2135 DUNDAS STREET WEST, OAKVILLE, ON

Transcription

1 2135 DUNDAS STREET WEST, OAKVILLE, ON URBAN DESIGN BRIEF Prepared by Ruth Victor & Associates & IBI Group Architects 481 North Service Road West, Unit A-33 Oakville, ON L6M 2V6 November 21, 2017

2 2 1 INTRODUCTION The Project The Client The Team The Purpose of the Urban Design Brief Planning & Urban Design Documents..5 NOWSP..5 North Oakville Urban Design & Open Space Guidelines 5 North Oakville Sustainability Checklist.5 2 CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS Town Vision Subject Site Immediate Context Transportation Network POLICY CONTEXT (North Oakville West Secondary Plan) Land Use Employment District Health-Oriented Mixed-Use Node..9 4 DESIGN CONTEXT (North Oakville Urban Design & Open Space Guidelines) General Design Sustainable Development.14 Street Block & Pattern. 15 Building Orientation & Layout 16 Public Safety 16 Pedestrian, Bicycle, & Vehicular Circulation 17 Parking 18 Views & Vistas Built Form Massing & Scale..19 Setbacks & Separation 19 Building to Street Interface.20 Building Typologies Character & Image Existing Street Character Neighbourhood Context Articulation Building Entrance..22 Architectural Style...22 Building Façade & Balconies.. 23 Building Materials & Detailing.. 23 Building Elevations.25

3 3 Roofing. 27 Loading & Servicing Landscaping Front Yard..28 Side Yard.28 Rear Yard.28 Semi-Private Space Shadow Impact Analysis CONCLUSION APPENDIXES..31

4 4 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Project All Seniors Care Living Centres is proposing a new institutional development in the North Oakville Area of the Town of Oakville. The proposed development consists of a 6-storey seniors assisted living and total care facility. The building is comprised of 98 assisted living units and 84 total care units with common outdoor and indoor amenity areas and shared underground parking. The municipal address of the site is 2135 Dundas Street West, herein referred to as the subject lands or subject proposal. There are amendments to Zoning By-Law to permit the proposed development. Site Plan Approval will also be required. 1.2 The Client All Seniors Care (ASC) is a well established builder and operater of facilities across Canada that are dedicated to the care and living assistance of seniors. With industry leading experience and commitment to superior facilities, ASC has defined a mission to provide innovative support services for ongoing quality of life for seniors to grow and thrive in active communities. ASC currently owns and operates over 30 residences across Canada, 7 of which are in Ontario. 1.3 The Team ReSolve Project Management: With expertise in every stage of a project, Resolve has comprehensively managed over a dozen of seniors facilities for ASC and in collaboration with IBI Group Architects. IBI Group Architects: As prime consultant, the Living+ Seniors Studio at IBI Group is dedicated to the design of high quality facilities for the care and support of seniors. The Studio has overseen numerous seniors projects from initial concept design to occupancy, a large number of which has been in collaboration with ASC. Ruth Victor & Associates: The team at Ruth Victor and Associates brings over 30 years of urban planning expertise in creating sustainable, livable and thriving communities. Adesso Design Inc.: The award winning landscape architecture team at Adesso Design offers expertise in public and park spaces, urban design, green roofs, visual impact assessments and stormwater management. 1.4 Objective This Urban Design Brief has been prepared on behalf of All Seniors Care in support of the proposed amendment to the Town of Oakville Zoning By-Law for the new institutional development. The purpose of this report is to illustrate the project design principles and rationale, and to demonstrate that the proposed development implements good urban design practices and conforms to the relevant Town urban design policies. This Urban Design Brief is comprised of two main sections: Policy Context and Design Context. The first section discusses the existing context of the site and its current conditions which then set out the initial design parameters for the proposed development, while the second section summarizes the relevant

5 5 Town urban design policies and describes how the proposed building addresses these guidelines and implements the Town s vision and strategies for this important North Oakville area. 1.5 Planning & Urban Design Documents This Urban Design Brief addresses: North Oakville West Secondary Plan North Oakville Urban Design & Open Space Guidelines North Oakville Sustainability Development Checklist & User Guide North Oakville West Secondary Plan The purpose of the North Oakville West Secondary Plan ( NOWSP ) is to establish a detailed planning framework for the future of urban development of the North Oakville West Planning area (also referred to as the Plan Area and North Oakville West North Oakville Urban Design and Open Space Guidelines The North Oakville Urban Design Guidelines lays out the vision and guiding principles for smart growth and diversity within the North Oakville boundaries. These guidelines establish the physical design concepts that will lead to the development of a high quality, sustainable, and integrated employment and residential community. They represent detailed objectives, recommendations, and guidelines that will greatly expand the Town s capacity for urban living, employment, and recreation by focusing on the following attributes: Sustainable development; Subdivision Design; Land Use & Site Design Building Typologies; Natural Heritage and Open Space System; Stormwater Management; Pedestrian & Bicycle Circulation; Street Furniture; Landscaping; and, Parking North Oakville Sustainability Design Guidelines & Checklist The North Oakville Sustainability Design Guidelines outlines the core principles of sustainable development while the Checklist is a tool that assists in assessing the sustainability of proposed developments within the North Oakville boundaries. Based on policies laid out in the North Oakville Secondary Plan, the checklist is a tool for assessing the sustainable features of development applications and to encourage sustainable development practices and is broken down into four sections: Development Form; Air Quality and Energy Efficiency; Water Management; and, Natural Heritage System.

