MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANNING SERVICES TO: FROM: Mayor and Members of Council Brian Nagata, Junior Planner Planning Services DATE: March 19, 2013 SUBJECT: Ontario Heritage Act - Intent to Designate The Snook Block, 77-79 Lansdowne Avenue, Effie Jackson s Tea House & Ice Cream Parlour and The Cherry Block RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that: 1. The Intent to Designate the Snook Block, at 16 King Street West, Community of Chatham (City), described as Part of Lot 81, Old Survey, Municipality of Chatham-Kent, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value and interest, be approved. 2. The Intent to Designate the property at 77-79 Lansdowne Avenue, Community of Chatham (City), described as Lot 32, Plan 266, Municipality of Chatham-Kent, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value and interest, be approved. 3. The Intent to Designate Effie Jackson s Tea House & Ice Cream Parlour, at 183 King Street East, Community of Chatham (City), described as Part of Lot 33, Block L, Old Survey, Municipality of Chatham-Kent, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value and interest, be approved. 4. The Intent to Designate the Cherry Block, at 187 King Street East, Community of Chatham (City), described as Part of Lot 33, Block L, Old Survey, Municipality of Chatham-Kent, under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value and interest, be approved.
Ontario Heritage Act Designations Page 2 BACKGROUND Our inheritance of architecture and cultural landscapes is an irreplaceable asset and resource. In Ontario, the task of conserving these important assets is primarily a municipal responsibility. The Ontario Heritage Act provides a framework within which municipalities can act to identify and conserve properties of historical and/or architectural significance. Under the Act, Council has established the Heritage Chatham-Kent Committee (the Committee) to advise Council on heritage matters. The Committee completed its evaluation of the subject properties in the fall of 2012 and winter of 2013. The Snook Block is located at 16 King Street West in the Community of Chatham (City). At its meeting of November 21, 2012, the Committee passed a motion recommending that certain exterior and contextual elements be designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value and interest. Effie Jackson s Tea House & Ice Cream Parlour is located at 183 King Street East in the Community of Chatham (City). At its meeting of November 21, 2012, the Committee passed a motion recommending that certain historical, exterior and contextual elements be designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value and interest. The Cherry Block is located at 187 King East in the Community of Chatham (City). At its meeting of November 21, 2012, the Committee passed a motion recommending that certain historical, exterior and contextual elements be designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value and interest. 77-79 Lansdowne Avenue is situated in the Community of Chatham (City). At its meeting of February 20, 2013, the Committee passed a motion recommending that certain exterior and contextual elements be designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act for its cultural heritage value and interest. The owners of all of the recommended properties are in support of having their properties designated under the Act. COMMENTS The Designation Report, attached as Appendix A, lists the key elements of the Snook Block property that contribute to its cultural heritage value and interest. The Designation Report, attached as Appendix B, lists the key elements of the property at 77-79 Lansdowne Avenue that contribute to its cultural heritage value and interest.
