Report to: Development Services Committee                                  Report Date: April 22, 2008

 

 

SUBJECT:                          Request to relocate the Thomas H. Bruels House from

                                            12049 Hwy 48, Whitchurch-Stouffville to Markham Heritage Estates

 

APPLICANT:                     Hala and Steve Palubiski

 

PREPARED BY:               Peter Wokral, ext. 7955

                                            Regan Hutcheson, ext 2080

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the proposed relocation of the Thomas H. Bruels House from Whitchurch-Stouffville to Markham Heritage Estates be refused, as it does not meet the required Markham Heritage Estates eligibility requirements for the relocation of a building from outside the municipal boundaries;

 

THAT the Town of Markham encourage the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville to preserve the Thomas H. Bruels House and ensure its incorporatation into any proposed redevelopment of the property.

 

AND THAT a copy of this report and its recommendations be forwarded to the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville.

 

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Markham Heritage Estates is the Town of Markham’s heritage subdivision - an innovative heritage conservation initiative to protect Markham buildings of cultural heritage value.  Upon Council approval, heritage dwellings that are under serious threat of loss can be relocated to a lot and restored.   Mr. and Mrs. Palubiski would like to relocate the Thomas H. Bruels house to the Estates from Whitchurch-Stouffville and have the authorization of the owners Belt Line Investments Ltd.  The Palubiskis contacted Heritage Staff regarding their proposal and it was referred to Heritage Markham for feedback.

 

The Bruels House is one and a half storey brick farmhouse constructed circa 1895 located at 12049 Hwy. 48 in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville.  Up until 1971, the land that the house occupies was part of the Township of Markham.  The current owners of the house, Beltline Investments Ltd., have submitted a demolition application for the house to the Town of Whitchurch Stouffville but are willing to let the Palubiskis remove the house from the property.  Members of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville’s Planning staff and their Municipal Heritage Committee support relocating the house to the Estates, as a means of preserving it.

 

A research report on the Bruels House was prepared by  Markham staff and the house was examined using two separate Town of Markham evaluation systems.  Existing Town policy requires candidate buildings to be located within the current boundaries of the Town, but that Council may give consideration to threatened buildings in the former Township of Markham on a case-by-case basis subject to meeting specific criteria.  It was determined that the house had architectural and historical significance, and it is threatened, but its relocation to Markham Heritage Estates is not supported for the following reasons:

 

  • the building is not located within the current Town of Markham boundaries;
  • the building is not considered to be of Regional Significance;
  • the building did not score at least 85 points on the Town’s Threatened Building Evaluation criteria;
  • there are very few lots left at Markham Heritage Estates and many potentially threatened buildings located within Markham

 

Staff and Heritage Markham are of the opinion that the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville should preserve and incorporate the Bruels House into the redevelopment of the site it currently occupies.

 

The Palubiski’s have been encouraged to find another house suitable for their needs within Markham’s current municipal boundaries to relocate to Markham Heritage Estates.  The Palubiskis remain determined to relocate and preserve the Bruels House in Markham Heritage Estates.  They have requested a Council decision on the proposed relocation of the Bruels House to Markham Heritage Estates.

 

 

 

1. Purpose                     2. Background                      3. Discussion                        4. Financial        

 

5. Others (Environmental, Accessibility, Engage 21st, Affected Units)             6. Attachment(s)

 

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to consider the potential relocation of the Thomas H. Bruels House from Whitchurch-Stouffville to Markham Heritage Estates

 

 

BACKGROUND:

Markham Heritage Estates was established to provide a preservation option of last resort for Markham threatened heritage resources

Markham Heritage Estates is a specially designed heritage subdivision that was established by the Town of Markham in 1988.  This unique initiative provides a location for relocation and preservation of significant heritage resources, which can no longer be preserved on their original sites.  Consistent with good heritage conservation practice, the relocation of heritage buildings to the Estates is intended to be an option of last resort.  All options to retain structures on their original sites or at an alternate site nearby must be exhausted before a dwelling can be considered for relocation.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Palubiski want to relocate a house to Markham Heritage Estates

The Palubiskis have approached the Town regarding the potential for relocating the Thomas H. Bruels House located at 12049 Hwy. 48 to Markham Heritage Estates.

