighbourhoods like thosesouth of Wilton Street, traffic calming measures maybe implemented to control the speed of vehicles andhinder through traffic.

On Neighbourhood Streets, animation of the street isaccomplished through the provision for street accesshousing with entrances and windows facing thestreet. Common front yard setbacks and landscapingcan be used to separate the public and privaterealms. Driveways should be minimized, properlylandscaped and restricted to one curb cut per resi-dence. Many of the townhouses south of WiltonStreet have separate garages off a lane creating astreetscape which is uninterrupted.



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Photo 60 – St. Lawrence “Victorian” light fixture

Photo 61 – Pedestrian-oriented cafes on The Esplanade

Photo 62 – Unsightly newspaper boxes on The Esplanade

Photo 63 – St. Lawrence streetscape detail

Photo 64 – St. Lawrence streetscape detail

Photo 65 – Consolidated newspaper boxes in Chicago




ment” (Section 3.13). The new Official Plan of 2002states that “new development will be massed to fitharmoniously into its surroundings and will respectand improve the local scale and character” (Section3.1.2).

Urban design for the area should consider thecomfort and convenience of the pedestrian asshaped by the streetscape and its interface with the

Figure 15 - Built Form Framework

4.0 BUILT FORM GUIDELINES

The identity of the St. Lawrence NeighbourhoodFocused Area and specifically the Berczy, Front andMarket Street Precincts, are closely linked to itshuman scale and pleasant walking environment inall seasons.

The in-place Official Plan of 1994 seeks to ensure“that the siting and massing of new buildings isappropriate in relationship to neighbouring develop-



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built form. In this regard, built form elements suchas height, mass, setbacks, step-backs, parking, serv-icing, access, sun penetration, and visual conditionat the street are crucial to the pedestrian experience.The following guidelines propose a hierarchy of builtform standards that corresponds to three scales: thescale of the pedestrian, the scale of the street walland the urban scale.

The Built Form Framework, depicted in Figure 15, istailored specifically to outline the key broad consid-erations for built form in the study area of St.Lawrence. This framework is derived from thefollowing primary concerns:

• maintaining and enhancing the vitality of thepedestrian environment

• maintaining the human scale where it exists

• protecting areas where exceeding building heightswill have a detrimental impact

Animated Street Frontages requires the built formto respond to pedestrian traffic in how it interfaceswith the sidewalk, provides weather protection, andvisual interest. A distinction is made for HighlyAnimated Streets where pedestrian traffic is greatestand the primary use at street level is retail/commer-cial.

Street Character Types (Figure 14) will determinethe appropriate built form response on a givenstreet.

Low Rise at Street Edge requires that the built formbe constrained in its height at the street wall tomaintain the existing predominant heights. Wherehigher storeys are considered, they should bestepped back in accordance with these guidelines.

Character Areas require new development to becompatible with the existing and unique built char-acter found within the specified areas of the St.Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area. This areaconsists of a significant number of stone and brickclad buildings with a high degree of architecturaldetailing and a wide variety of other unique typolo-gies and architecture. The common traits whichdefine the built character in the study area are low-rise structures, generally less than 6 storeys at thestreet wall in some instances, and higher structuresof 10-13 storeys toward the centre of the block. Themassing of the buildings also express a strong andfine-grained vertical order and rhythm that generally

Photo 66 – King George Square is low-rise at the street edge

Photo 67 – Front Street East facades which conform to theexisting angular planes

Photo 68 – Infill housing on Jarvis Street within the characterarea




Figure 16 - 3D model of the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area and vicinity

mimics the original lot lines. The combination ofnarrow streets, pedestrian lanes and courtyards,narrow retail frontages, irregular setbacks and rooflines, and a consistent vernacular of building materi-als gives this area its unique and cherished “oldtown” charm.