6 6 2.0 CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS 2.1 Town s Vision The proposed development is located within North Oakville West. This area forms part of the New Communities of Oakville Policy which encourages the design of neighbhourhoods that make efficient use of existing land and promote flexible transportation options in order to make Oakville a more livable and sustainable community. The New Communities of Oakville will feature: A variety of uses from residential to commercial to employment; A grid street network that offers more opportunity for public transit and walkability; Green Space that is protected; Off-road trail system for cyclists and pedestrians; Heritage elements; Managed water resources. 2.2 Subject Site The subject site is 2135 Dundas Street West. The subject lands are a total of ha (3.03 acres) and are located on the north side of Dundas Street West and west of Hospital Gate. The subject lands currently have one access onto Dundas Street West, which is a right-in, right-out turn. 2.3 Goals & Objectives Development Summary The proposed development consists of a 6-storey assisted living wing and a 4-storey total care wing for a total of 182 units. The proposal provides a total of 85 parking spaces: 23 of which are located at surface level, while the remaining 62 spaces are located on one level of underground parking area accessed via a 7.00m driveway and ramp. The proposed development will have multiple terraces along Dundas Street West and Hospital Gate that will enhance the streetscape of both roads, as well as making use of the subject lands proximity to the surrounding natural heritage system and stormwater management ponds. The proposed development will create a employment opportunity while providing a modern, architecturally-interesting building that contributes to the vision set out in both the Regional and Local Official Plans. Patients of the total care wing would receive daily supervision and professional care. Each floor is broken into blocks of 21 units to create a smaller, intimate congregate environment. Each block is self-contained, but able to connect to the main assisted living amenities. Each block is carefully designed to allow staff to easily supervise patients, to provide the patients with sufficient visual cues to manage their daily functions and contains its own living, dining, servery, interactive kitchen and support services. The assisted living patients and residents would receive supportive and care services. The Here, units will be comprised of 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom units designed to a Group B3 occupancy code standard; to provide higher levels of life safety and barrier-free design requirements. Common amenities on the ground floor include dining room, movie theatre, lounge, games room, fitness/spa, swimming pool, beauty salon, administrative offices and support services. Since patients eat the majority of their meals in the common dining room located on the ground floor, assisted living units are not equipped with full kitchen.

7 Proposal Objectives The North Oakville Area is currently undergoing a substantial amount of development. Expected to be built over the next 20 years, the area is anticipated to capture 50,000 in new population and create nearly 35,000 jobs as per the Town s projections. The proposed development is situated in the midst of an important employment area district and aims to assist with the targeted jobs growth as well as supports the development of North Oakville West s Health-Oriented Node as set out in the secondary plan for the North Oakville Area. 2.4 Immediate Context The proposed development is located on Dundas Street West, east of Bronte Road and west of Hospital Gate: The lands to the west are undeveloped; to the north is a Stormwater Management Pond; and to the east is a Stormwater Management Pond as well as the new Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. Within the built-up area south of Dundas Street are residential townhouses comprising a portion of the West Oaks Trails community and are accessed only via internal roads that lead from Third Line. The immediate surrounding area north of Dundas Street West is currently undergoing significant development as part of the North Oakville West Secondary Plan and Masterplan. 2.5 Transportation Network The subject site is located on both Dundas Street West and Hospital Gate. Dundas Street is a designated Major Transit Corridor while Hospital Gate is an Avenue/Transit Corridor. This will be discussed further in section of this Brief. Dundas Street West has undergone significant widening to accommodate the proposed transport infrastructure.

8 8 3.0 POLICY CONTEXT North Oakville West Secondary Plan The lands that are subject to the policies of the NOWSP are shown in Figure with the location of the subject lands circled. Figure NOW 2 showing the subject lands (circled) within the Employment District. 3.1 Employment Land Uses The proposed development is located within the Employment District of the North Oakville West Secondary Plan and is designated Employment Land. Sections and outline the importance of creating employment districts that provide for a wide range of employment opportunities with access to major freeways, arterial roads, and transit systems as well as promoting higher order densities that maximize employment opportunities. The NOWSP also speaks to employment targets as well as locating employment areas where higher order/frequent transit service is planned. 3.2 Health-Oriented Mixed-Use Node In addition to being located in the aforementioned Employment District area that focuses on industrial, office, and service employment uses, the NOWSP also lays out a designation of a Health-Oriented Mixed- Use Node. This Node is located on the north side of Dundas Street between Hospital Gate and Third Line (see figure ) and is immediately adjacent to the subject lands. As stated in the NOWSP, this Node is to promote health-oriented operations with a focus on medicine, technology, and supporting services. Specifically, this Node will include a hospital, and may also include research and development facilities, medical and other offices, laboratories, clinics, supportive housing, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation facilities, and other similar uses including retail and service commercial facilities related to the permitted uses.

9 9 3.3 General Design Directions The North Oakville West Secondary Plan lays out design directions for new development within its jurisdiction. Section 8.5.4(a) states that all development shall be designed to be compact, pedestrian, and transit friendly in form. The proposed development is in close proximity to public transit and has been designed to facilitate easy pedestrian access through a number of entrances, walkways, terraces, and a streetscape with street furniture to help enhance the public realm. Section 8.5.4(b) states a hierarchy of civic, institutional, and commercial uses within the Employment District will be established in locations that form part of mixed-use areas. It further states that these civic and institutional land uses are to serve as focal points for the Planning Area as a whole. The subject proposal is a care facility that is not yet offered in the immediate area while supporting the healthoriented land uses that are located nearby. The subject proposal is located at the corner of two important roads (Dundas Street West and Hospital Gate) and thus acts as a gateway and focal point for the North Oakville West community. Sections 8.5.4(d) & (e) both refer to the importance of preserving Open Space and views towards Natural Heritage System. The subject site is located directly south of an existing Regional Stormwater Management Pond with views of the NHS to the north and west. The proposed building has been designed in such a way so as to make good use of and access to the existing natural area to the north, which offers walking trails that are used by the patients of the nearby hospital and adjacent medicallyrelated buildings. Section 8.5.4(g) stipulates that building densities and land uses designated to support the use of transit and the level of transit service proposed for specific areas shall be located within walking distances of transit stops and lines. The subject property is located at the corner of Dundas Street West and Hospital Gate; the intersection at which a Transit Oakville bus stop exists for services travelling both east and west. In addition, Dundas Street West is a Major Arterial Corridor, which is further planned as a future Busway Corridor. Easy access to transit will be available for employees and visitors of the facility. Section discusses streetscape, highlighting the importance of achieving a balance between roads as systems for transportation and creating socially vibrant public spaces. Dundas Street West is designated an Arterial/Transit Corridor, which is to connect Employment Areas and neighbourhoods together and to other major focal points of the community. These streets will have the highest form of urban design treatment, including wide sidewalks, special tree and feature planting, paving, lighting, and signage design. Hospital Gate is designated as an Avenue/Transit Corridor, which is to have a higher level of design than the Local Streets through extended use of tree and feature planting, paving, lighting, and signage. The subject property has frontage onto two roads, each of which has been designed to reflect its respective functions. Setbacks from the streets create two public plazas along Dundas Street West and Hospital Gate (Figures and 3.3.2). Along with wide pedestrian paths, planting, appropriate paving and generous openness; these spaces are to be furnished with seating to promote social interaction and pedestrian comfort. The 2-storey podium of the building is articulated with pedestrian scale-appropriate masonary colonnade, generous glazing and conpies to activate the urban corner. Indoor amenity spaces are located on both the ground and basement floors, and are thus visible from the street level. Along Dundas Street West are the dining room, games room, bistro and seating projections on the ground floor; while the fitness room and parking at the basement level (pedestrian level). Along Hospital Gate are the library, running track,

10 10 multipurpose room and outdoor patio on the second floor; while the 2-storey swimming pool and the hair salon at the basement level. The exposure of the parking level is reduced with planting and the berm landscape to the west. The corner of Dundas Street West and Hospital Gate is marked with the pedestrian entrance to further anchor the activated urban space. Figure Ground Floor Plan

11 11 Figure Basement Floor Plan Section discusses the importance of designing for bicycles: Pedestrian/cyclist comfort and safety shall be considered in the streetscape design, while also providing an enhanced streetscape and sidewalk environment for pedestrians. As aforementioned, the subject site possesses two frontages, and thus has been designed to enhance both streetscapes for pedestrians and those exiting the nearby Oakville Transit bus stop. In addition, as Dundas Street West will have provisions for a designated bicycle lane, 6 private and 5 public bicycle parking spaces have been provided in the subject proposal which both encourages and facilitates such active transportation. Section discusses Street Furniture as part of enhancing the Streetscape, stating that lighting, signage, parking meters, and cycle parking facilities shall be designed and placed within a consistent and integrated system of form, pattern, shape, colour, and texture. Coordinated site furnishings, including bicycle racks, benches, trash recepticles, and tree grates are proposed within a generous pedestrian focused plaza along both the Dundas and Hospital Gate street frontages. Regarding building height, Section 8.5.6(a) states that buildings, structures, and landscaping shall be designed to provide visual interest to pedestrians, as well as a sense of enclosure to the street. In addition, the section highlights that heights of buildings shall also be related to road widths to create a more comfortable pedestrian environment. The subject building has a maximum height of ±22 meters (measured from the basement level along Dundas Street W. to the top of roof parapet and excluding mechanical penthouse and roof architectureal features), and is located on Dundas Street West which is a

12 12 50m-wide Regional road and thus additional height in this location is appropriate. In addition, Section 8.5.6(b) states that buildings on corner lots at the intersections of Arterials and Avenues shall be sited and massed toward the intersection. The proposed building is situated on the subject lands so as to be as close to the street edge as possible while incorporating unique and important public areas such as plazas (on Dundas Street and Hospital Gate) and a two-level patio (on Hospital Gate). The building s glass corner element is its focus, which is oriented towards the northwest intersection of the Dundas-Hopsital Gate connection. This is the 6-storey element of the building, which is to enhance its orientation towards the intersection and increase its visibility and subsequent relationship to the street interface. Section addresses off-street parking, stipulating that it shall be designed to reduce their visual impact on both the adjoining streetscape and on people using the facility through locating the parking lot to the side or rear of the main building. The subject proposal provides 73% of parking spaces on one level of underground parking, while the remaining 27% is located at surface level at the rear of the building. The proposed surface parking spaces are not visible from Dundas Street West and only partially viewable from Hospital Gate (travelling south towards Dundas Street). The surface parking will be further screened from Hospital Gate through the placement of large and small canopy trees along the entry drive and within the parking islands (Figure 3.3.3). The importance of landscaped or decorative paving is also encouraged in the NOWSP, as is the provision of pedestrian walkways to adjacent to buildings and to provide pedestrian access to transit stops. The proposed development provides a series of interconnected pedestrian walkways both through the parking lot and to the public transit stop located on Dundas Street West directly in front of the subject lands. Precast paving is utilized to signal the drop off and highlight the main entrance from the entry drive. Figure Urban Design Strategy

13 Section discusses landscape design, highlighting the importance of creating human-scale, pedestrian-oriented, and safe private and public spaces within new developments. Section 8.5.9(b) calls for the enhancement of pedestrian comfort along streetscapes. This is achieved by allowing for a generous plaza spaces between the building and Dundas Street and Hospital Gate. Seating and open space is set far back from the street creating a sense of comfort away from busy traffic. Furthermore, the existing multi use path will sit between vehicular traffic and the plaza on Dundas highlighting the separation. Section 8.5.9(c) highlights the importance of defining public open space. Concrete paving and banding around the corner building entrance strengthens the importance of the pedestrian entrance and connects the building to the busy intersection. Flanked on either side both Dundas Street and Hospital Gate have precast paving open areas with banding and coordinated street furnishings. This signals a slower pedestrian pace than the adjacent multi use path and sidewalk. Both spaces are shaded with large canopy deciduous trees inviting the public to linger in the open spaces. Section 8.5.9(d) promotes the use of native specis and enhancement of ecological stability and integrity. The landscape design uses tree, shrub and perennial species that are all native to the Oakville area. These species will contribute to the stability of local wildlife such as birds and pollinators. The large number of trees proposed for the site will increase the property s canopy cover and will exceed the Town s target percentage for institutional lands. 13

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15 Street Design & Block Pattern The subject lands are located at the corner of Dundas Street West and Hospital Gate. Dundas Street West is a Major Arterial/Transit Corridor also identified as a Busway Corridor, while Hospital Gate is a designated Avenue/Transit Corridor (see figure ). Dundas is planned as a high-density capacity road and Hospital Gate will serve as major gateways into the community. The proposed assisted living and total care home is considered to be transit supportive as per the Town s guidelines and is encouraged with the abutting bus transit stop. The Guidelines (Section 3.2.1) speak to Gateway Features, stating that the demarcation of gateways is to be created through consistent elements such as an urban space, hardscaped, or landscaped surfaces, public art, and appropriate built form to provide orientation and to assist in defining a neighbourhood s distinctive character. Gateways should create a sense of entrance and arrival, and should be located at major entry points at prominent locations entering a Neighbourhood Centre, Core Area, or other district. The proposed building is located at the northwest corner of Dundas Street and Hospital Gate, which is an important gateway to the health-oriented mixed-use node and employment district beyond. This intersection is only one of few gateways to said Employment District, and thus the building has been designed and oriented towards the roadways to provide maximum frontage and enhanced streetscape while maintaining its status as an important gateway building in its massing and scale. Figure Street Hierarchy of North Oakville West, with Hospital Gate a designated Avenue/Transit Corridor. Due to the location of the subject lands, vehicular access to the proposed development is limited to Hospital Gate only as it is surrounded by either open land on the west and north and two major roads to the east and south. Connection to Dundas Street West may be possible but not encouraged due to both the existing bus transit stop as well as the proximity to the intersection of Hospital Gate and said Dundas Street West. In addition, Dundas Street is planned as a high-intensity transportation route and thus

16 16 additional entrances located off of it for a private driveway is not efficient use of both said road nor the subject lands. Dundas Street is a major arterial roadway under the jurisdiction of the Region of Halton. It is the former Provincial Highway 5 that provide a continuing route connecting east-west across Halton region. Dundas Street West is 40m wide and consists of a 2.5m median dividing 3 lanes of vehicular traffic movement in each direction (west and east) for a total of 6 lanes of traffic. In addition, there is a 4.0m bus lane on the north side of Dundas Street which is situated at the south-east portion of the subject lands. The existing divide would limit access from Dundas Street to right-in, right-out. Hospital Gate is a 31m-wide Minor Arterial/Transit Corridor with a 5.0m-wide divide that begins north of the proposed entrance to the subject lands. Thus, access via Hospital Gate is more easily reached than Dundas Street West Building Location & Orientation Section of the Guidelines lay out the policies for the relationship of new buildings to one another and the pedestrian realm, stating that buildings located at gateways should be designed to reflect their prominent location with articulated building massing, increased height, and other architectural details that emphasize the focal nature of the building. The proposed development is located at the intersection of two important roadways, and has been designed to directly address this location. The entire building is oriented with strong building faces on both Dundas Street and Hospital Gate in a general L-shape. This frames both streets and allows for a strong connection between the street and the building. Section 8.1 speaks specifically to Employment District site design, stating the importance of minimizing building setbacks to define a consistent urban street edge design and landscape treatments. The building has been designed with increased front-yard and flankage setbacks onto Dundas Street and Hospital Gate. This increased setback will allow for a public plaza that will animate this important street corner and provide opportunities for street furniture and enhance the visibility of the adjacent public transit bus stop. In addition, Section encourages buildings to face the public street and apply the highest standards to visible primary building elevations while also referencing that surface parking should be located at the rear or side of the building. Buildings should be organized to define the public realm and frame abutting streets, internal drive aisles, sidewalks, parking areas, and amenity spaces (3.3.1(a)). The proposed building has been designed with high quality materials and addresses the streets it fronts onto as well as framing the driveway that is located at the north side of the subject site. The parking area that accommodates 23 parking spaces is located at the rear of the proposed building (not visible from the public realm) while the remaining parking spaces are located underground (partially visible from the public realm). This building design is consistent with the street-based design principles as per the Town s urban design guidelines intended to create a public realm Public Safety With regard to public safety, site designs should encourage safe public use, natural surveillance opportunities, unobstructed views of parking areas, and building entrances that front on to the public street to encourage the pedestrian-oriented streetscape (Section ). The proposed building has been designed in two L-shaped forms, each overlooking the entirety of the subject lands.

17 17 The 2 conjoined L shaped forms proposed create 2 courtyards of differing but complementary articulations. The easterly courtyard is the main vehicular entry to the proposed building and contains short term surface parking and vehicular drop off to the main upper level entrance. It is landscaped and features a series of terraces and a circular walkway for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. Traffic is calmed and buffered from the busy surrounding streets. This courtyard is designed to serve the more active seniors and provide terraces for the amenity areas that they use. The westerly courtyard, contained by the 2 wings of the care building provide a safe and secure outdoor landscaped space for care residents to pursue outdoor activities under supervision. Both courtyards provide safe, secure, and diverse pedestrian experiences that enhance the proposed building s program and use. The design also lends itself to having frontages along the entirety of Dundas Street West and Hospital Gate, resulting in increased surveillance on both streets. As aforementioned, public surface parking is located within the vehicular drop-off courtyard, while private parking at the partially-burried basement level, which offers additional common indoor amenities, as well as a direct connection to Dundas Street and public transit through the main pedestrian entrance. The majority of the basement and ground floor contains amenity and common space, which results in unobstructed views onto the entirety of the subject property. In addition, the outdoor areas of the proposed development will be appropriately landscaped and illuminated to promote use by residents and visitors in a safe, secure and barrier-free public realm Pedestrian, Bicycle, & Vehicular Circulation Section 3.8 of the Guidelines speak to pedestrian and bicycle circulation, stating that all sidewalks will be barrier-free while making good use of interesting street furniture to help strengthen the social roles of streets. Section encourages the incorporation of seating in the form of benches to buffer the impact of traffic and to provide comfort and social engagement. The proposed development incorporates a plaza at the corner of Dundas Street and Hospital Gate which will make good use of its space through seating and street furniture to enhance both the streetscape and pedestrian comfort. Active residents and the public will be encouraged to use these broad public plazas. As laid out in Section of this Brief, the Guidelines encourage circulation and the provision of safe, well-defined routes for pedestrians and vehicles. The use of landscaping, paving materials, and other distinct treatments to define these areas will contribute to the overall safety, quality, and sense of orientation within the site. This building entrance is located directly adjacent to the existing Transit Oakville bus stop, allowing for easy access via public transport. Internally, the proposed development offers a number of walking trails for both the buildings employees and inhabitants. These pedestrian walkways make use of the surrounding landscaped area, while providing for increased connectivity between the two street frontages and the subject lands. There is pedestrian access to the subject lands from both Dundas Street and Hospital Gate. The intersection on which the subject lands are situated have a cross walk which permits pedestrian crossing from the south side of Dundas Street where the residential West Oak Trails community is located, north to the proposed development. In addition, the subject development is located in close proximity to the

18 18 Third Line and Dundas Street intersection which offers a number of commercial shops and service establishments. With regards to vehicles, access to the subject lands is at the northeast corner, opposite the driveway to the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital to the east. The proposed driveway on the subject property is 7.00m in width, and leads to both the covered drop-off area adjacent to the main entrance to the building, as well as 23 surface-level parking spaces and the ramp to the underground parking. Exit from the subject lands is also via this driveway at the northeast corner. Separation between vehicular and pedestrian circulation is created through surface treatment such as colour, curb, and various materials that distinguish one from the other and subsequently safely defines the routes. Access to the subject site is confined via the driveway at the northeastern portion of the site. This driveway is complimented by a differentiated pedestrian walkway which also connects the surface parking spaces with the main vehicular entrance at the east courtyard of the complex. There is an Oakville Transit bus stop located at the corner of Dundas Street West and Hospital Gate, directly outside of the building entrance onto Dundas Street. This allows easy access to bus No.5 which runs east-west along Dundas Street therefore encouraging use of public transit to and from the subject development. With regards to cycling, there are six private bicycle parking spaces located in the basement of the proposed building as well as five public bicycle parking spaces located at the front of the propose building. The facility is designed to Group B3 occupancy code standard, which requires all areas accessed by patients to be fully barrier-free. In addition to patients units, all building entrances, common amenities, public washrooms, corridors and outdoor spaces are wheelchair accessible. The building also incorporates age-friendly design elements such as grab bars in public corridors to ensure increased safety of users Parking Section 3.12 maintains that a variety of both public and private parking will be provided in North Oakville. Specifically, within the private realm, both surface parking and structured parking in buildings above or below grade are permitted. Section speaks to surface parking, stating that they should be located at the rear of the property and should be broken-up through pedestrian connections and landscaped traffic islands with the major internal vehicular routes defined by raised and curbed traffic islands. The surface parking area at the rear of the proposed building is broken-up with various pedestrian walkways and landscaped islands. The landscaped islands contain a mix of large and small canopy shade trees and bordered with raised curbs. Enhanced paving helps to define the main entrance to the building. In addition, Section (c) encourages pedestrian accesses to structured parking be located adjacent to main building entrances, public streets, or other highly visible locations. The location of the pedestrian access to the one-level of underground parking is adjacent to the main entrance onto Dundas Street

19 19 West as well as the elevators to the main floor of the proposed building. This enables easy access from the structured parking to both the public realm as well as the subject building itself. Pick-up and drop-off areas are located at the rear of the property under a porte-cochere, and do not disturb the pedestrian circulation or loading areas Views & Vistas The orientation of the proposed building allows for a clear and unobstructed view of Dundas Street and Hospital Gate from the southern and eastern-sides, while the remaining vistas to the west and north make the most of the abutting vacant lands and Stormwater Management Ponds to the north. All recreational areas and units have extended and unobstructed views either down Dundas Street West or across the open spaces to the north and west. 4.2 BUILT FORM Massing & Scale Section 8.2.1(c) discusses massing, stating that Employment District building massing should relate appropriately to neighbouring residential or mixed-use properties with respect to privacy, noise, and shadow impact. In addition, Section encourages orienting massing towards intersections on corner sites. The proposed building has been designed as two distinctly separate wings a west wing and an east wing. These two wings are treated as two separate buildings to break the building mass. Subtle variation in the architectural style and expression helps to achieve the Town s vision of contemporary vocabulary and architectural diversity. The west wing is 4-storey (±15m, measured from the ground floor elevation to the top of roof parapet and excluding mechanical penthouse, exit stairs and architectural roof elements. ±18m measured from the basement level.), while the east wing is 6-storeys and ±22m m in height (measured from the basement level along Dundas Street W. to the top of roof parapet and excluding mechanical penthouse and roof architectureal features). Due to the width of Dundas Street (50m), as well as the generous berm and landscaping on the southern side between the road and the residential area, the scale of the propose building is not anticipated to negatively impact sunlight and skyview for the streets to the south or the Stormwater Management Pond lands to the north of the subject site. In addition, in comparison to the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital to the east, which is 10- storeys, the proposed maximum height of 6-storeys is compatible and appropriately scaled while furthering and enhancing the streetscape and acting as a gateway building to the Medical Campus Setbacks and Separation The Guidelines encourage for buildings located on intersections and with a substantial frontage onto a public street to be located near to the public realm to encourage and define a more urban street edge. The street edge building faces on both Dundas Street and Hospital Gate have been placed further back from the property line to allow the development of an Urban Plaza at the intersection of two roads. This increased setback provides sufficient space for landscaping features and pedestrian-orientated street furniture. The highly visible programmed spaces of the two-storey podium will animate this important street corner and enhance the transit-oriented pedestrian experience for both visitors and those working around the Medical Campus.

20 20 In addition, the greater front yard setback enables the building's corner to be formed as a clearly pronounced tower element that acts as a community beacon and defines a pedestrian orientated street entrance at its base. This is designed in accordance with Sections 8.2.1, which encourages buildings located on street corners to emphasize their focal point. This increased setback to the property line allows for an architecturally strong right-angled corner tower element focused towards the intersection Building to Street Interface The Guidelines encourage minimal buildings setbacks to define a more consistent and urban street edge design. The building has been designed with consideration to its frontages onto both Dundas Street West and Hospital Gate. Balconies and window openings facing the street provide further interaction and foster a strong relationship between the building and the passerby. The grading differentiation between the building and the level of Dundas Street helps define the public vs. private spaces, while the articulated entrance and 6-storey glass corner feature on Dundas Street maintains the important connection between the two Building Typologies With regard to building design specifically within the Employment District, Section 8.2 encourages a substantial building façade fronting the public street close to the setback line that defines a more urban street edge and the emphasis of key elements including building entrances and forecourts should be emphasized to enhance the building visibility (Section 8.2.1). It also guides corner buildings to be located close to the street to reinforce their focal role, with building entrances located at or close to the corner and addressing both streets (Section 8.2.4). As mentioned earlier, the design of the facilities has substantial building façade fronting public streets; provides flanking urban plazas that further define an active urban edge; and has a highly visible pedestrian entrance. Section highlight general urban design principles for employment land uses; highlighting the importance of a hierarchy of land uses and a mixture of lot sizes, building types, and architectural styles.the broken mass achieved with the two-wing approach of the building layout as well as the subtle variation of the architectural language of the two masses achieves diversity in building size and architectural language. 4.3 Character & Image Existing Street Character Throughout Oakville, the lands north of Dundas Street are currently undergoing a major transformation from primarily undeveloped vacant lots to high-density residential and employment land uses. As mentioned in this Brief, the subject development is located in a area that is undergoing substantial change. The Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital is located directly east, and there are three further development applications east of that site (including the aforementioned Health & Science District at Third Line and Dundas Street. As laid out in the NOWSP, the entirety of North Oakville West is to be employment lands, with the area around Third Line and Dundas Street consisting of the Health-Oriented Medical Node. The Hospital is a large, 10-storey building with multiple further buildings located on the campus. Thus, the entirety of Dundas Street West will be revitalized significantly with future development applications, and the subject proposal lends itself to providing a contemporary, high-quality

21 21 building that will enhance the streetscape and adhere to the pedestrian-oriented streetscape that the Town envisions for this important transportation corridor Neighbourhood Context The surrounding neighbourhood is one of alteration, modernization, and further development of the existing Medical Campus to the east and north (Figure ). While there are not as yet development applications for the lands directly to the west and north of the Regional Stormwater Management Ponds, due to their designation under both the ROP and NOWSP they will most-likely be developed in similar fashion; with health-oriented buildings, services, and employment uses. The proposed development is compatible with the projected neighbourhood, and will help assist the Regional and Municipal vision of this area as a Health-Oriented Employment Node. The Guidelines also encourage buildings that place an emphasis on service to serve as a focal point of the community and should make good use of and take into account existing trail networks. The subject proposal is located directly south of Regional Stormwater Management Ponds with walking trails located around them. These trails are often used by patients from the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital for exercise or fresh air, and this development will also encourage both its residents and employees to make good use of these existing trail networks. Figure Analysis of the immediate context was conducted to inform the urban design approach and strategy for the proposed facility.

22 22 Figure Analysis of the neighbouring buildings aesthetics and architectural language was conducted to ensure that the propsed facilitiy fits well and in harmony within its context. 4.4 Building Articulation Section encourages high quality architectural design that reflects their context and function. As aforementioned, building facing Major Arterial/Transit Corridors and Avenue/Transit Corridors should apply a level of design that demonstrates their focal role. The following articulation elements are addressed as followed, and in response to contextual analysis (Figure ): Building Entrance Sections and of the Urban Design Guidelines encourage entrances for corner buildings to be located at or close to the corner. The entrance to the proposed building is at the intersection of Dundas Street West and Third Line so as to frame the structure accordingly and create a symmetrical relationship with both streets. Above the entrance on Dundas Street is a strong glass corner element that enhances the gateway character of the building while encouraging the pedestrian-oriented streetscape. The Guidelines encourage public spaces with seating near entrances for mid- and high-rise buildings (Section 3.3.2(d). As discussed in Section 3.3 of this Brief, the proposed development incorporates a plaza at the intersection of Dundas Street and Hospital Gate which will include seating and enhance both streetscapes Architectural Style The building is designed in a subtle contemporary architectural style that reflects the medically-oriented use while maintaining the more intimate qualities for its residents through the inclusion of recessed balconies for the more active assisted living residents, warm exterior material colours, and large bay

23 23 windows while being an essential therapeutic component of the less active care residents. These bay windows emphasize programmatic variation of the building and provide streetscape diversity. The proposed development is contemporary in style and is differentiated in architectural articulation and massing to reflect different uses within itself and to achieve a unique identity within the context of the medical and life-sciences campus Building Façade & Balconies Blank façades that extend the entire length of the building parallel to the public street should not be permitted. In order to break-up the overall building façade and mass, details such as windows, outdoor terraces or patios, projections and recesses, and/or architectural details and change of materials are encouraged. The proposed seniors oriented development is configured as two conjoined L shaped buildings, each reflecting the unnique program contained within. The building at the corner of Dundas Street and Hospital Gate contains 98 assisted living units in the four upper storeys and a strongly articulated 2- storey base containing the extensive amenity program offered to its residents. The lower street oriented floor contains the pool, exercise room and change rooms, which give onto a broad, urban, landscaped public plaza extending along both Dundas Street and Hospital Gate. This plaza is animated by street trees and outdoor furniture for the benefit of the residents, employees and the general public alike. A strongly articulated street level entrance and glass civic tower element broadcasts the public nature of the development. Along Hospital Gate, the slope of the street creates the opportunity for multi-level terraces accessible from the pool/exercise room on the lower level and the multi-purpose room on the upper level amenity floor. This strategy extends the public plaza concept along the entire hospital gate frontage. The assisted living wing embracing the corner features a distinct rhythm of recessed balconies and punched windows that are mirrored in the articulation of the 2-storey base treatment. Along the Dundas Street façade bay windows have been added at the upper level of the base treatment opposite the dining room. These bays provide window seats and conversation areas for residents to gather before entering or after leaving the dining room. They add an additional element of activity and overlook to the façade and plaza below. These bay windows are then mirrored as full height glass bays on the façade of the care building. The care building is raised a floor on a landscaped plinth that buffers the private units from the traffic on Dundas Street. The bay windows, which provide intimate window seats to the individual units are continued on the perpendicular wing, define the two interior courtyards and provide architectural variety and appropriate scale to these more intimate public spaces Building Materials & Detailing The building materials deployed have been carefully syncopated between the two L shaped buildings that comprise the development. A deep grey textured stone base colonnade has a 2-storey articulation around

24 24 the corner of Dundas Street and Hospital Gate anchoring the building above onto the urban plaza. In the entrance courtyard, the base colonnade is a one-storey element as befits this more intimate space. The assisted living building above is a rhythm of broad stucco piers with generous punched windows. The stucco is a soft rose colour that is modern yet suggests a more traditional reading. The balcony slots are treated with a warm toned wood grain-finish metal cladding in a horizontal articulation. Balcony soffits are rendered in the same warm toned wood grain-finish metal cladding treatment to provide warmth to the façade and to these intimate outdoor spaces. The slots are punctured at the top by glass and metal canopies that are mirrored at the corner mechanical room and the roof terrace lounge at the west end of the building, providing architectural punctuation and detail to this long but dynamic façade. The care building, on its landscaped plinth, features a rhythm of glass bay windows capped by similar glass and metal bay canopies. The punched windowed piers between these bay windows is clad in a reprise of the horizontally articulated warm toned wood grain-finish metal cladding found in the balcony slots. This projects warmth and intimacy to the care building, but also links it to that of the assisted living balcony treatment. The development s careful application of high quality materials and their formal diversity is consistent with the other high quality buildings in the medical district.

25 Building Elevations and Materials Figure The overall mass of the building is broken down to limit the impact on the surrounding context, and to create a pleasant transition from a gateway presence along Hospital Gate and to the undeveloped land to the west. The mass break-up is achieved by the difference in height of the two wings; the carved-out articulation of the Assisted Living wing that is further emphasized with the warm tones of material treatment; the berm landscape under the Care wing that hides a large section of the parking level; and the glazed bay window projections of the Care wing that balance the solid and transparent, and thus creates a meaningful transitions from the Hospital Campus to the east and into the undeveloped land to the west. The ground floor and basement floors, both programmed with common amenities, form a two-storey podium. Treated as a pedestrian colonnade, with a variety of generous openings, canopies and articulations (eg. seating bay projections at the ground floor level; 2-storey glazed swimming pool), clad with textured masonry and marked with a corner pedestrian entrance, the street-level interface of the building will create a vibrant and animated experience.

26 26 Figure The simple appearance of recessed, textured and warm tones of the stucco, contrasting warm toned wood grain-finish metal cladding and glazing respect the aesthetics of the Medical Campus context while maintaining an intimate scale of the residential homes to the south. The two wings of the building are treated as two distinct buildings to achieve variation in architectural expressions (eq. bay windows on the Care wing and recessed balconies on the Assisted Living wing). Figure The orientation of the two L-shaped wings allow for two internal courtyards, one of which (illustrated here) incorporates a canopied passenger drop-off and surface parking. The internal courtyard provides a unique pedestrian experience as it is linked to the public plazas with a 2.0m sidewalk, while hiding the surface parking and loading bay from the main streets.

27 27 Figure The second courtyard is designed as a secured space for outdoor activitiy. Pathways are incopporated to encourage outdoor active lifestyle Roofline Section stipulates that flat roofs and roof terraces are encouraged to be used as private and communal outdoor patios, decks, and gardens, while rooftop mechanical equipment should be integrated with the building design. The proposed building offers a flat roof, which is reflective of the employment and service-oriented nature of the Employment District while providing the employees and patients with additional amenity space from which to enjoy the adjacent open Regional Pond land use Loading & Servicing Section outlines the importance of loading docks and service areas being located in areas of low visibility such as at the side or rear of the building. The loading dock for the proposed building is located at the rear of the property adjacent to the surface parking area. It enjoys easy access from the driveway but does not interfere with the abutting parking spaces or the ramp to the underground parking level. The loading dock leads directly into the service portion of the building, which is located in close proximity to the kitchen, garbage, shipping and receiving, and dining areas. 4.5 Landscaping Landscape treatments within private properties will have a significant role in establishing the image of the entire North Oakville Area and should be used to establish clear boundaries and areas within sites and be co-ordinated with landscape treatment in the public realm. Section 3.11 encourages front yards to be landscaped with trees, shrubs, and native plantings. The guidelines also encourage the differentiation of site areas including parking, forecourts, gardens, and

28 28 sidewalks to give each a distinct, clearly defined character. Landscaping should be used to define and enhance street edges and soften expansive building façades Front Yard Treatment Section speaks to the treatment of front yards, stating that they should be landscaped with trees, shrubs, and native plantings, and that the differentiation of site areas including parking, forecourts, gardens, and sidewalks should be encouraged to give each a distinct, clearly defind character. The front yard treatments along both Dundas Street and Hospital Gate Road are designed to be urban plazas that focus on pedestrian access to and from the site. A hierarchy of paving materials signals the focal pedestrian entrance, slower paced gathering areas, and the multimodal sidewalks and path that connect people to transit. A variety of seating opportunities have been provided in the gathering areas with clustered benches in either sun or shade. The plaza on Hospital Gate is lower than the street providing the opportunity to create a seat height retaining wall between the open space and the existing sidewalk. A matching seat wall has been created along the Dundas façade to maintain the urban theme. Fences or continuous planting of tall shrubs higher than 1.2 metres, which obscure pedestrian views, have not been proposed along the front yards. High-branching deciduous trees, which are aligned on the front property line have been coordinated with existing street trees to maximize the urban tree canopy and shade the various public spaces. These proposed trees will be provided in tree grates to maintain the urban theme and maximize the plazas utility while protecting the trees. Accent planting and coordinated signs have been provided within the front yard at main driveway entrance, subject to sight line requirements. The facility s signage and address will been incorporated into the retaining walls at the main vehicular entrance. Trees have been used to line the main driveway, indicating their priority over other vehicular circulation routes Side Yards Section speaks to Side Yards, highlighting the importance of a 3.0m landscape strip being provided in order to provide both screening and appropriate lot edge treatment. Neighbouring properties do not currently have surface parking lots, however a generous planting strip has been provided to allow for drainage, vegetation, and snow storage. The landscape strip will be planted with a combination of high branching coniferous and deciduous trees that do not obscure the pedestrian s view. Tree, shrubs and ground covers cover a reasonable amount of the planting strip between the adjacent property and contribute to exceeding the Town s target tree canopy percentage Rear Yards Section speaks to Rear Yards, stating that a 3.0m minimum landscape edge treatment including adequate space for tree planting to be provided. The rear yard includes the required 3.0m wide planting strip between the driveway and the property line. This planting strip will provide for large canopy deciduous street trees to buffer the property from the adjacent SWM pond and contribute to the overall tree canopy coverage. With regard to the plazas and multi-tiered terraces at the corner of Dundas Street and Hospital Gate, Section states that shared amenity space should be designed to provide a high level of comfort for the pedestrian. These different spaces provide for a variety of different uses such as large gatherings,

29 29 smaller group activities, and individual respite. As such, different design elements have been provided such as group seating, wet bar/serving areas, shade trellises, walking loops, and individual benches. In addition, lighting should be provided in all publicly accessible areas and should be designed to provide safe light levels. Please find attached the completed North Oakville Sustainable Development Checklist as Appendix A. 4.6 Shadow Impact Analysis As outlined in the Town of Oakville s Development Application Guidelines, shadow impact analysis is required to demonstrate the shadows cast by the proposed development during specific dates, listed below, to determine whether shadows generated will impact adjacent properties, streets and public spaces. The analysis is to be conducted for April 21, June 21, September 21 and December 21; at hourly intervals starting 1.5 hours after sunrise and ending 1.5 hours before sunset. A shadow impact study was conducted for the site and for the abovementioned dates and time intervals. Refer to Appendix B for the full documentation of the study. The shadow impact study reveals the following findings: Common amenities, which predominantly face south-east and north-east, receive plenty of sunlight (more than 6 consecutive hours) that will maximize their use throughout the year. Public open plaza and sidewalk, located to the north-east and south-east of the development, will also receive plenty (more than 6 consecutive hours) of continuous sunlight throughout the year. With the exception of the internal west and south facades, all faces of the building and roofs will receive adequate, if not plenty of sunlight. The siting of the building maximizes sun exposure of public spaces, sidewalks, building faces and roofs, common amenity spaces, and outdoor landscaped activity courtyards, while minimizes shadow impact on adjacent sites.

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