 

 

 

The Bruels House is located in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville and is threatened by redevelopment

The Bruels House is located on the east side of Hwy. 48 in the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, just south of the crossroads community of Ringwood. (See Figures 2-5)  Up until 1971 the property was in the Township of Markham.

 

The house is situated immediately north of new “Big Box” commercial development and has been vacant since April of 2007.  The property is currently zoned rural, although the Town of Whitchurch–Stouffville’s Official Plan designates the property as a Business Park area.  The current owner of the property, Beltline Investment Ltd, recently submitted a demolition permit for the house on March 26, 2008 (See Appendix ‘A’).  The house is in very good physical condition and is not threatened by a road widening or neglect, but Beltline Investments Ltd is actively marketing the property without any mention of the Bruels House, and is hoping to re-zone the property for Prestige Industrial uses (See Appendix ‘B’).  The Palubiskis have contacted Beltline Investments Ltd. and they are willing to let the Palubiskis have the house and remove it from the site to facilitate redevelopment of the land.

 

The house is identified in Whitchurch-Stouffville’s Inventory of Heritage Buildings.

Although the house is identified in Whitchurch-Stouffville’s Inventory of Heritage Buildings, it is not protected through designation.  A report prepared for the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville in 2000 by Unterman McPhail Associates recommended the designation of the house under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act and its integration into the future redevelopment of Ringwood.  Since that time, the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville has not acted on the recommendations contained in that report.

 

Whitchurch-Stouffville has not acted to preserve the house

The Palubiskis have been in contact with Whitchurch-Stouffville’s Planning Department and have approached the Town’s Municipal Heritage Committee in January 2008 about the potential of relocating the house to Markham Heritage Estates.  Their Heritage Committee supported the relocation of the house to the Estates as a means of preserving the house and advised the Palubiskis to seek permission from Markham. 

 

The Palubiskis requested feedback from Markham regarding relocation to the Estates

At the February 13, 2008 meeting of Heritage Markham, the Palubiskis requested feedback from the committee about the appropriateness of relocating the house to the Estates.  The Committee informed the Palubiskis that the Town has specific eligibility policies regarding the relocation of buildings to Markham Heritage Estates including strict policies for threatened buildings located outside of Markham, but within the old Township of Markham boundaries.  This is due to the significant number of potentially threatened heritage buildings in Markham.

 

Heritage Markham requested staff to produce a research report on the Bruels House and to formally evaluate the dwelling in order to properly determine its significance and eligibility.

 

The Bruels House has some historical and architectural significance

Research on this specific dwelling (see Appendix “C”) was undertaken and the following is noted:

Historical

  • Johan and Hannah Bruels bought the land in 1834 and it became their homestead property although their house no longer exists
  • They were Germans who came to Markham in 1828 through England and the US
  • Charter members of the First Congregational Church.
  • Subject house likely built in the 1890s for Thomas Henry Bruels, a grandson of Johan.
  • Suspect the house was built by Nathan Forsythe, a prominent builder in Stouffville.
  • Other noted owners: Eugene Bruels who served in WWI and Dr. Alexander Bruels who served in the Army in 1946.

 

Architectural

  • 1 ½ storey, brick veneered , late 19th C vernacular farmhouse, L-shape plan
  • red-orange local brick; some brick replacement on walls
  • existing veranda is a 20th C alteration, paint outline on wall illustrates former veranda height and design
  • all windows have been replaced with vinyl units; original chimneys removed.
  • projecting bay has large window openings with semi-elliptical arched tops; treatment of brick window arches reminiscent of Queen Anne style (found in Toronto and not common in Markham)
  • historic door
  • interior heritage features appear intact (trim, baseboards, floors, wainscoting)
  • simplicity (absence of decorative architectural features)

 

Overall the house appeared in excellent physical condition.