High-rise buildings that exceed the predominantbuilding height found in the study area do notcurrently exist within the character area. The currentzoning, for the most part, allows for buildings up to23 metres. High-rise buildings are considered bythese guidelines to be inappropriate forms of devel-opment in the character area as they would bedetrimental to the spirit and sense of place funda-mentally derived from the low- and mid-rise scalecharacteristics of the existing buildings.

Developments such as the Saatchi & Saatchi buildingon King Street East, the St. James Condominium onJarvis Street and the proposed 10-12 Market Streetbuilding are all good examples of new buildingswhich contribute to the character area. By contrast,developments such as 109 Front Street East at thesoutheast corner of Front Street East and JarvisStreet, is a 12-storey slab building with little or nostep-backs and does not contribute to the characterarea.

4.1 PEDESTRIAN SCALE DESIGNCONSIDERATIONSThe pedestrian scale is primarily concerned with abuilding’s interface with the sidewalk, protectionfrom the elements, creating visual interest, andpedestrian safety. These elements affect how thebuilt form supports the comfort of the pedestrianand how it animates the public realm.



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4.1.1 WEATHER PROTECTION

Primary Urban Streets, Primary Pedestrian Streetsand exterior mid-block connections carry highvolumes of pedestrian traffic either related to theservices that line these routes or because they arethe common paths used to move through the St.Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area. In a citywith four seasons, protecting pedestrians from theelements should be an important consideration innew developments. Canopies can offer shade in thesummer months and shelter pedestrians from rain,snow and even the wind. Figure 17 shows existing

covered sidewalks, colonnades and canopied streetsas well as showing where weather protection isdesired in the future.

When colonnades are proposed it is important thatthe proportion of the columns be slim and spacedfar apart in order to maintain adequate visibility ofthe retail. A proportion of 9:1 or 9 units of openingto every 1 unit of structure/column should be theminimum.

When canopies are proposed they should be contin-uous and deep enough to provide for proper weather

Figure 17 - Weather Protection




• provide visual and pedestrian linkages to distinctareas

• stimulate pedestrian activity and movementbetween buildings and distinct areas

• act as outdoor rooms, as is the case at 30Wellington Street East

• allow secondary activity such as restaurant patios;music and art shows, cultural activities

• create a transition between differing architecturalstyles

Some examples in the St. Lawrence Focused Areainclude 30 Wellington Street East, which is ownedand maintained by the adjacent condominium. Thissquare includes a water feature, private art piece andsmall courtyard associated with a ground floorrestaurant. The simple, brick courtyard surroundedby ample granite columns creates an “outdoor room”and complements the adjacent condominium andoffice building immediately to the west. In additionto an elegant entrance for the residence, the squareprovides a casual stop, and water feature sitting areafor pedestrians to relax or eat lunch while walkingbetween the Financial District and the historic area.

Thirty-five Church Street and 80 Front Street East,known as “Market Square”, represent two moderneight-storey buildings that complement the architec-tural features of the historic neighbourhood. Acommon element between two condominium build-ings is a pedestrian link between the two buildingswhich extends north from Front Street East. Thecomplete link, including the sculpture garden on thesouth side of King Street East, has been oriented toprovide a maximum view of St. James Cathedral

protection and extend beyond the building face aminimum of 3 metres.

A wind study should be required for all applicationswhich exceed the existing street wall height andproportions in order to understand the impacts onthe public realm.

4.1.2 PARKING AND LOADING

Parking and loading areas should be placed belowgrade where possible. In general, loading andparking areas should be hidden from view, screenedand located on roads with the least amount ofpedestrian traffic. Access to parking and loadingareas should not be located at gateway sites, or atthe terminus of a view corridor unless they areincorporated into the design treatment of the building. The vehicular entry to the St. JamesCondominium located at the southeast corner of KingStreet and Jarvis Street, is a good example of how caraccess can be incorporated into the design of thestreet wall.

All air intake and exhaust vents should be properlydesigned, located or screened to minimized anynegative affects on the public realm. Air intakegrates at grade on private property should also takeinto consideration the above noted features as wellas safety issues with respect to their location abovewalkable surfaces or at the very least texturedsurfaces to prevent slippage.

4.1.3 MID-BLOCK CONNECTIONS ANDCOURTYARDS

Mid-block connections and courtyards are one of thesuccessful urban design elements found in the St.Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area. In someinstances, these courtyards and passageways areevocative of the urban charm generally associatedwith European pedestrian-oriented commercialcenters. This unique network of pedestrian paths andcourtyards should be expanded upon when newdevelopments in the area are proposed.

These courtyards, forecourts and squares, althoughprivately owned, include rights-of-way or easementswhich allow for public access, and often incorporatepublic art, sitting areas and water features.

These private open space areas may, among otherthings:

• provide identity and a focus to an area Photo 69 – 30 Wellington Street East courtyard



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tural features that reinforce the continuity of thestreet wall.

• In new developments where opportunities for mid-block connections have been identified, they shallbe generally accommodated within appropriatesetbacks from the side property lines while ensur-ing that the entrance to mid-block connectionsenhances the street wall and pedestrian experience.

• To ensure a safe, vibrant and comfortable pedestri-an environment, mid-block connections andcourtyards should:

- lead to buildings entrances, other passageways and open spaces

- provide high levels of transparency and activecommercial frontages and should as much aspossible, consist of a mix of uses

- provide sufficient width to permit sun penetra-tion and outdoor spill-out activity

- be well lit and free of obstructions to continuouspedestrian flow

- provide signage and other wayfinding tools toorient pedestrians

- provide weather protection where possible

- be designed and maintained to a very high standard

• Although these spaces will be privately owned,they should remain publicly accessible; however,limiting access at certain hours may be consideredwhere security, privacy and noise are of concern.

4.1.4 CRIME PREVENTION THROUGHENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (CPTED)

The Official Plan requires that design measureswhich promote pedestrian safety and security beapplied to streetscapes, parks, other public andprivate open spaces, and all new and renovatedbuildings. CPTED has as its basic premise that theproper design and effective use of the physical envi-ronment can lead to a reduction in the incidenceand fear of crime, thereby improving the quality oflife. There are three overlapping CPTED designstrategies: 1) natural surveillance, 2) natural accesscontrol, and 3) territorial reinforcement.Development applications and City initiatives such asthe Crombie Park extension west of Jarvis Street willbe reviewed to implement these design strategies.

from Front Street East. Several retail access pointscreate the feeling of a small outdoor pedestrian areabetween the two condominium buildings.

In a more modest way, the entry courtyard of theKing George Condominium provides a statelyentrance to the residences and offices within thebuilding. Fine architectural details and wrought irongates complement this open space.

These Urban Design Guidelines have identified anumber of potential extensions to the pedestriannetwork, without precluding additional or alternativelocations for this to occur. To reinforce and enhancethe vibrant pedestrian character throughout the St.Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area, the provi-sion of publicly accessible, privately developed andowned open spaces is highly encouraged within newdevelopments and adjacent to existing buildingswhere opportunities exist.

Certain blocks within the St. Lawrence Focused Areaconsist of a significant number of buildings that areof the commercial warehousing period of the turn ofthe Century. These structures often occupied theirentire lot with little to no rear or side yard setbacks.Although appropriate for the use at that time, agreater mix of uses, including residential, has sincebeen introduced into the area and on these sites.

With the continued introduction of residential uses,it is desirable to introduce side and rear yardsetbacks where possible to accommodate greatervariety and flexibility of uses. Side and rear yardsetbacks permit for mid-block access and greater sunpenetration which creates more desirable buildingrelationships where access and fenestration can occurat the side and rear of properties.

Where an opportunity to provide a mid-blockconnection, forecourt and/or courtyard is consideredwithin a new development, the following principlesshould be considered:

• Mid-block connections, forecourts and courtyardsshould where possible be located and aligned towider urban design objectives such as linking adja-cent pedestrian destinations or routes, reinforcingview corridors, or to enhance adjacent buildings ofhistorical, landmark and/or architectural signifi-cance.

• Along the street frontage, forecourts and access tomid-block connections should in their siting andscale be respectful of the integrity of the streetwalland where possible incorporate design or architec-




Figure 18 - Terminus Treatment

al design and materials, especially at the ground andsecond floors, as this portion of the building is themost visible and immediately accessible to pedestri-ans.

It is at the street wall that the quality of the publicrealm can be most enhanced. The street wall shouldbe designed to ensure pedestrian comfort andadequate light penetration. Street wall heights in thestudy area should not exceed a 1:1 relation of heightto street width (building wall to building wall).Therefore, on a typical 20 metre right-of-way street,the maximum street wall height would be 20 metres

4.2 STREET WALL SCALE DESIGNCONSIDERATIONSThe street realm is the portion of the public realmthat forms the street “room”, and impacts the pedes-trian experience in a primarily visual sense.

4.2.1 STREET WALL

The street wall is the portion of the building thatfronts the street and which makes the greatestimpact on the image of the street. It is critical thatthe street wall has the highest quality of architectur-



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Figure 19 - Signature Treatment

Neighbourhood Focused Area and its relatedprecincts.

Terminus Treatment: Figure 18 identifies sites thatterminate a view corridor and have strategic loca-tions for public or commercial uses. They also offeran opportunity for visual interest and can act asorienting devices. Treatments can include architec-tural elements, signage, advertising, monuments, andart installations. View terminus locations should notbe considered in and of themselves to be a justifica-tion for a tall building. Sky views are an importantcomponent of a visual terminus. The most notable

or 6 storeys. While materials and architecture canvary greatly between buildings, it is generally desir-able that the street wall height be a consistent line.Above-grade setbacks are generally recommended tostrengthen the quality of the pedestrian experience.On some sites the above-grade setbacks should bedetermined by the built form criteria outlined in thefollowing section.

Gateway Treatment: As mentioned previously,Figure 8 identifies sites that offer an opportunity to provide a sense of entry into the St. Lawrence




Photo 71 – Consistent street wall along King Street East

Photo 73 – Signature artand architectural detail

Photo 72 – Signature treatmentbuilding introduces Market Lane Park

Photo 70 – Image showing transition in height from the higherheight areas of the Financial District

examples of view terminus in the study area is theview from Front Street towards the St. JamesCathedral. In Toronto, both Old City Hall as well asthe Ontario Parliament Buildings are excellent exam-ples of buildings which create appropriate viewterminus.

Signature Treatment: Figure 19 also identifies sitesthat are at highly visible intersections and/or occupysites of significance. These sites offer an opportunityfor landmark buildings that should be unique andimmediately identifiable.

4.3 URBAN SCALE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONSThe urban realm defines the segments of buildingsperceived from greater distances. Urban designconsiderations are primarily concerned with issues ofmassing and height. These issues affect how a build-ing fits into its surroundings, how it is perceivedfrom the street or on the skyline. The massing,profile and height of the upper portions of thebuilding should satisfy the following design criteria.

4.3.1 BUILDING HEIGHTS

Existing or approved building heights in theFinancial District and the St. LawrenceNeighbourhood Focused Area generally follow alogical pattern that has a “peak” around the Kingand Bay Street intersection and descending “transi-tion ridges” along the main corridors along YongeStreet and King Street.

Established low-rise pockets are equally importantbuilt form patterns within the downtown areas thatshould be protected from the encroachment of high-rises which may have adverse impacts, such asoverwhelming mass and height, shadowing andwind.