Ontario Heritage Act Designations Page 3 The Designation Report, attached as Appendix C, lists the key elements of Effie Jackson s Tea House & Ice Cream Parlour property that contribute to its cultural heritage value and interest. The Designation Report, attached as Appendix D, lists the key elements of the Cherry Block property that contribute to its cultural heritage value and interest. Council has two options regarding the designation process, which are as follows: 1) Proceed with the designation - Notice of intent to designate is then served. If there are no objections, the final request to designate comes back to Council. Should there be an objection(s), there is an appeal process to the Conservation Review Board before the final request comes back to Council for final decision. 2) Not to proceed with the designation - The property is not designated. COUNCIL STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS The recommendation in this report supports the following Council Directions: Healthy, Active Citizens Growth Through Variety of Post-Secondary Institutions High Quality Environment Through Innovation Destination Chatham-Kent! Magnet for Sustainable Growth Prosperous and Thriving Community Has the potential to support all Council Directions Neutral issues (does not support negatively or positively) CONSULTATION The Heritage Coordinator was consulted as part of the Heritage Chatham-Kent Committee evaluation process and supports the recommended heritage designations. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS Designation under the Ontario Heritage Act is an eligibility requirement of the Heritage Property Tax Relief Program. If the property owners meet all of the eligibility requirements of the program, they may be entitled to a prescribed level of tax relief starting with the 2013 tax year. The approximate amount of tax relief that may be entitled to the private property owners on their 2013 property taxes is as follows: 183 King Street East, Community of Chatham (City) $ 476 187 King Street East, Community of Chatham (City) $ 1407
Ontario Heritage Act Designations Page 4 16 King Street West, Community of Chatham (City) $ 6,419 77-79 Lansdowne Avenue, Community of Chatham (City) $ 1,130 It should be noted that these figures are derived from the prescribed levels of tax relief in the current program and may be subject to change if the prescribed levels are amended by Council prior to the February 28, 2014 deadline for 2013 applications. Prepared by: Reviewed by: Brian Nagata Junior Planner, Planning Services Marsha Coyne, MCIP, RPP Senior Planner, Planning Services Attachment: Appendix A - Heritage Chatham-Kent Designation Report: 16 King Street West, Community of Chatham (City) Appendix B - Heritage Chatham-Kent Designation Report: 77-79 Lansdowne Avenue, Community of Chatham (City) Appendix C - Heritage Chatham-Kent Designation Report: 183 King Street East, Community of Chatham (City) Appendix D - Heritage Chatham-Kent Designation Report: 187 King Street East, Community of Chatham (City) C: Dave Benson, Heritage Coordinator Heritage Chatham-Kent P:\RTC\Planning Services\2012\Mar 25-13 Ontario Heritage Act - Intent to Designate
APPENDIX A DESIGNATION REPORT THE SNOOK BLOCK 16 KING STREET WEST CHATHAM Description of Property The Snook Block property is located at 16 King Street West, Chatham. The legal description of the property is Part of Lot 81, Old Survey, in the City of Chatham in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. The property consists of a substantial c. 1895 brick three storey commercial building with late Victorian and neo-classical architectural details. Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest Historical/Associative (OHA Reg 9/06): Thomas Snook operated a grocery business in Chatham at least as early 1882. By 1892, Snook & Sons is recorded as operating a grocery at this location on King Street. Thomas, however, died later in the 1890s and, by 1900 the grocery was under the proprietorship of Edwin (E.R.) Snook whose name the building bears. The Snook grocery business remained in this location, eventually being taken over by Edwin A. Snook, until the late 1920s. The building has associations to height of downtown commercial activity on King Street at the turn of the 20 th century, being a part of a thriving commercial block east of Market Square that hosted a hotel, two grocery businesses, a hardware store, fruit store, furniture maker, watchmaker, tailors and dressmakers.
APPENDIX A Design/Physical (OHA Reg 9/06): The Snook Block is an extremely well preserved example of a stylish late Victorian commercial building that reflects the prosperity of downtown merchants at the turn of the 19 th century. The building is of brick construction with a flat, three storey decorative street façade that includes restrained late Victorian/Edwardian architectural influence combined with very refined neo-classical detailing. Contextual: The building is an important component of larger, well preserved commercial block of architecturally diverse and interesting structures that dominate the streetscape of the south-eastern end of King Street West, all having been built in the last quarter of the 19 th century. Due to the removal over time of other contemporary buildings to the north, east and west of this block, and to the fact that this block is situated on a major intersection (King Street and William Street), the remaining buildings constitute a rare surviving commercial complex and one that is visually dominant from virtually all directions. Description of Heritage Attributes/Character Defining Elements Key elements of the Snook Block that contribute to its value as a well preserved example of a late 19 th century Victorian commercial building include: Exterior- Street Front Facade: Brick stretcher bond construction Complex neo-classical broken front cornice with brackets surmounting dentilated details Parthenon-shaped central pediment with dentilated details surmounting the cornice Central name panel E.R. SNOOK in raised lettering within a rectangular panel with cove-cut corners. Swag and tassel frieze detail (probably of pressed iron) surmounting decorative bracketed/dentil brickwork Stone banding of differing widths Inset brick panels between second and third storey window openings Five bay second and third storey façade Second and third storey window placement Second and third storey window casements
APPENDIX A Arcaded stone and brick decorative headers surrounding inset brick panels surmounting third storey windows Flat raise rectangular brick columns with carved stone capitals flanking third storey window openings Arcaded brick and stone headers with keystone over second story window openings Stone window sills incorporated into banding on second and third storeys Built up cornice division between first and second storey Early electric lights (5) on front façade. Contextual: Key elements of the Snook Block property that support its contextual is: Its visual and physical connection to the other contemporary commercial buildings that, together, for a cohesive and well preserved late Victorian commercial block Its location near the corner of King Street & William Street Sources: Chatham City Directories, 1870-1940
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX B 77-79 LANSDOWNE AVE, CHATHAM PREAMBLE 77-79 Lansdowne Ave. has architectural significance due to it being a relatively early (late 19 th century) example of a duplex. The building has had a new roof and, at some point, any original chimneys have been removed. The roof line itself appears original. The windows have also been replaced with modern glass although the size and location of the windows is original. Likewise, the front doors appear to be modern replacements but their positions are unchanged. The original basement window openings have been bricked in. It has some decorative elements remaining in the front gables and the porch although there is a strong likelihood that the ball & stick decoration on the centre gable and porch was also originally included on the flanking gables. The decorative treatment would also have extended to the two side gables.
APPENDIX B DESIGNATION REPORT 77-79 Lansdowne Ave, Chatham Description of Property The property is located at 77-79 Lansdowne Avenue, Chatham. The legal description of the property is Lot 32, Plan 266, in the City of Chatham in the Municipality of Chatham- Kent. The property consists of a c. 1890 brick two-storey duplex residence with Gothic Revival influence. Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest Historical/Associative (OHA Reg 9/06): The property is associated with the commercial and urban development of Chatham in the fourth quarter of the 19 th century. The duplex is a decidedly urban architectural form. Although today duplex buildings are usually owned or rented by un-connected individuals or families, in the 19 th century they were usually constructed as a single family owned home that was divided into separate private living spaces for different members of the family. This was often done to take advantage of economies of scale (e.g. building one larger duplex home was less expensive than building two smaller separate residences) or to provide private quarters for aging or widowed parents. An early c. 1860s duplex built by two Dolsen brothers exists on Adelaide Street in Chatham where the brothers families each occupied half the house. Similarly, this house was occupied from around 1900 to 1911 by the Tobey (Toby) family. Mrs. Annie Tobey was a widow with a number of presumably children who boarded with her on Stanley Ave. in the early 1890s. At some point between 1892 and 1900 the family relocated to Lansdowne Avenue, which was developing as a residential area at that time. Through most of the first decade of the 20 th century, the property, listed only as 77 Lansdowne, was occupied by the Tobey family that included widow Annie; Fred, a teacher; Ida, a telegraph operator; Robert, a bookkeeper; and L.R. Tobey, a clerk at Trudell & Tobey, men s furnishers. Following the
APPENDIX B Tobey residency, the property became home to the Weir family which was composed of John Weir, another John Weir listed as an Electrician, and Zena Weir, a stenographer. The house, in its duplex design, hence, is a significant reflection of a family structure and economics at the turn of the century. The two blocks of the duplex did not have separate addresses until 1939. Design/Physical (OHA Reg 9/06): This property is a well-preserved example of a stylish middle class duplex residence built c. 1890 when Chatham was beginning to experience significant growth and economic prosperity, at the turning point from a pioneer settlement to a commercial and industrial centre. The house is of brick construction with a symmetrical façade with two central doors within a covered and decoratively embellished porch surmounted by an inset window below a similarly decorated central gable. These central features are flanked by symmetrical wings that protrude from the centre, each surmounted by a steep pitched gable. Contextual: The building forms part of a very linear and uniformed streetscape along Lansdowne Ave. that developed around the turn-of-the-century with each house having a nearly identical setback to the street and sharing a common height, the vertical consistency broken only by the occasional infill structure.
APPENDIX B Description of Heritage Attributes/Character Defining Elements Key elements of 77-79 Lansdowne Ave. that contribute to its value as a well-preserved example of an 1890s middle class duplex residence include: Exterior: Complex roofline combining a hipped shape with steep and medium pitched gables Red brick construction of stretcher bond construction Double front entrance with separate doors and casements Glazed transoms surmounting entrance doors Window placement Window casements Plain lug window sills
APPENDIX B Slightly arched brick headers over window openings Decorative bargeboard gable trim incorporating carved sunbursts in the gable peaks and pierced crosses in lower round terminals Ball & dowel trim in centre front gable and porch Decorative brackets on porch Open porch with square chamfered supporting columns
APPENDIX B
APPENDIX B Contextual: Key elements of 77-79 Lansdowne Ave. that support its contextual value are: Its set-back on the block consistent with the surrounding residences. Its key presence in a streetscape that has been largely unchanged since the early 20 th century. Sources: Chatham City Directories 1880s to present Chatham Panoramic Map 1895
APPENDIX C DESIGNATION REPORT EFFIE JACKSON S TEA HOUSE & ICE CREAM PARLOUR 183 KING STREET EAST CHATHAM Preamble: This property has historical and nostalgic associations as well as contextual significance in this historic community. Architecturally, the structure, presently used as a residence, is a standard turn of the century frame house with no apparent architectural significance. The house retains its original roofline but it has been re-sided, windows and doors have been altered, and any interesting architectural detail has been either hidden or removed.
APPENDIX C DESIGNATION REPORT EFFIE JACKSON S TEA HOUSE & ICE CREAM PARLOUR 183 KING STREET EAST CHATHAM Description of Property The Effie Jackson Tea House & Ice Cream Parlour property is located at 183 King Street East, Chatham. The legal description of the property is: Part of Lot 33, Block L, Old Survey, in the City of Chatham in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. The property consists of a frame, vinyl sided two storey front gable residence in a basic vernacular style. c. 1900. Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest Historical/Associative (OHA Reg 9/06): The property was originally part of the Wilberforce Educational Institute lands and was sold to Mr. David Lee who operated a draying business and a trucking company on King Street East in the early 1900s. It was later the home of Charles Lee and then of Mrs. Effie Lee Jackson, a widow and brother of David Lee. Mrs. Jackson was a pioneer female Black entrepreneur in Chatham and ran a popular business from this property, known as Effie Jackson s Ice Cream Parlour from 1925 until the early 1930s. It is also remembered as a tea house and restaurant. Later in the 1930s, the house was occupied by Effie s son, Harold, who was an electrician, radio, and later, television repairman.
APPENDIX C Design/Physical (OHA Reg 9/06): The Jackson Ice Cream Parlour is a simple frame, front gable, turn of the century vernacular home of simple two storey rectangular form with a lower extension on the rear. Contextual: The house and neighbouring brick three storey general store are all that remain in a once commercially active section of the community that included schools and several grocery stores. Description of Heritage Attributes/Character Defining Elements: Exterior: Roofline Window and door placement Contextual: Key elements of Effie s Ice Cream Parlour that support its contextual significance are: Closeness to the road Location next to the Cherry Block building. Sources: -Gwendolyn and John Robinson Seek The Truth: A Story of Chatham s Black Community, 1990 -Chatham City Directories 1877-1950 -Land Registry Records
APPENDIX D DESIGNATION REPORT THE CHERRY BLOCK 187 KING STREET EAST CHATHAM Preamble: This property has strong historical associations and significance as well as contextual importance in this historically significant community. Architecturally, the style is restrained and relatively un-altered. The windows have been modernized but the openings and casements are original. Some original windows and doors have been filled in but their locations are clearly visible. The first floor front storefront has been modernized but it still retains large glass windows and the essence of the original storefront. The front façade of the building would have had a built up wood cornice or crown along the top of the roofline, possibly accentuated with brackets. The rear extension is likely fairly early and may even be original to the building although it has siding making it hard to identify any significant details. The Chatham City Directory from 1894 lists Isaac Holden as having a grocery on the corner of King Street East and Princess Street. Holden was an important Black abolitionist, entrepreneur, and civic leader. Based on land registry documents, however, it would seem that Mr. Holden s business was on the southeast corner of King and Princess and not at 187 King Street East.
APPENDIX D DESIGNATION REPORT THE CHERRY BLOCK 187 KING STREET EAST CHATHAM Description of Property The Cherry Block property is located at 187 King Street East, Chatham. The legal description of the property is Property ID Number: Part of Lot 33, Block L, Old Survey, in the City of Chatham in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent. The property consists of a brick three storey commercial building in a restrained Italianate style, c. 1896. Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest Historical/Associative (OHA Reg 9/06): The property is one of the few remaining commercial buildings that remain in East Chatham, an internationally significant settlement that, prior to the American Civil War, was home to many prominent Black abolitionist leaders, writers, religious leaders, and businessmen. The substantial brick three storey building reflects the increasing affluence of black entrepreneurs in Chatham in the decades following the Civil War. It has operated as a community grocery/variety store for over 115 years (as of 2012).
APPENDIX D The property was originally part of the Wilberforce Educational Institute lands and was sold to Laura Cherry (nee Jacobs) in 1896. Laura had married Charles Thurman Cherry, a Black entrepreneur from North Carolina and Chicago, in 1893. The Cherrys appear to have built the building and operated it as a grocery until Mr. Cherry s death in the mid- 1930s. The building has continued to be used as a grocery/community variety store. Design/Physical (OHA Reg 9/06): The Cherry Block is a well preserved example of a commercial block building with residences above, dating from the third quarter of the 19 th century. The structure is of brick construction with three floors with a flat, decorative front façade in a restrained Italianate style facing King Street East. The building is rectangular with stepped parapet sides with a one storey framed and sided extension to the rear. Contextual: The building has strong visual prominence due to its height and massing on a corner lot surrounded by lower primarily residential homes. Description of Heritage Attributes/Character Defining Elements Key elements of the Cherry Block that contribute to its value as a well preserved example of a late 19 th century commercial building include: Exterior: Unusual stretcher bond brick construction with irregularly spaced header courses. Four step parapet façade on east and west elevations Window and door placement in brick section Window and door casements in brick section Stone lug window sills Raised brick voussoirs over windows on east (Princess Street) elevation Four bay second and third floor front façade with arched window casements Slightly raised arcaded brick window surrounds with dentil detail below sills on front façade. Decorative brick frieze with dentils on front facade
APPENDIX D Contextual: Key elements of the Cherry Block that support its contextual significance are: Corner location (King Street East and Princess Street) Placement with respect to roads and sidewalk Height and massing in relation surrounding buildings and its rear extension. Sources: -Gwendolyn and John Robinson Seek The Truth: A Story of Chatham s Black Community, 1990 -Chatham City Directories 1877-1945 -Land Registry Records
APPENDIX D Photographs of Character Defining Elements: Stretcher bond construction with irregularly spaced header course, brick voussoir, lug window sill, original window placement and opening. Decorative frieze, dentillated detail, arcaded windows with arched brick headers and dentil detail under sills.
Stepped parapet side. APPENDIX D