 

Markham Staff have formally evaluated the Bruels House

The house was evaluated using two different Town approved evaluation systems:

 

Evaluating Heritage Resources in the Town of Markham

The first evaluation system used was approved by Council in 1991 and is designed to gauge the historical, architectural and contextual significance of the built heritage resource from a Markham perspective.  Two members of staff and two members of Heritage Markham evaluated the house.  Using this system the house achieved a score of 64.6 points making it a Group 2 building - “Significant and worthy of preservation” (See Appendix ‘D’).  As a Group 2 building (if located in Markham), designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act would be encouraged, and incorporation into any proposed redevelopment would be pursued. 

 

Eligibility of Potentially Threatened Buildings Rating System

Heritage Staff also evaluated the house using a system created specifically for evaluating and ranking potentially threatened buildings, given the limited number of lots remaining at the Estates.  This approach was adopted by Council in 2004 as part of the Markham Heritage Estates Threatened Buildings Study.  The specific evaluation criteria address the threat of loss, the building’s significance and how it relates to buildings already in the subdivision.  The evaluation acknowledges the building is threatened and has architectural significance.  It also noted that the style is rare in Heritage Estates, but that a very similar building already exists in the Estates at 10 Wismer Place (See Appendix ‘G’)

 

The Bruels House achieved a score of 76/100 (See Appendix ‘E’).  Buildings outside of Markham need to achieve a minimum score of  85 and above to meet one of the eligibility factors.

 

Council’s policy indicates that in order for a building formerly located in Markham Township to be considered for the Estates, it must:

·        score 85 points or over using the Evaluation Criteria for Scoring Threatened Buildings,

·        must be of Regional Significance; and

·        Council must be satisfied that there are no more appropriate buildings contained within Markham’s current boundaries that are more threatened or suitable for relocation.

 

The ultimate decision on relocation will continue to be at the discretion of Markham Council, having regard for recommendations of staff and Heritage Markham.

 

Heritage Markham does not support the relocation

Based on a review of the eligibility criteria for Markham Heritage Estates, and the results of the evaluations, Heritage Markham did not support the potential relocation of the Bruels House to the Estates at its March 12, 2008 meeting (See Appendix F).

 

The Palubiskis wish to pursue the relocation of the house

The Palubiskis wish to continue to pursue the potential relocation of the Bruels house to Markham Heritage Estates to ensure its preservation.  They have requested the opportunity to address Council on this issue.  In response, staff prepared this report.

 

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

Markham is committed to preserving its heritage resources

The Town of Markham’s record for preserving its heritage resources on their original sites or within a development site is exemplary.  The Town has been careful to ensure that only those Markham resources which are genuinely threatened, and significant, with no other possibilities of preservation elsewhere are eligible for relocation to the subdivision.

 

Markham Council has also provided a substantial financial commitment to both initially develop Markham Heritage Estates and to subsidize the individual lot prices.  Markham has also encouraged neighbouring municipalities to protect and preserve their own heritage resources within their own boundaries and to not look to Markham Heritage Estates as a solution.

 

There remain approximately 85 potentially threatened buildings contained within Markham’s current boundaries

The 2004 Markham Heritage Estates Subdivision Study of Potentially Threatened Buildings identified approximately 130 potentially threatened buildings within Markham’s current boundaries.  Since that time, approximately 45 buildings have been taken off that list.  This has been accomplished through Part IV designations and incorporating buildings into redevelopment.  Some threatened buildings have been relocated to Heritage Estates and some have been demolished.

 

Heritage resources are threatened outside Markham, but within the boundaries of the former Township of Markham

Although the objective of the Estates is to preserve significant and threatened buildings within the present day boundaries of Markham, in the late 1990s, Council made two exceptions for houses located in Richmond Hill, which were once located in the former Markham Township.  In both cases, the houses were considered to possess regional historical significance and Council deviated from its ‘Markham-only’ policy.

 

The 2004 study of threatened buildings found 32 potentially threatened buildings outside of Markham (Richmond Hill and Whitchurch-Stouffville), but within the former boundaries of the Markham Township.  This evaluation revealed that a number were of regional significance and scored very high as they were unique and rare landmark buildings.  To address these buildings, Council agreed to consider up to 2 additional buildings from this area for the Estates subject to the selected dwellings meeting the strict eligibility criteria as previously detailed in this report.