This existing pattern of building heights is desirableand effective in that there is a transition in theheight of buildings down to low-rise areas. Thislessens the impact of height on these areas bothphysically and perceptively. To maintain and rein-force this pattern, the heights of new buildings aresubject to the following principles:

• Height Peak: This area borders the western bound-ary of the study area and generally corresponds tothe Financial District which is centered on a pinna-cle of building height at the intersection of thecity’s principle business address at King and Baystreets. This cluster of landmark office towers in



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concert with the CN Tower shapes the distinctskyline internationally identified with Toronto.

• Transition Area: This area mainly consists ofoffice/commercial uses with some high-rise resi-dential towers. Tall buildings in this area generallydemonstrate a stepping down in height from theHeight Peak area to the remaining areas to theeast. This is a desirable pattern that provides a“transition ridge” to lower-rise areas while rein-forcing the shape and character of Toronto’sskyline.

Proposed tall buildings in this area should stepdown in height from the Height Peak area andprovide a meaningful transition in height to thatof adjacent buildings in the Mixed-Use HeightSensitive Area.

• Mixed-Use Height Sensitive Area: This mixed-usearea is comprised of range of building heightsprimarily from low-rise (up to 6 storeys) to mid-rise (6-12 storeys). The Focused Area’s mostsignificant clustering of low-rise buildings iswithin the Character Area identified in Built FormFramework (Figure 15). The low-rise form is afundamental aspect that defines this area as itreinforces the area’s historic built character andvibrant pedestrian environment. Where tallerbuildings have been introduced, careful sitingand/or setbacks have ensured that the higher levelsare not generally visible from the perspective ofthe pedestrian at the sidewalk.

Proposed developments within the Mixed-UseHeight Sensitive Area should be respectful of thepredominant height of adjacent buildings and inparticular taller buildings should provide formeaningful transition where adjacent to theCharacter Area. A proposed development withinthe Character Area that exceeds the predominantheight should demonstrate minimal visual impactfrom the perspective of the pedestrian on thestreet. Guidelines for Angular Planes and Step-backs contained in Section 4.3.4 serve to ensurethis objective is met.

High-rise towers (greater than the predominantheight of existing buildings) are inappropriateforms within most of the Mixed-Use HeightSensitive Area as they may have significant adverseimpacts and would pose a threat to the viability ofthe area remaining as low-rise.




Figure 20 - Built Form Heights – Peaks, Transition Ridge and Height Sensitive Areas

Photo 74 – This aerial photo clearly shows the height peaks of the Financial District, transition area along Yonge Street and thelower-scaled mixed use height sensitive area.



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4.3.2 SHADOWS

Tall buildings will be subject to shadow studies.Shadow implications may impact building height andmassing as well as tower placement. Buildingsshould be sensitive to casting shadows on a numberof key areas throughout the study area, especiallythose that which are identified in Figure 21. Theseareas correspond to open spaces such as Berczy Parkand pedestrian areas such as identified streetscapeswhich have outdoor cafes or streets where a highdegree of sun penetration exists.

Figure 21 - Shadow Sensitive Areas

4.3.3 SKY VIEW AND AMBIENT LIGHT

An important characteristic of the St. LawrenceNeighbourhood Focused Area, particularly in thecharacter area, is the scale of the buildings and theaccess to natural light. Moving east from theFinancial District one notices that the scale of thebuildings which frames the streets and open spacesis lower and that there is an increased access to skyview and natural light. This access to sky view andambient light is an important characteristic of the St.Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area, particularlyaround the Berczy Park, Front Street and MarketPrecincts which are identified by these guidelines as




Figure 22 - Built Form Angular Planes

angular plane which is currently in Zoning BylawNo. 438-86, encourages buildings, with frontagesidentified in Figure 22, to step back 44º at a heightwhich is 20 metres above the property line. This willensure that the access to and quality of natural lightthat these spaces currently enjoy will be maintained.These guidelines strongly enforce the Front Streetangular plane.

Angular planes also currently exist in the ZoningBylaw No. 438-86 for other major streets within theSt. Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area. Theintent of these angular planes must be followed in

the focal points of the neighbourhood. The angularplanes which are introduced in the next section aredesigned to preserve access to sky view and allownatural light to penetrate onto the streetscape.

4.3.4 ANGULAR PLANE AND STEP-BACKS

Areas identified in the Built Form Framework, Figure15, as ‘Low-Rise at Street Edge’, generally corre-spond to the Berczy Park and Front Street Precinctswhere the low-rise form is prevalent and is an essen-tial characteristic of this area. The Front Street



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Figure 23 - Angular planes and step-backs

‘A’ ‘B’

‘C’ ‘D’

‘E’ ‘F’




order to maintain the character of the area and tomaximize sunlight exposure on the public realm.Buildings such as the St. James Condominium indi-cate how buildings which abide by the in-placeangular planes contribute successfully to the charac-ter area and are compatible with the existingheritage scale of the neighbourhood. Proposedbuildings such as 10-12 Market Street and theCouncil-approved development parameters for theNorth Market continue to demonstrate that theintent of the angular planes play an important rolein shaping the neighbourhood and contributing tothe character of the area.

Buildings which do not meet the intent of theangular planes, such as Times Square Condominiumat the southeast corner of Front Street East andJarvis Street, are not compatible with the existingcharacter of the area. It is the degree with which thisdevelopment encroaches into the angular plane,both in its uninterrupted height and its uninterrupt-ed length which makes it incompatible.

Built form step-backs are also used by these guide-lines to strengthen the existing street wall scale andto maintain a comfortable pedestrian experience. Inthese circumstances the guidelines establish a streetwall height by looking at the predominant scale ofthe existing buildings on the street. Where buildingsare permitted to be higher than the street wallheight, a minimum step-back will be imposed sothat the higher portion does not overwhelm thestreet wall and the pedestrian scale. The King Georgeresidential development at the northeast corner ofJarvis and King Streets, for example, has a podiumwith a height which aligns with neighbouringheritage properties. A higher tower is stepped back inorder to be less visible from the adjacent sidewalk.

Depending on the site configuration and adjacencyof historic buildings, step-backs in the range of 3metres to 11 metres will be required.

These guidelines also introduce new angular planesand built form step-backs in accordance with Figure22.

Figure 24 - Sketch looking east along Colborne Street indicating desired 3-metre setbacks, minimum 5-metre step-backs and building heights



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Photo 75 – Buildings that exemplify the character area

Photo 76 – Consistent street wall scale and materiality on TheEsplanade

Photo 77 – Landmark buildings of architectural distinction

4.4 DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURAL QUALITYThe St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Focused Area has ahistory of well-designed buildings from various erasof architectural history. New developments should bemindful of ensuring excellence in design and in theuse of high-grade materials, which blend with theestablished character of the area. At the street level afurther level of detail is required.

In order to enrich the pedestrian experience, 1:50detailed elevations are typically requested at the timeof Site Plan application submission for a portion ofthe building facades on major public streets in orderto better understand and secure quality of materialsand level of detail at the pedestrian scale.

IDENTITYNew developments should seek to achieve an archi-tectural identity respectful of context. The groundfloor of buildings should be designed to express arhythm of the commercial or residential unitsthrough architectural expression and the inclusion ofentrance doors and windows addressing the street.

EXPRESSIVE FORMSNew developments should clearly express a base atthe street level, the main body of the building, and aroof form. This may be achieved through variousmeans including setbacks, step-backs, extrusions,textures and materials. The King George buildingexemplifies these principles with its well-definedpodium and adequate step-back of 10 metres.

BUILDING ENTRANCESThe sense of arrival to a building should be celebrat-ed through the design and detailing of its entrance.Canopies extending towards the street providingweather protection should be provided at all princi-ple entries to residential and commercial buildings,where possible. The building at the southeast cornerof The Esplanade and Church Street has a signaturecorner feature which addresses the street and theprimary entrance. Landscaping, lighting and artworkare used to embellish this signature treatment.

MECHANICAL PENTHOUSESVents, mechanical equipment rooms and elevatorpenthouses should be integrated with the architec-tural treatment of roofs and screened from view. To create greater interest in the skyline, higherbuildings should introduce articulation in the upper




Photo 78 – Scale and materials are compatible with the existingcontext

Photo 79 – Architectural identity of the St. James Condominiumis respectful of the existing context

floors and this can be achieved through the use ofterracing and/or architectural elements like project-ing roof lines, or vertical elements. The King GeorgeCondominium exemplifies these design principleswell with its rooftop step-backs and integratedmechanical penthouse, designed to appear as a resi-dential floor.

COMPATIBILITY WITH HISTORICAL CONTEXTSFitting contemporary architectural styles within morehistorical contexts should be achieved throughcompatible building proportions, replicating rhythmsof vertical and horizontal lines and through the useof similar materials and colourings. The Saatchi &Saatchi building on King Street East demonstrateshow modern contemporary buildings can maintainthe scale, rhythm and proportions of their heritageneighbours in order to achieve a continuous andattractive street wall.

SCALEStreet facades should reflect the traditional height ofearlier buildings. Each part of the facade shouldexpress a unit of frontage similar to that establishedby the original survey for lots in the area. Thesetback of the facade from the front property lineand additional setbacks in the upper storeys of newbuildings will reflect the appearance achieved in thescale of original lots where this effect was tradition-ally accomplished.

MATERIALSThe use of a variety of traditional materials histori-cally used in the area will identify the building fabricwith its location providing a “sense of place” withinthe area. Brick masonry with stonework features,have been traditionally used in the St. Lawrencecontext. Other materials such a limestone, graniteand clear or tinted glass have also been usedsuccessfully. The use of precast concrete as apredominant cladding material and reflective glass asa cladding material should be discouraged as it isout of character with the area.

SIGNAGEFor residential buildings, signage should be closelyrelated to the principle building entrance and gener-ally placed in a low wall element. Commercialsignage should add diversity and interest to retailstreets, but not be overwhelming.

There are a wealth of entertainment and culturalfacilities in the area. Temporary banners to advertiseand celebrate these event may be appropriate andwould add to the festive atmosphere of the area.

Signage guidelines are being developed by the Cityof Toronto which will be tailored to specificprecincts and their character. In general, the follow-ing signage types are discouraged:

- backlit sign boxes- billboards- revolving signs- roof signs



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APPENDIX

Existing Zoning Map

To be updated to reflect site specific bylaws approved as of July 2005.




Existing Height Map

To be updated to reflect site specific bylaws approved as of July 2005.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Hugh-Francis Burns, Chair of the guidelines commit-tee, as well as staff at the City of Toronto would liketo thank the following organizations for their partic-ipation in these guidelines. These organizations allhave an interest in maintaining and creating avibrant neighbourhood in the St. LawrenceNeighbourhood Focused Area. While we all havethese common goals we understand that thereremains some areas within these guidelines wherethere remains disagreement.

- Ward 28 Councillor Pam McConnell as well as heroffice staff

- St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association (SLNA)- St. Lawrence Market BIA- St. Lawrence Condominium Ratepayers Association - Neighbourhood Property Owners:

Concert PropertiesCityzen DevelopmentYork Heritage PropertiesS. Godfrey Co. Ltd.Greey Esplanade Ltd.

- Toronto Heritage Preservation Services - Citizens for the Old Town- Office for Urbanism

We would especially like to thank Mr. JorgeCarvalho, Supervisor of the St. Lawrence MarketComplex, for providing the meeting rooms andfacilities which the working group has been able touse, as well as Mr. Ian Russell for taking many of thephotos found in this document.

We would also like to thank Don Brambilla, C.E.O. of the Hummingbird Centre for providing the venuefor the May 18 Community Information Session.

Working group members

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