 

There are only 13 lots remaining in Markham Heritage Estates

If the Bruels House is permitted to be relocated to the Estates it will take a building lot away from one of the approximately 85 or so potentially threatened buildings contained within Markham’s current municipal boundaries. 

 

The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville has the ability to protect the house

Given that Belt Line Investments Ltd. has submitted a demolition permit application for the Bruels house, it is likely to disappear in the next few months unless the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville designates it under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, or it is relocated.  The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville has the ability to protect this heritage resource and incorporate it into the re-development of Ringwood and it should be urged to do so. 

 

 

The Bruels House should not be relocated to Markham Heritage Estates

Although Staff and Heritage Markham concluded that the Bruels House is an important heritage resource in terms of its architecture and its association with the former Township of Markham, based on the evaluations undertaken and Town policy, the house does not meet the criteria necessary to merit its relocation into Heritage Estates.    Namely that the house does not have regional significance, it did not score the necessary 85 points in the evaluation, and there remain a significant number of buildings contained within Markham’s current boundaries that are potentially threatened. 

 

If relocation is approved, a specific lot should allocated

Should Council wish to permit the relocation of the Bruels House to the Estates, final lot selection should be delegated to Heritage Section Staff.  Due to the significant number of potentially threatened buildings remaining in the Town of Markham and their diversity, it is important ensure that a variety of different sized lots would remain available for Markham buildings.  Lot 3 or 35 would be appropriate and accommodate the Bruels House.

 

Conclusion

The relocation of the Bruels House from Whitchurch-Stouffville to Markham Heritage Estates does not meet the required Markham Heritage Estates eligibility requirements for the relocation of a building from outside the municipal boundaries and should not be supported.  Specifically:

 

  • the building is not located within the Town of Markham boundaries;
  • the Building did not score at least 85 points on the Town’s Threatened Building Evaluation criteria
  • the building is not considered to be of regional significance to warrant consideration;
  • there are very few lots left at Markham Heritage Estates and many potentially threatened buildings located within Markham

 

The Town of Markham should encourage the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville to preserve and incorporate the Bruels House into any proposed redevelopment of the property.

 

 

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The conservation of heritage structures is environmentally sustainable in that it preserves embodied energy, prevents the diversion of construction waste into landfills, and reduces the need to expend energy to build new dwellings.

 

 

ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:

Not applicable

 

 

 

ENGAGE 21ST CONSIDERATIONS:

The preservation of Markham’s architectural past helps build a character community.

 

 

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Not applicable

 

 

RECOMMENDED BY:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valerie Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.

Director of Planning & Urban Design

 

 

Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.

Commissioner of Development Services

 

 

 

Q:\Development\Heritage\PROPERTY\HWY48\12049\Revised April 15 2008 report to DSC.doc

 

 

 

 

ATTACHMENTS:

 

 

Figure 1:                     Owner Information and Location Map

Figures 2-5:                Photographs of the Thomas H. Bruels House

Figure 6:                     Photographs comparing 10 Wismer Place to 12049 Hwy. 48

 

Appendix ‘A’             Whitchurch-Stooffville Demolition Permit Application

Appendix ‘B’             Information on development potential of 12049 Hwy. 48

Appendix ‘C’             Markham Research Report

Appendix ‘D’             Markham Heritage Buildgins Evaluation Worksheets

Appendix ‘E’              Evaluation Criteria for relocation of buildings to Markham Heritage

                                  Estates

Appendix ‘F’              Heritage Markham Extract March 12, 2008

 

 

FIGURE 1

 

FILE PATH:   Q:\Development\Heritage\PROPERTY\HWY48\12049\Revised April 15 2008 report to DSC.doc

 

 

OWNER:                                Belt Line Investments Ltd.

                                                181 University Avenue

                                                Toronto, ON

                                                M5H 3M7

                                                (416) 346-5633 Tel

 

AGENT:                                 Dale & Lessmann LLP

                                                (416) 520-2267 Tel

 

OTHER INTEREST:            Mr. and Mrs. Palubiski

                                                61 Randall Avenue

                                                Markham, ON

                                                L3S 1E1

 

LOCATION MAP: