Chapter 5

Regulations for tall building design

The building of great streets requires that each new building along its length excels in its own right, is of an appropriate scale, respects adjacent open spaces, buildings, residents and businesses, and contributes to a safe, comfortable and interesting pedestrian environment. To ensure tall buildings contribute to great city building and to the development of great streets Downtown, this chapter introduces seventeen Regulations which establish a framework within which each applicant will prepare designs for new tall buildings. The intent of these Regulations is to ensure the cumulative impact of new tall buildings positively contribute to the Downtown as a comfortable, cosmopolitan, vibrant, and diverse place. These Regulations are to be read in conjunction with the Downtown Vision, which identifies the appropriate locations, typologies and heights of tall buildings within Downtown’s framework of High Streets and Secondary High Streets. All Regulations apply to all tall buildings unless otherwise noted as an “Exception” within the regulation.

72 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

5.1

Guiding principles Tall buildings relate to the street in a number of ways. The lower storeys relate directly to the sidewalk and the immediate public realm. They have the greatest influence on the experience of the pedestrian walking past the building along the street. This aspect of the building, known as the podium, is a key element which ensures that the building achieves a desirable pedestrian experience, relates appropriately with immediately adjacent buildings, and creates a safe, interesting and comfortable streetscape. The podium provides a sense of enclosure, continuity, and articulation at the pedestrian scale, creating a comfortably proportioned pedestrian environment. Above the podium is the tower of the tall building. The design, scale and orientation of the tower affects the amount of sunlight and shadows that reach the street, sky views, and wind impacts. Towers also have direct impacts on one another and people living within them.

Matters of light, sky views and privacy must be resolved to ensure that one tall building does not negatively impact another on an adjacent site, or prohibit a building from being constructed in the future on an adjacent property. In addition to reviewing the design of the building itself, it is important to understand the potential impact of the tower on adjacent areas. Tall building towers should be set back from stable low rise areas. The location and design of tall buildings should not negatively impact designated First and Second Tier Parks and open spaces, obstruct the foreground or silhouette of Landmark Views, or visually impede the setting of listed or designated heritage buildings. The following is a set of proposed Regulations that have been developed to support excellence in urban design and architecture and to strengthen the new Downtown Vision. These regulations will ensure that new tall buildings will support a safe, active and attractive streetscape and enhance the quality of life of people living and working Downtown.

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

73

Regulations Podiums

Regulation #1: Tall buildings will include a podium built to the property line that extends the length of the site on all street frontages. The façade of the podium will generally align with adjacent building façades, parallel to the street, with some strategic setbacks permitted for covered walkways and building entrances to create architectural interest. Regulation #2: The minimum height for the base building of tall buildings will be 3 storeys, and the maximum height will be a 1:1 ratio to the width of the street allowance. To ensure greater sunlight penetration on the sidewalk across the street, the main front wall can be no higher than 80% of the width of the street allowance before applying a 3m setback to the remainder of the base building height. If a tall building site fronts onto more than one street, the base building should be massed to address both frontages, giving prominence to the corner. Regulation #3: Street level façades of tall buildings will display a high degree of permeability between interior and exterior space through the use of transparent windows and doors that provide clear and unobstructed views into and out from ground floor uses. At least 60% of the frontage on High Streets between 0.5m and 3m in height must be glazed and transparent. Regulation #4: tall building podiums will be lined with active street-related retail uses on street segments identified as Priority Retail Streets to encourage activity and natural surveillance. At least 60% of the total building frontage on such street segments must contain active street-related retail uses. Lobbies should be limited in width.

Regulation #5: The minimum height for grade-related retail and other non-residential uses associated with tall buildings along High Streets is 4.5m, measured floor to floor. Regulation #6: Entrances to tall buildings will be clearly defined with maximum visibility to ensure ease of access directly from the street, and free of obstructions. Architectural treatment and, where appropriate, landscaping should be used to accentuate entrances, and to differentiate between residential and commercial entrances in mixed-use buildings. Each retail store in a building must be identifiable and accessible from the sidewalk. Regulation #7: Tall building podiums will be designed to include human scale treatment of building mass, materials, texture and composition. Façades should be well articulated with an interplay of rhythm between transparent glass and solid materials. Pedestrian weather protection will be provided along High Streets, particularly over entrances to residential and retail uses. Blank walls will be avoided, and if necessary must be well articulated. Air vents and mechanical equipment will not be located adjacent to the public realm. Colonnades are discouraged. Regulation #8: Streetscaping and landscaping elements such as street trees, street furniture, lighting, soft landscaping, seating and public art should be used to activate building façades, soften building contours, highlight important architectural features, screen less attractive elements, add colour, texture and visual interest, and provide shade. Regulation #9: Locate and access parking, loading, service areas, and utilities primarily from a lane or at the rear of the building so as not to conflict with pedestrian-oriented activities.

74 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

75

Regulation #1: Tall buildings will include a podium built to the property line that extends the length of the site on all street frontages. The façade of the podium will generally align with adjacent building façades, parallel to the street, with some strategic setbacks permitted for covered walkways and building entrances to create architectural interest. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Zoning By-law, Site Plan Criteria, and Design Guidelines

Rationale - One of the most important aspects of successful urban streets is a degree of enclosure and articulation of the building edge. Sheer tower faces that are uninterrupted to street level can create an oppressive and distorted sense of pedestrian scale. They may also generate uncomfortable pedestrian wind conditions, disregard the surrounding context, and loom uncomfortably over the public realm. Podiums provide definition and an appropriate pedestrian scale for adjacent streets. They ensure a contiguous streetscape and integrate the building with existing adjacent buildings. Existing Policy Support - The Official Plan states that buildings should be massed to frame adjacent streets in a way that respects and supports the existing and/or planned street proportions. The podium should provide definition and support at an appropriate scale for adjacent streets, parks and open spaces, and integrate with adjacent buildings (3.1.3.1a). Buildings are to be located parallel to the street with a consistent front yard setback. On a corner site, the development should be located along both adjacent street frontages and give prominence to the corner (3.1.2.1a). The Design Criteria for Review of Tall building Proposals (the “Design Criteria”) require podiums of new tall buildings to recognize and integrate with the prevailing and planned context of building massing and the characteristics of the street. The Design Criteria include illustrations showing a podium that extends the length of the site that is in line with adjacent buildings and expressive of the existing context (2.1).

76 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Jazz on Church Street

Regency Yorkville on Bay Street

Precedent City Research - All six of the Precedent Cities studied have requirements for podiums that extend the length of the site and are built to the existing street wall line. Boston requires the street wall to align with at least 80% of existing building alignment of the block on which the property fronts. Calgary requires the street wall to align with adjacent building walls, typically built to the front property line in commercial areas. In Chicago, the entire façade must be within 1.2 m of the sidewalk, excluding parks, walkways and recessed entries. In New York the podium must be built to the existing street wall line. In San Francisco, structures are built to the front property line along the entire frontage. These precedents reinforce our conclusion that having a consistent street wall line, particularly in commercial areas, is desirable. It fosters a comfortable and continuous pedestrian environment.

Exception – Landscaped Setback Form: The front face of the building must be set back a minimum of 6m from the public right of way, and buffered with landscaping treatments. A softer continuous edge is considered to be more desirable. Podiums are still required, but will be set back from the street.

Test Site Analysis - Of the 25 test tall buildings studied (the “Test Sites”), over 80% of those not located in Canyon areas have some form of podium built to the existing street wall line. The conclusion was drawn that the Test Sites with podiums make a better contribution to the public realm than those without podiums. 10 Bellair is an excellent example of a building where the front face of the podium aligns to adjacent buildings and runs the entire length of the site along Bloor Street, creating a strong street edge. The Spire, on the other hand, does not include a podium. Where the tower comes down directly into the street, it creates an uncomfortable pedestrian realm.

Exception – Secondary High Streets: On Secondary High Streets where retail uses are not located at grade, the front face of the building will be set back a minimum of 3m from the public right of way, and buffered with landscaping treatments. A softer continuous edge is considered to be more desirable. Podiums are still required, but will be set back from the street. On Secondary High Streets where ground floor residential uses are located at grade, the 3m setback should contain hard and soft landscaping features. Such design features should ensure that there is a suitable transition from the public sidewalk to the private residential units and that landscaping and other design features are used to augment this transition zone. The setback also allows the ground floor residential units to transition to commercial uses in the future. Exception – Special Cases: In special cases where an applicant can demonstrate that a proposal is more interesting, more appropriate, and of a higher quality design without a podium, the City may make special exceptions. Such proposals should demonstrate that wind conditions will not impact the public realm, that the project enhances rather than detracts from the pedestrian experience, displays great architecture, and is an improvement to the podium condition. Publicly accessible open space is an URBANinSTRATEGIES & HPA appropriate substitute to podiums such specialINC cases.

77

min 3m

min 3 storeys max A max 80% of A A

Regulation #2: The minimum height for the podium of tall buildings will be 3 storeys, and the maximum height will be a 1:1 ratio to the width of the street allowance. To ensure greater sunlight penetration on the sidewalk across the street, the main front wall can be no higher than 80% of the width of the street allowance before applying a 3m setback to the remainder of the base building height. If a tall building site fronts onto more than one street, the podium will be massed to address both frontages, giving prominence to the corner. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Zoning By-law, Site Plan Criteria, and Design Guidelines

78 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Rationale - Podiums define the public realm, create a sense of enclosure, and support the tower. Podiums that are one or two storeys do not strongly enough define and enclose the pedestrian realm. The tower on such a low podium appears bulky in contrast to the podium, and the disparity in the sense of scale results in a less comfortable pedestrian environment. However, podiums which are too large overwhelm the public realm and create a space that is uncomfortable for pedestrians. The sense of scale is distorted, the streetscape appears dark and oppressive, and there is a lack of sunlight penetration and/or sky views at the street level. To further support these findings, the study team undertook an additional study of the shadowing effect of podiums at different heights for different street widths. The study showed that podium heights that are equivalent to the street width with a 3m setback on the upper storeys create optimal pedestrian conditions. The shadow study is detailed in Appendix 3. Using the equinox of September 21st, the study shows that sunlight will reach the street for approximately five hours. As the ratio of podium height to street width increases, and as the setback of the upper floors of the base building decreases, the sidewalks are increasingly shadowed.

18 Yorkville on Yonge Street

King George on King Street

Existing Policy Support - The Official Plan requires podiums for tall buildings with the purpose of defining and supporting adjacent streets at an appropriate scale (3.1.3.1a). The Design Criteria call for a minimum of 11m or 3 storeys and a maximum height that results from taking a 45˚ angular plane from the curb on the opposite side of the street (3.1). As part of its complete application process, the City currently has requirements for sunshadow impact studies. The “Sun, Wind, and Pedestrian Comfort: A Study of Toronto’s Central Area” study by Bosselman et al. (1990) contains principles to protect for sunlight on the opposite side of the street for three to five hours a day, providing comfortable climatic conditions from midmorning to mid-afternoon.

of scale and enclosure. The podium of the Hudson is 12 storeys on King Street where the street width is 20m. This was created in an effort to emulate the warehouse style of development in the district, but from the pedestrian scale the podium is too large and bulky for the King Street frontage. Such a high podium is more appropriate on the Spadina Road frontage, where the street width is 40m.

Precedent City Research - Four of the six Precedent Cities regulate the height of podiums. In Boston, the maximum podium height is 27.5m. In New York the minimum podium height is 4 storeys and the maximum is 1.5 times the width of the fronting street. In San Francisco the maximum podium height is 1 to 1.5 times the width of the fronting street. In Vancouver 21m is the ideal podium height. Each one is different and responds to the unique character of that city. Test Site Analysis - Approximately half of the Test Sites include a podium that is taller than 3 storeys and less than the width of the fronting street. It was concluded from the study that those projects that include such podiums are more successful than those without, and this is the best proportion for Downtown Toronto. For example, the podium of 18 Yorkville is 5 storeys where it fronts onto Yonge Street, creating a comfortable sense

Exception – Canyon Form: On designated Canyon Form street segments, the podium height of new tall buildings may be built to the height of the existing street wall line as defined on page 20. The 80% front wall height regulation does not apply to such segments. Exception – Secondary High Streets: For smaller towers on Secondary High Streets, where residential uses are at grade, a two-storey townhouse-style podium may be appropriate. Exception – Landscaped Setback Form and Secondary High Streets: Where the entire front face of a building is set back 3m, the 80% front wall height regulation does not apply. Exception – Building Articulation: In order to encourage design flexibility, and in conjunction with Regulation #11, a minor portion (up to one third) of the tower may extend straight down to the ground at the front property line, (i.e. the 80% front wall height regulation does not apply to 1/3 of the tower frontage).

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

79

Regulation #3: Street level façades of tall buildings will display a high degree of permeability between interior and exterior space through the use of transparent windows and doors that provide clear and unobstructed views into and out from ground floor uses. At least 60% of the frontage on High Streets between 0.5m and 3m in height must be glazed and transparent. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Site Plan Criteria, and Design Guidelines

Rationale - Transparent facades at grade level enhance views into and out of buildings. They create visual interest for pedestrians, contribute to the overall sense of liveliness on the street, and improve safety by increasing “eyes on the street”. In recent years, the City has required retail frontages to be provided as part of the approvals process, but enforcement of the transparency of such windows has been challenging. Across Downtown, businesses such as convenience stores and pharmacies cover glass windows and doors with posters, paint, shelving or non-transparent glass, preventing views into the buildings and creating an uninviting pedestrian realm. These opaque contrivances should be prohibited and specifically negotiated with the applicant during the site plan approval process. Existing Policy Support - The Official Plan requires buildings to provide ground floor uses that have views onto adjacent streets (3.1.2(1c)). The Design Criteria call for views to the street for security purposes (4.1). The proposed Regulation quantifies objective criteria to these policies.

80 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Bloor Street West

22 on Wellesley Street

Precedent City Research - All six of the Precedent Cities have provisions for transparent façades at grade. In Boston, tall building projects must have display windows that are glazed and transparent. To a depth of 0.6m behind the street wall, there must be an area for display of goods and services available for purchase. In Calgary, tall buildings must include highly transparent frontages with unobstructed pedestrian views directly into the business for a minimum of 2/3 the façade length. In Chicago, at least 60% of street-facing façade between 1.2 m and 3m in height must be clear non-reflective windows that allow views of interior commercial space or product display areas. In New York, at least 50% of the street wall surface must be glazed and transparent, and no more than 50% of the transparent surface may be obstructed with signs or paint. In San Francisco, the use of clear, untinted glass is encouraged on the first two of three storeys to permit pedestrians a glimpse of the activity within, contributing to the overall sense of liveliness on the street. Vancouver’s guidelines are more relaxed, calling for display windows, lighting and outdoor displays. To varying degrees, each of the six Precedent Cities addresses the importance of having clear views into and out of ground floor uses in order to support pedestrian activity and safety.

Test Site Analysis - Of the Test Sites studied, there are many examples of how transparent frontages contribute to a more animated public realm. 10 Bellair is one of the best examples. The podium along Bloor Street is lined with large glass windows that allow passers-by a clear view into the retail activity within. Along the rear property line facing onto the park, several cafés line the sidewalk with large windows along them, creating a welcoming environment and increasing safety in the park. Even the residential lobby is designed with glass walls. 22 Condominiums on Wellesley has transparent frontage with views into a lobby and lounge area. The Hudson on King Street is another example of a tall building with transparent glass at grade, allowing views into the retail stores, animating the street, and promoting public safety.

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

81

60% min

Regulation #4: Tall building podiums will be lined with active street-related retail uses on street segments identified as Priority Retail Streets to encourage activity and natural surveillance. At least 60% of the total building frontage on such street segments must contain active streetrelated retail uses. Lobbies should be limited in width. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Zoning By-law, Site Plan Criteria, and Design Guidelines

Rationale – Street related retail and active uses animate the street and provide natural surveillance. They become the life blood of streets in a downtown area, helping to make them vital and interesting. Active uses are currently prevalent on most of the High Streets within Downtown, and this is a desirable trend that needs continued policy support. Street segments where retail uses are required at grade are shown on the Priority Retail Street Map on page 23. Most of the streets in the Financial District have been excluded from the Priority Retail Street Map. The grand lobbies and foyers of the office towers are a signature feature of the Financial District, and should continue to prevail in those areas where it currently exists. A narrow rhythm of store frontages generates a more interesting public realm, providing a variety of shopping destinations and activities. When a larger tenancy is planned, the façade should be broken up into bays of narrower widths and multiple entrances should be provided. Lobbies tend to be relatively dead spaces along frontages, lacking visual interest. They should not dominate the street level along High Streets. Retail and commercial uses are preferred as they contribute more to street life.

82 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Bloor Street West

Yonge Street

Existing Policy Support – While the current Official Plan and Design Criteria for Review of Tall Building Proposals do not reference retail streets, the City of Toronto’s former Official Plan showed Central Core Priority Retail Streets. The former Official Plan stated that development on Priority Retail Streets should maximize the frontages available for street related retail and service uses. The intention of the policy was to discourage the creation of opaque facades with blank or empty spaces behind them, such as hallways, large banking lobbies etc. The City continues to recognize Priority Retail Streets in the Downtown and has zoning regulations in place which require development to have street-related retail and service uses for at least 60% of the building frontage abutting the Priority Retail Street. High Streets are, for the most part, already shown as priority retail streets in the zoning by-law. This is a desirable trend that needs continued policy support.

frontages, with a 7.5m guideline based on historic façades. Chicago has designated pedestrian streets on which active uses lining the streets are required. Continuous retail frontages are required in New York on designated retail streets, with a maximum width for lobbies of 12m or 25% of the façade length. To promote active frontages in San Francisco, designated commercial streets are required to have street-facing retail. Office buildings are encouraged to have commercial activity at ground level rather than lobbies to contribute more to street life. Vancouver also has designated retail streets, where individual store frontages must not exceed 8m in width.

Precedent City Research – All six Precedent Cities have some kind of requirement for commercial uses and/or for the amount of frontage required for specified uses. In Boston, lobby widths are limited to 12m in order to promote more active uses at grade. In Calgary’s Beltline, podiums are required to be lined with active uses to encourage activity and natural surveillance. Storefronts with more than 30m of frontage must have two entrances. Façades must incorporate architectural elements that suggest a rhythm of narrower business

Test Site Analysis – Of the Test Sites, more than 90% of those buildings fronting onto High Streets include transparent frontages at grade. All but one project along designated Retail Streets include retail at grade. 22 Condominiums on Wellesley does not include retail. The site is not a tall building site. The Regulations would have required greater side yard setbacks, thereby increasing the frontage on Wellesley and creating more space for retail uses. The projects that include retail create much more interesting frontages and a more engaging public realm. The Prince Arthur on Avenue Road, for example, contains animated retail with window displays at grade. 10 Bellair contains commercial uses on both Bloor Street and Cumberland Street, animating both frontages and contributing the vibrancy of these streets.

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

83

min 4.5m

Regulation #5: The minimum height for grade-related retail and other nonresidential uses associated with tall buildings along High Streets is 4.5m, measured floor to floor. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Zoning by-law and Design Guidelines

Rationale – The height of retail and other non-residential uses at the ground level generally tends to be higher than residential uses. Higher floor to ceiling heights create a generosity of space that is desirable and sometimes essential in a retail or commercial use setting. 4.5m is the height that architects and retail consultants consider to be the minimum height required for marketable flexible retail or commercial services space. This allows for flexible retail that can add ducts for restaurants, and higher space for storage and sales. Having a first floor height of 4.5m or more creates a consistent differentiation of the first floor street retail and establishes a clear presence for retail at street level. In addition, 4.5m is the minimum height for the first floor that allows loading spaces and truck maneuvering to be incorporated within the building at the rear. Existing Policy Support – This is a new Regulation that the study team has developed to assist in ensuring architectural integrity for the podiums of new tall buildings. It is not addressed in any existing policy. Precedent City Research – Only two of the six Precedent Cities have a requirement for the minimum height of the first storey. Both Chicago and New York require a minimum of 4m for grade-related retail uses. These are the two most metropolitan of the Precedent Cities, both with very walkable downtowns and exceptional streetrelated retail.

84 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

18 Yorkville on Yonge Street

BCE Place on Bay Street

Test Site Analysis - Of the 25 Test Sites, over 70% of the projects along High Streets have at least 4.5m for the height of the first storey. Those projects with less than 4.5m do not read as well as those with higher heights. The Met is an example of a project where the first level is too low. The retail appears compressed and is not inviting. On the other hand, the retail at 18 Yorkville, at 4.5m, is a perfectly adequate height. Other buildings contain even higher retail heights, such as 10 Bellair with its prestigious stores and over 6m high ceilings. The Test Site analysis indicates that 4.5m is an appropriate minimum height for the first storey along High Streets and creates a positive relationship with the public realm. Exception – Some Landscaped Setback Form and Secondary High Streets: Where residential uses are at grade, there is no specified ground floor height. See Regulation #1 for details on residential units at grade.

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

85

Regulation #6: Entrances to tall buildings will be clearly defined with maximum visibility to ensure ease of access directly from the street, and free of obstructions. Architectural treatment and, where appropriate, landscaping should be used to accentuate entrances, and to differentiate between residential and commercial entrances in mixeduse buildings. Each retail store in a building must be identifiable and accessible from the sidewalk. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Site Plan Criteria and Design Guidelines

Rationale – Tall building entrances should create an arrival experience and identity for the building. Clear, visible entries and views to the street provide security for building residents and pedestrians on the street. Individual entrances to each use must be provided immediately from the sidewalk to animate the street and encourage pedestrian activity to occur on the street rather than inside the building where they might take their access from an internalized mall. Existing Policy Support – The Official Plan requires main building entrances to be clearly visible and directly accessible from the public sidewalk (3.1.2(1b)). The City’s Zoning By-law stipulates that commercial entrances be within 0.2m of grade measured at street line directly opposite each pedestrian entrance. The City’s Design Criteria for Review of Tall Building Proposals call for primary entrances to be located at grade facing on the public street frontage, emphasized by high quality architecture and landscape treatment (2.2). The proposed Regulation further clarifies and supports these established policies. Precedent City Research – Five of the six Precedent Cities (all except Boston) have provisions for clearly identifiable building entrances, and for entrances to individual uses to be provided directly from the street.

86 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Entrance to CIBC Commerce Court

Entrance to One St. Thomas on Charles Street

For example, Chicago calls for entrances to form a focal element through architectural treatment. Vancouver’s Downtown South Guidelines state that entrances should be seen as “punctuation” in the overall streetscape treatment, and should be enhanced through the use of elements such as low walls, steps, special paving, special planting features, architecturally integrated canopies projecting from the building, and special lighting. Test Site Analysis – The Test Sites clearly demonstrate the importance of entrances that are easily identifiable from the street. The Prince Arthur has such an impressive entrance that it is one of the most noticeable features of the project. In addition to creating an arrival experience and fostering clarity of direction, it creates a wonderful view terminus down Yorkville Avenue. Skyline Cosmopolitan is a different yet also impressive example of a striking entrance that gives identity to the building. The Pantages entrance at 220 Victoria Street is difficult to read from the street and is poorly articulated. It detracts from the architectural quality of the building.

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

87

Regulation #7: Tall building podiums will be designed to include human scale treatment of building mass, materials, texture and composition. Façades should be well articulated with an interplay of rhythm between transparent glass and solid materials. Pedestrian weather protection will be provided along High Streets, particularly over entrances to residential and retail uses. Blank walls will be avoided, and if necessary must be well articulated. Air vents and mechanical equipment will not be located adjacent to the public realm. Colonnades are discouraged. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Site Plan Criteria, and Design Guidelines

Rationale – The relationship of a tall building to the street on which it fronts is a critical factor for creating good urban spaces and should be integral to the building design. A building façade should provide architectural expression that relates to its surroundings. Elements such as cornice lines, changes in material, fenestration and window bays should be used to create a comfortable pedestrian scale at the street level. Canopies and awnings provide protection for pedestrians from uncomfortable weather conditions, such as wind, rain, and even sun. In addition to protection from the elements, canopies can reduce the apparent scale of a building by providing a band along the street. Permanent materials are preferred to fabric canopies as they form part of the architecture of the building. They hold up better against the elements and do not need to be replaced as often. Air intake vents and mechanical equipment should not be located adjacent to the pedestrian realm, as they create negative physical, visual, safety and air quality impacts. Colonnades are discouraged as they tend to pull the retail frontages away from the pedestrian realm, interfering with the sense of vibrancy on the street. Existing Policy Support – The City’s Official Plan, Design Criteria for Review of Tall Building Proposals, and Zoning By-law address matters relating to building placement and orientation, tall building address, and site servicing

88 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Frontage of 10 Bellair facing Yorkville Park

Prince Arthur on Avenue Road

and parking. However, Toronto’s current regulatory framework does not specifically reference design standards for podiums of tall buildings. It should do so through enhancing its zoning provisions and site plan requirements.

proportions and sense of mass should be avoided, particularly highly reflective materials and extreme contrasts in colour or shape. Most tall buildings have horizontal architectural features that clearly define the pedestrian scale of the street in the form of a projecting belt course. Vancouver’s Downtown South Guidelines call for display windows, materials, cornice lines, fenestration, decorative details and lighting. Such elements contribute to a more human-scaled pedestrian environment.

Precedent City Research – All six Precedent Cities encourage façade articulation through interplay of glass and solid materials. In Boston, window treatment, materials, colours, and architectural detailing must be compatible with the observable historic and architectural character of other buildings in the area. In Calgary, podiums must provide richness for the pedestrian. Buildings should be designed to create streetscapes that respond to the local context, frame the sidewalk, and have a high degree of permeability between interior and exterior spaces. Façades must be highly articulated and incorporate a rhythm of narrower business frontages. Blank facades are avoided. In Chicago, active street walls are encouraged. Large expanses of blank walls are to be avoided. Elements such as cornices, belt courses, window bays, variation in wall plane and roof features are to be used to create interesting and attractive buildings. New York has mandatory planning and urban design features to be provided in connection with new developments. San Francisco has detailed design policies for building façades. Façades composed of both vertical and horizontal elements are considered to fit better with older and most new buildings. Incongruous materials,

Test Site Analysis – Of the Test Sites studied, there are a variety of examples of how human scale treatment of building mass, materials and texture can be handled. 18 Yorkville is one of the best examples. The building’s podium is well proportioned to the street, with a natural material palate, utilizing natural stone and high quality brick. Subtle shifts in massing and a lively sidewalk café articulate the base. The Prince Arthur on Avenue Road is another example. The articulation of the podium creates an interesting streetscape with rich detail, an interplay of glass and stone, and a material palate that compliments the building’s context. The Spire is an example of a building that is not articulated at grade and lacks interesting features on the primary frontages. Part of the frontage along Church Street is opaque glass, and a large air intake vent is located directly onto the public realm, contributing to an uncomfortable pedestrian environment.

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

89

Regulation #8: Streetscaping and landscaping elements such as street trees, street furniture, lighting, soft landscaping, seating and public art should be used to activate building façades, soften building contours, highlight important architectural features, screen less attractive elements, add colour, texture and visual interest, and provide shade. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Site Plan Criteria, Design Guidelines

90 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Rationale – Good urban design depends on the integration of architecture and landscape architecture. The design of buildings and exterior spaces should be physically integrated with one another. The public realm is the space between a building and the street that is publicly accessible. It is the area where pedestrian activity occurs. Landscaping features adjacent to a tall building soften the hard edges and help to define a pedestrian scale. Landscaping can also be used to highlight building entrances or architectural features. Tree planting is particularly encouraged. Street trees help delineate the public street and should be planted in the best possible growing situation with appropriate soil depth for good health and vitality and be flush to the sidewalk wherever possible. Public art also plays an important role in enhancing the aesthetic quality of Downtown, adding interesting and creative elements to the streetscapes. Sidewalks adjacent to tall buildings should encourage comfortable, easy walking. The arrangement of everything in the public realm, such as utility poles, lighting, support for street car lines, newspaper boxes, garbage containers, and bike racks should facilitate comfortable and easy circulation. Existing policy support – The Official Plan states that new development contribute to the attractiveness, comfort and function of adjacent streets and open spaces by improving these areas with street trees, lighting, and other street furniture, using setbacks to create attractive transitions from the building to the public realm, and including landscaped open space within the site (3.1.2(5)).

Streetscaping on St. Thomas Street

Streetscaping at 18 Yorkville on Cumberland Street

The Design Criteria for Review of Tall Building Proposals call for tall buildings to provide a new high quality streetscape on each frontage to City standards. Soft landscaping, street furniture and public art should be used. Lighting, seating and planting should be provided on residential streets (4.1).

planters, and art may be included. Soft landscaping should be introduced for privacy adjacent to residential uses. New York requires tall buildings to provide pedestrian circulation space in the form of sidewalk widening, building entrance recess areas, through-block connections etc. San Francisco has a coordinated streetscapes plan and requires new developments to implement portions of the streetscape plan adjacent to their development. Vancouver has a very extensive program of streetscaping improvements, with a great deal of detail. A double row of trees is required except under specific circumstances to create a canopy over the sidewalk. Variety of tree species are encouraged within the city, but the same species is used within each block for consistency. There are measured setbacks, spacing, and soil depth, and troughs for trees. If a garden setback is provided, at least 60% must be soft landscaping. Landscaping is used to screen unattractive elements such as parking entrances.

The City of Toronto’s Streetscape Manual outlines design guidelines for different classifications of streets based on their size and arterial characteristics. The streetscape manual is used Downtown for sidewalk design, streetscape design, street lighting, tree details, and street furniture. It is anticipated that the City of Toronto’s Private Developer Percent for Public Art Program will continue to be a major contributor to the improvement of publicly accessible areas, both on private and public lands. Public art policies are guidelines referenced in the City’s Urban Design Handbook. Precedent City research – Each of the Precedent Cities studied has different requirements for streetscaping and landscaping elements. Boston requires that each project enhance the pedestrian environment by such means as pedestrian pathways, spaces accommodating pedestrian activity and public art, materials, landscaping, lighting and street furniture. Calgary requires that new developments provide landscaped spaces in setback areas, coordinated with streetscape improvements to create an attractive interface from private to public realm. In Chicago, new projects are required to provide landscaping. Where a building’s frontage is directly adjacent to the street, the hard surface character should be extended, and where appropriate canopies, awnings,

Test Site analysis – The Test Sites provide a number of examples of good and poor landscaping and its effect on the quality of the pedestrian realm. The Prince Arthur incorporates a rhythm of trees along Avenue Road, with historic lighting features and flower boxes, creating a comfortable and attractive pedestrian realm. 18 Yorkville provided a landscaped park adjacent to the project, and softens hard edges with flower boxes and small tree plantings. ElevN21 on Bay Street provides no soft landscaping, save flower boxes on the street lamps. Without a strong podium, the building face comes down hard onto the street and is not softened by landscape features. URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

91

Regulation #9: Locate and access parking, loading, service areas, and utilities primarily from a lane or at the rear of the building so as not to conflict with pedestrian-oriented activities. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Site Plan Criteria, Zoning By-law, and Design Criteria

Organize access and location of parking and loading areas to: • be accessed only from a lane if one exists; • use shared parking and service area access where possible within development blocks and with adjacent properties; • provide parking exclusively underground; • when parking cannot physically be located below grade it should be integrated above-grade in parking structures within the building designed to have usable building space, rather than parking, face adjacent streets, parks and open spaces; • be prohibited from locating between the building and a public street; • have entrances that are screened as much as possible from the public view; 92 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

• minimize the impact of access points on the public sidewalk by only allowing new curb cuts if there are no alternate means of access, keeping access widths and curb cuts to a minimum and using landscape treatments to minimize visual impact; • minimize the size of service doors, garage doors and openings that are visible from public streets and open spaces; • minimize the impact of vents, and mechanical equipment by ensuring they are located away from the pedestrian realm; • integrate garbage, service and utility functions within the building; • treat access and servicing areas with planting and/ or architectural treatment to minimize negative safety, physical, visual and noise impacts;

Rationale – As outlined in the Design Criteria, tall buildings accommodate two types of activities at grade: “front of house” activities, such as retail and landscaping, and “back of house” activities, such as parking, loading, and servicing. Areas for garbage storage and collection, loading docks, car parking, ramps to underground parking, vents meters and transformers are essential to the efficient function of any building but are specifically “back of house” activities. Such activities should be accessed only from a lane if one exists, located away from the public realm, screened from public view, and integrated into planting and/or architectural treatment.

Parking and loading areas, when directly accessed from the public right of way, can interfere with the safety and circulation of pedestrian traffic, and can create a pedestrian environment that is uncomfortable and unattractive. When exhaust vents, meters and transformers are located in or directly adjacent to the public right of way, they have negative physical, visual, safety, and air quality impacts. Such activities must be located away from view of the pedestrian realm. Existing policy support – The Official Plan states that new development will locate and organize parking, access, service areas and utilities to minimize their impact on the property and on surrounding properties and to improve the safety and attractiveness of adjacent streets, parks and open spaces (3.1.2(2)). The Design Criteria for Review of Tall Building Proposals clearly state that parking, access, service areas and utilities are “back of house” functions and should be screened from public view. The requirements for this Regulation are derived from the Design Criteria (2.3). Precedent City research – Each of the Precedent Cities has a different manner of regulating the design requirements for parking, loading and service areas. General themes from the Precedent Cities include requiring parking to be underground or screened from view with active frontages when above grade, minimizing the number of curb cuts, encouraging access and servicing to be located on the lane, and using architectural and landscaping treatments to minimize the visual impact. In Calgary, parking structures are encouraged to be below grade. Surface parking lots are not permitted between a building and the street. In special cases, above grade parking is permitted where it is impractical to locate parking below grade. At grade level, parking structures must be screened from public view with active frontages that have sufficient depth as leasable commercial or residential area. Rear lanes and shared service areas must be used where possible. The impact of access points must be minimized. In Chicago, the streets are organized into classes that have different requirements for access and servicing. On Class 1 Streets, alleys are the sole means of vehicle access and new curb cuts are prohibited. On Class 2 Streets, alleys are the primary means of access and new curb cuts are permitted only with special approval.

On designated pedestrian streets, off-street parking must be enclosed or located at the rear of a building and not visible from the pedestrian right of way. Service areas should be located away from the street and away from residential buildings and entrances. Landscaping and walls should be used to screen such areas/activities from view. In New York, no new curb cuts are allowed on High Streets unless there is no alternate means of access. Entrances and exits are not permitted within 15 metres of an intersection. In San Francisco, parking must be located underground. The visual impact of parking, loading, utilities and services must be minimized. Access is limited to 2 lanes which may be no wider than 3.4 metres, and should be shared where possible. No access is permitted from designated retail streets. In Vancouver, parking should be underground, and parking entrances should be given architectural and landscaping treatment (such as enclosure, screening, high quality finishings, sensitive lighting and landscaping) to mitigate the appearance of blank walls, dark openings, and long ramps. Vehicular and service functions must remain primarily on the lane. Strict regulations exist including minimal interruption of pedestrian realm, internalization of all waiting and loading areas, no more than one street access interruption per block face, only one curb cut per street, high standard of landscaping, architectural materials, and detailing provided. Garbage facilities must be fully within the building. Test Site analysis – Of the Test Sites studied, there are many good examples of how parking, loading and servicing areas have been handled. The service area at One St. Thomas is behind the building, with a nicely designed, landscaped and paved driveway. There are no vents or mechanical equipment visible from the public realm, and the overall effect is very positive. Radio City is another good example of a project where “back of house” activities are well screened from view. Servicing and loading areas are given high quality architectural treatment, incorporating them into the design of the building and minimizing any negative impacts. Pantages is an example of a project where servicing features are not well treated. The drop-off area for the hotel involved a curb cut, making it difficult for both pedestrians and cars to navigate the street. The parking entrance is poorly treated, parking is located above grade, and the facade of the parking area is blank precast concrete slabs. URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

93

Regulations Towers

Regulation #10: The maximum gross floor area per floor of tall building towers is 750 square metres including all the built area within the building but excluding balconies. Regulation #11: The tower portion of tall buildings must be set back from the front wall of the podium a minimum of 3m for a minimum of two-thirds the length of the tower facing the street. Regulation #12: Tall building towers must be set back a minimum of 10m from side and rear property lines or the centre line of an abutting lane, measured from the external wall or exterior face of balconies. If a project includes more than one tall building, the buildings must be spaced apart so as to permit a minimum separation distance of 20m, measured from the external wall or exterior edge of balconies. Regulation #13: Sites that are too small to permit a tower with the required setbacks on all sides (“Small Sites”) are not appropriate for tall buildings. Small Sites are generally those sites that are less than 45m by 45m for a mid-block site or 45m by 35m for a corner site. A building on a Small Site may only be constructed to the permitted Base Height of the street on which it fronts, above which a 45 degree angular plane may be used for additional levels set back from the street and the side and rear property lines

94 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

95

Regulation #10: The maximum gross floor area per floor of tall building towers is 750 square metres including all the built area within the building but excluding balconies. Applicable Policy – Zoning By-law and Design Criteria

Rationale – The size and articulation of the floorplate of tall building towers is key to the perception of the overall three dimensional massing of the building and its visual and physical impact on adjacent areas. As proposals continue to be submitted for new tall buildings Downtown, the impacts of shadows, loss of sky views and a general sense of crowdedness are becoming increasingly apparent. The use of small floorplates for tall building towers is encouraged as they result in slender buildings, casting smaller shadows that tend to move relatively quickly, improve sky views, and permit better views between buildings and through the site. The use of small floorplates also promotes sustainability by providing opportunity for increased daylight catchment and more efficient climate control within the building. Since the City of Toronto has always excluded areas for balconies from the measurement of floorplate size, the study proposes to continue along that line. Existing policy support – The Official Plan states that new development will limit its impacts on neighbouring streets, parks, open spaces and properties by providing adequate light and privacy, and limiting shadowing and uncomfortable wind conditions (3.1.2(3)). Floor plates are to be designed, shaped, located, and oriented with appropriate dimensions for the site and in relation to the podium and adjacent buildings (3.1.3(1b)).

96 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

The Design Criteria for Review of Tall Building Proposals state that narrower floorplates are preferred. Larger floor plates should be articulated to break down mass. North-south orientation is preferred to east-west.

Residential floorplates larger than 743 square metres and commercial floorplates larger than 1,860 square metres should be articulated architecturally to minimize shadows, loss of sky view and wind conditions in adjacent open space (3.2). While the Design Criteria clearly state a preference for smaller floorplates, no specific limit is introduced. However, 743 square metres is the size above which floorplates are considered to begin to have significant impacts in terms of shadows, sky views and wind conditions. The Design Criteria support a maximum floorplate of 750 square metres. Precedent City research – There are a number of ways that the Precedent Cities regulate floorplate size. In Boston, buildings are evaluated on a project-specific basis and floorplate size is determined based on context. The average floorplate size of any one building may not exceed 2,090 square metres. In Calgary the maximum floorplate size is 650 square metres of net residential floor area (i.e. not including elevator cores, balconies etc.). Chicago does not limit floorplate size, but requires reduction in massing for the upper storeys to convey a sense of sculpting towers. New York regulates floorplate size by the percentage of the lot that may be covered by a tower. Towers must cover 40% or less of a site area, with special exceptions up to 50% for smaller sites. In San Francisco, buildings must incrementally scale back as height increases. The lower tower must not exceed 1,600 square metres and the upper tower must not exceed 1,100 square metres. In Vancouver the maximum floorplate size is 604 square metres of net residential floor area and the maximum horizontal dimension of a tower is 27.5m. Open balconies may extend beyond this provided they are less than 1/3 the overall façade length. Every city is unique and has different priorities. While the larger cities allow more flexibility in the floorplate size of towers, smaller cities prefer very slender towers that are spaced far apart. Toronto falls somewhere in the middle. Toronto places a higher value on access to sky views and sunlight than cities like Chicago, but Downtown is more compact in development form than cities like Vancouver. Therefore a floorplate size restriction is an important tool for controlling the negative impacts of tall buildings, but it need not be as stringent as some of the smaller cities.

Test Site analysis – Of the Test Sites studied, less than half of the projects include towers with floorplates smaller than 750 square metres. However, many of those buildings with larger floorplates would have benefitted from more slender towers. For example, the tower at 10 Bellair is very wide. The building is well designed, but the tower, at 1,025 square metres appears bulky. Similarly, the Prince Arthur is a very well designed building, but the tower, at 860 square metres, is too large. The proportions of the tower of the Bellagio, 25m by 56m, make for a 1,055 square metre floorplate. It is essentially a well articulated slab building. There are many good examples of towers with slender floorplates that point to the sky without blocking it entirely. Radio City contains two slender towers that are spaced apart 20m. These two towers appear slim and delicate, integrating smoothly with the adjacent stable residential area and continuing to allow for ample sky views and sunlight. The tower of the Spire has a slim and elegant floorplate. Murano has two towers spaced apart more than 20m that are under 750 square metres each. The overall effect is of sleek and slender towers punctuating but not overpowering the skyline. Exception – Special cases: Exceptions may be made for buildings that are greater than 50 storeys to allow larger floorplates. The applicant must prove that the larger floorplate is necessary to the efficient functioning of the building. In such cases, the building must have larger setbacks proportionate to the increase in floorplate size of the lower tower. Increases in floorplate size can only be achieved through a rezoning. Exception – Commercial buildings and hotels: The study supports the introduction of a maximum floorplate size to limit impacts for mixed use and residential buildings. There is no proposal for any limitation being placed upon the floor plate size of office buildings as these buildings are far fewer in the City and are much more market sensitive, with floor plate sizes being set to meet specific markets. To create such a limitation on the economic development of Toronto would not in our view be prudent.

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

97

m min 3 Regulation #11: The tower portion of tall buildings, including balconies, must be set back from the podium a minimum of 3m for a minimum of two-thirds the length of the tower facing the street. Applicable Policy – Zoning by-law and Design Criteria

Rationale – Sheer tower faces that meet the public right of way directly can generate uncomfortable pedestrian wind conditions and create an oppressive and distorted sense of pedestrian scale. In setting the tower back 3m or more, the podium serves to define the pedestrian realm, and downward wind drafts are absorbed by the podium. 3 meters is considered to be the minimum setback that clearly defines the tower from the podium. However, in order to encourage design flexibility, when combined with podiums that support and reinforce the pedestrian realm, a minor portion (up to one third) of the tower may extend straight down to the ground at the front property line. This may take the form of balconies or the tower itself. Existing policy support – The Official Plan references the location of the tower in proportion to the podium. It states that new development must adequately limit uncomfortable wind conditions on neighbouring streets, properties, parks and open spaces (3.1.2 (3)). The tower portion of a tall building should be designed with appropriate dimensions for the site and oriented in relationship to the podium and adjacent buildings (3.1.3 (1b)). However, such directives are vague and when left to interpretation can result in the undesirable location of the tower in proportion to the podium.

98 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

The Design Criteria for Review of Tall Building Proposals state that the appropriate scale of the setback from the podium to the tower is determined by the relationship of the scale of the tower to the podium. The taller the tower in relationship to the podium, the larger the setback should be in order to reduce the negative impact of the tower on the street proportion and context. The minimum setback of the tower from the street edge of the podium is 5m (3.1). Precedent City research – Three of the six Precedent Cities have requirements for a minimum setback of the tower from the podium. In Boston, certain streets are designated as “streets on which setbacks are required”. Towers must be setback a minimum of 3m from podium. The setback increases to 4.5m for portions of the tower taller than 47m. Furthermore, special “planned development areas” may have unique requirements for setbacks, ranging from 3m to 11m. North-south streets generally have larger setbacks than east-west streets. In New York the standard minimum setback above the podium is 3m. Beyond this stepback a sky plane curve is in force that relates the required setback to building height. As height increases, setbacks must also increase, on a curved slope. The slope is curved because as the number of storeys increases, the incremental increase of the setback becomes smaller per storey. In San Francisco’s Rincon Hill, an intensification area adjacent to the historic Downtown, a minimum 3m setback of the tower above the podium is required, and tower floorplates must reduce in size as height increases. The Precedent Cities research shows that 3m is an appropriate minimum step back for towers.

Test Site analysis – The Test Site analysis demonstrates that the towers of less than half of the tall buildings studied are set back 3m or more from the front property line. Radio City is an excellent example of how a tower can setback from its podium in order to reduce the apparent mass of a building and create a comfortable pedestrian environment. The tower on Mutual Street is setback 3m from the podium, and breaks up the massing of the building to the eye of the pedestrian. Vu Living also has dynamic setbacks on all frontages, fostering a strong pedestrian environment. The tower of the Verve is appropriately setback from the podium. 85 Bloor is an example of a tower that is not sufficiently setback from the podium. The tower is setback less than 2m and there is no significant change in materials, resulting in an uncomfortable pedestrian realm. The Test Site analysis demonstrates that projects whose towers are setback from the podium are generally more successful than those with towers coming straight down onto the street. The Test Site analysis also shows that a number of successful examples of existing buildings include a small portion of the tower face that meets the ground directly while still creating a comfortable pedestrian realm. For example, at 18 Yorkville the tower face meets the ground directly on the west side of the building adjacent to the park, complementing the relationship between different building elements. The tower of the Hudson also meets the ground directly at the corner of Spadina Avenue and King Street West. Most of the tower relates to the podium, which lines both street frontages, but the portion that meets the ground directly serves to tie in different elements. This is enhanced and improved by the setback of this corner from the street and introduction of a sidewalk cafe to brighten the streetscape.

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

99

0m n1

NE WA Y

mi 20

m

LA

min

min

Regulation #12: Tall building towers must be set back a minimum of 10m from side and rear property lines or the centre line of an abutting lane, measured from the external wall or exterior face of balconies. If a project includes more than one tall building, the buildings must be spaced apart so as to permit a minimum separation distance of 20m, measured from the external wall or exterior edge of balconies. Applicable Policy – Zoning By-law, Site Plan Criteria, and Design Guidelines

10

m

Rationale – Not every site along High Streets is appropriate for tall buildings. The most important criteria for a site to qualify for a tall building is the size of the site. The new Regulations for tall buildings require each property to resolve all issues within its own site in order to provide equal opportunity for all properties fronting onto High Streets. Towers will no longer be permitted to be built with close proximity to side and rear property lines for several reasons. When buildings are constructed too close together, the resulting wind conditions, distortion of the sense of pedestrian scale, lack of access to sunlight and blockage of sky views creates an uncomfortable pedestrian environment. When buildings are constructed very close to the side property lines, the result is a “first-to-the-post” development scenario, whereby the development of one site restricts or prohibits adjacent sites to develop in a similar manner. Thirdly, if windows face onto the side lot lines and buildings are constructed very close to the lot line, privacy issues may exist/arise for building residents. It is therefore necessary that towers are set back a minimum distance from side and rear property lines. Given that the width of the average street in Downtown Toronto is 20m, it has been determined that 20m is a reasonable amount of distance to have between two towers as they may be found on either side of a public street. In order to ensure that each site is self sufficient, the resulting requirement is that the tower portion of new tall buildings must be set back from all side and rear

100 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

property lines by at least 10m. As with a street right-ofway, this distance will be entirely free of any obstructions and protrusions, including balconies. This Regulation will result in the exclusion of some small sites from being developed to a height that exceeds the width of the street on which it fronts. In some cases, several smaller properties will need to be assembled, and in other cases, some small sites may only be able to be built to the limits outlined in Regulation 13. Existing policy support – The Official Plan deals with the issue of separating towers in a vague manner, requiring new development to be massed to provide adequate light and privacy, and limit shadowing and uncomfortable wind conditions on neighbouring streets, properties and parks (3.1.2). Floor plates must be designed with appropriate dimensions for the site and located in relation to the base building and adjacent buildings (3.1.3). The Design Criteria for Review of Tall Building Proposals requires that the minimum spacing between towers equals the widest tower width measured perpendicularly to building face, but it will be no less than 25m. Similarly, on more compact sites where a tall building is proposed, the tower must be located a minimum of 12.5m away from the property line. The Design Criteria state appropriate space between towers allows for appropriate light and privacy for new and existing buildings as well as allowing appropriate sunlight, wind and sky view to the adjacent streets, parks, open spaces and properties (3.3). Precedent City research – Of the six Precedent Cities studied, every city except Chicago has requirements for a minimum separation distance between towers. In Chicago, where Downtown intensification is strongly encouraged, the City allows the market to decide how much space is required between buildings. Calgary and Vancouver require 25m. New York requires 18m windowto-window and 12m wall-to-wall. In Boston, the preferred built form is more of a medium-tall slab, punctuated by the occasional tower, and the requirement is for building elements above 47m in height to be spaced apart by at

least 38m. In San Francisco new development Downtown is not encouraged, as the main goal is to preserve the historic character. In one neighbourhood the required separation distance is 35m. The overall trend is that larger, more metropolitan cities have less stringent requirements than the smaller cities. In discussions with the study team, it was agreed that Toronto is somewhere between the Chicago-New York and the CalgaryVancouver realms. Test Site analysis – The Test Site research demonstrated that less than 20% of the buildings studied have towers that are setback 12.5m or more from side and rear property lines (or 25m from buildings on the same site), as required by the existing Design Guidelines. This is one of the most challenging regulations to meet. The study team agreed that 12.5m is too great a spacing distance for Toronto given the lot configurations, available development sites, and existing context. 20m, the width of the average street, has been determined to be a reasonable and appropriate separation distance between buildings. It is important to note that the 20m must be free and clear of any kind of structure including balconies. Therefore the outer limit of all towers, including balconies must be a minimum of 10m from side and rear property lines. The Verve is an example of a tall building set back from the side property line 10m. The apparent scale, mass, and spacing to adjacent sites is appropriate from the pedestrian perspective. Exception – Canyon Form: Buildings in Canyon Areas are permitted to be built to the side property lines up to the existing canyon street wall line, as detailed in Section 3.5. Canyon Form buildings are essentially Tower-Podium Form buildings with very high podiums . Above the canyon height prescribed in Section 3.5, towers must be set back a minimum of 10m from side and rear property lines.

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

101

˚ 45

max A max 80% of A A

Regulation #13: Sites that are too small to permit a tower with the required setbacks on all sides (“Small Sites”) are not appropriate for tall buildings. A building on such a site may only be constructed to the height of the top of the podium (the Base Height) of the street on which it fronts, above which a 45 degree angular plane may be used for additional levels set back from the street and side property lines. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Zoning By-law, Design guidelines

102 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Rationale – The issue of how much development can be accommodated on small sites is important for landowners. For the purposes of the study, a small site is defined as one on which a tower cannot be constructed that allows at least a 10m setback on side and rear property lines, and a 3m setback on the front property line. It is generally considered that the smallest dimension of a tall building, measured from the external wall or exterior edge of balconies is 20m by 30m. Therefore, the smallest dimension for a mid-block tall building site is approximately 33m depth by 50m width or 43m depth by 40m width, measured to the property lines or the centre line of an abutting lane. Accordingly, the smallest dimension for a corner tall building site is approximately 33m by 43m. The development of tall buildings on Small Sites has negative impacts for building residents and for people living and working Downtown. In some cases the development rights of adjacent sites are diminished unfairly. When buildings are constructed too close together, excessive shadowing of adjacent streets and parks occurs. Wind impacts due to air currents are heightened. There is a loss of privacy for residents when buildings are constructed too close together. Sky views are diminished for pedestrians on the street when buildings are too close together. Since the study proposes that each site must resolve its own issues to contribute to the cumulative excellence envisioned for the streets of Downtown, small sites cannot be developed with tall buildings.

The height limit for a Small Site Downtown will be a 1:1 ratio to the width of the street allowance. As described in Regulation #2, to ensure greater sunlight penetration on the sidewalk across the street, the main front wall can be no higher than 80% of the width of the street allowance before applying a 3m setback to the remainder of the building height. This allows the development of a building that matches the podium of adjacent sites. The maximum permitted height for small sites will be determined by a 45 degree angular plane from the side and rear lot lines above the height achieved by applying the 1:1 ratio to the street allowance. Existing policy support – There is no existing policy in Toronto relating to the development of small sites. In fact, one of the driving forces of the study is to provide the City with a defensible set of tools with which to successfully regulate the development of small sites. Test Site research – The Test Site research indicates that buildings with appropriate sized sites are more successful than those on smaller sites. For example, the site of 22 Condominiums is too small for a tall building. The street frontage at grade is too narrow for the required retail. The adjacent site is restricted in how it can be developed as the windows of 22 Condominiums are less than 6 metres from the property line. Crystal Blu and Uptown Residences are two more examples of projects that have been constructed on sites that are too small to accommodate tall buildings. The two towers on

separate sites are approximately 13 metres apart. The effect is obstruction of skyviews and access to light from the street. If such tight projects were repeated along the length of the street, skyviews and sunlight would be entirely eliminated. Towers that are placed on larger sites where appropriate setbacks are possible are more successful than those that are very close together. They provide for a more attractive and comfortable pedestrian realm and better views and access to light for building residences. For example, the two towers that make up Murano on Bay are adequately spaced apart and set atop an identifiable podium, allowing sky views for pedestrians and privacy for building residents. The Verve is another project whose tower is appropriately set back from side and rear property lines. Exception – Canyon Form: On street segments where the Canyon Form is appropriate, small sites may be developed with tall buildings up to the designated height of the Canyon.

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

103

Regulations Relationship to adjacent areas

Regulation #14: When tall buildings abut a stable low rise residential area, the tower portion of the building will be set back from such abutting property line(s) a minimum of 20m, including all built elements but excluding balconies. The podium will create a smooth transition between the residential area and the tall building, and will be designed to reflect the built form character of the adjacent neighbourhood. A portion of the podium immediately adjacent to the stable low-rise residential area will be no higher than the height of adjacent buildings, transitioning into a higher podium as the distance to the neighbourhood increases. Regulation #15: Tall buildings will be designed and oriented to minimize shadow impacts on all parks and open spaces at all times of the day. No new shadows may be cast by any tall building on designated First Tier Parks between 10 AM and 4 PM on September 21st. No new shadows may be cast by any tall building on designated Second Tier Parks between 12 noon and 2:00 PM on September 21st.

104 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Regulation #16: Tall buildings will not interrupt the view corridors or appear behind the building silhouettes of the three Landmark Views Downtown. Other landmark views should be considered in the review of tall building proposals. Regulation #17: Tall buildings will not visually impede the setting of listed/designated heritage buildings. Where heritage buildings are low-scaled, the podium of the tall building will respect and reflect the unique urban grain and scale, visual relationships, topography and materials of the surrounding historic building(s). The tall building will preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the setting of the adjacent listed/designated building(s).

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

105

Regulation #14: When tall buildings abut a stable low rise residential area, the tower portion of the building will be set back from such abutting property line(s) a minimum of 20m, including all built elements but excluding balconies. The podium will create a smooth transition between the residential area and the tall building, and will be designed to reflect the built form character of the adjacent neighbourhood. A portion of the podium immediately adjacent to the stable low-rise residential area will be no higher than the height of adjacent buildings, transitioning into a higher podium as the distance to the neighbourhood increases. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Zoning By-law, Site Plan Criteria, and Design Guidelines

106 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Rationale – When a new tall building is proposed next to a residential area, setbacks, step backs, and façade articulation can be used to achieve appropriate transition in scale. Many of the proposed Regulations will help mitigate the negative impacts that tall buildings can have on adjacent low-scale neighbourhoods. Small floorplates result in shadows that move more quickly. Minimum spacing distances result in improved sky views. Guidelines for how the podium interacts with the public realm results in a more pedestrian friendly environment. These Regulations and guidelines can be further enhanced by ensuring that towers are set back away from such neighbourhoods to protect privacy. 20 metres was selected as an appropriate setback from property lines that are adjacent to stable residential areas as it is the width of an average street in Toronto, and is considered to be an appropriate distance to manage the change in scale. This setback is required even when the tall building property faces onto a local street at its rear. Existing policy support – The Official Plan states that new development will create appropriate transitions in scale to neighbouring buildings, and will fit harmoniously into its existing and planned context (3.1.2(3b). Transition can be achieved through many methods, such as angular planes, stepping height limits, appropriate location and orientation of buildings, setbacks and stepbacks, etc. The larger the difference in scale, the greater the need for transition.

Rogers building on Huntley Street The Design Criteria for Review of Tall Building Proposals differentiate between transition in scale on a block or across the street and transitions in scale between two land use areas of differing height and/or built form. At the block scale, podiums can be scaled and articulated to appropriately integrate with the neighbouring building. The tower can be appropriately scaled and stepped back from the podium so as to reduce its visible impacts. A 45˚ angular plane (or other such device) can be used to limit height and ensure stepbacks. At the District scale, setbacks, stepbacks and angular plane can be used to achieve appropriate transition. The method of transition varies widely depending on the size of each district, the street widths, and the impacts of the new development on sunlight and sky views (1.2). Test Site analysis – The Test Site research showed several great examples of how new tall buildings can relate to stable residential areas. Radio City relates very well to the adjacent residential area along the east side on Mutual Street. The north tower is set back 22 metres from the side property line, and the transition is made using townhouses. The townhouses continue south of the tower as well, buffering the south tower, which is set back 26 metres from Mutual Street. One Bedford is adjacent to the Annex, a stable residential area with an active residents association. The tower is set back over 20 metres from the rear property line, creating an appropriate transition.

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

107

Regulation #15: Tall buildings will be designed and oriented to minimize shadow impacts on all parks and open spaces at all times of the day. No new shadows may be cast by any tall building on designated First Tier Parks between 10 AM and 4 PM on September 21st. No new shadows may be cast by any tall building on designated Second Tier Parks between 12 noon and 2:00 PM on September 21st. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Design Guidelines

Toronto’s Downtown contains a limited number of parks and open spaces that play a vital role in maintaining the character of Downtown and the quality of life of its residents, workers and visitors. Since most residential development Downtown is in the form of tall buildings, people rely on parks and open spaces for recreation and leisure. As outlined in the City’s Official Plan, tall buildings should be designed and oriented to minimize shadow impacts on parks and open spaces. As Downtown continues to intensify, the need to protect these parks and open spaces from shadowing by tall buildings has become increasingly important. Access to direct sunlight improves the usability and enjoyment of open spaces, and helps plants grow. Healthy trees offer microclimate protection, which further improves the amenity of these spaces. In the Toronto climate, access to direct sunlight in open spaces can extend the period of comfortable conditions for pedestrians by several months. Two tiers of parks have been identified by this study: First Tier Parks and Second Tier Parks. The study recommends that the City include specific provisions for the protection of such parks in the Official Plan, and that applications for tall buildings Downtown be required to include a shadow impact study demonstrating compliance with this Regulation.

108 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Allan Gardens

Berczy Park

David Crombie Park

Grange Park

Moss Park

Nathan Phillips Square

Queen’s Park

St. James Park

First Tier Parks are those City-owned parks and open spaces Downtown that have special historic and/or cultural significance and that currently receive sunlight throughout most of the day (March to September). They are: Allan Gardens Berczy Park Crombie Park Grange Park Moss Park Nathan Phillips Square Queen’s Park St. James Park Ensuring sunlight on these eight parks is a top priority for the City. New tall buildings cannot, under any circumstance, add net new shadows to any of these parks between 10 AM and 4 PM on September 21st. September 21st has been selected as an appropriate date as it is the equinox, or the day of the year in which the sun will spend a nearly equal amount of time above and below the horizon. It is a standard testing date that reflects the availability of sunlight within a given park or open space during what is considered to be a shoulder season. Street segments immediately along the south, east and west sides of the First Tier Parks are also not identified High Streets as they are inappropriate for tall buildings

due to shadow impacts. Given the movement of the sun and its cycles, tall buildings to the south, east and west of such park will undoubtedly have impact in terms of shadows cast. While it is understood that buildings further away from such parks may also create shadow impacts, they have not been deleted from the High Streets as they should be individually tested. Second Tier Parks are those remaining City-owned parks and open spaces Downtown that have widespread public use, are visible from the public realm, currently receive sunlight through the middle of the day, are coherent, and are of significant size. The Second Tier Parks include: Dundas Square Metro Hall Square Metropolitan United Church Wellesley Magill Osgoode Hall Gardens Opera Place Town Hall Square Trinity Square On these Second Tier Parks no net new shadow may be added from 12 noon to 2 PM, which runs though the lunch hour and into the early afternoon, as this is the time of day that the parks are most used Downtown. If a proposed tall building will cause an additional shadow on any of these parks between 12 noon and 2 PM, the tower must be reduced in height or reoriented to meet these conditions. URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

109

Queens Park - silhouette shown in white

Regulation #16: Tall buildings will not interrupt the view corridors or appear behind the building silhouettes of the three Landmark Views Downtown. Other landmark views should be considered in the review of tall building proposals. Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Zoning By-law, Site Plan Criteria, and Design Criteria

Landmark buildings provide the City with cultural memory and a distinct sense of place. They are unique markers that help us attain a collective appreciation and understanding of Toronto’s past and future. In Downtown Toronto many landmark sites and view corridors have had their origins in Toronto’s Victorian period, while others represent later iconic architecture of civic and cultural significance. Sites located at a street terminus have often been used to give Toronto’s public buildings heightened prominence. Views to any such landmark buildings should be considered in the development of any tall building project. This study recommends that the City designate three of its most important landmark views and related view corridors in the City’s Official Plan and Zoning By-law. Such views within Downtown should not be compromised for the sake of individual tall building projects. It is important to protect the silhouette of these buildings and to ensure that the view corridor leading to them remains legible. Each view is assigned a point of origin from which the view is taken. From this point, no building or structure may obstruct the view to the landmark or rise above its silhouette.

110 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Old City Hall - silhouette shown in white

City Hall - silhouette shown in white

Queens Park – The view up University Avenue to Queens Park is a Landmark View. No building will interrupt or rise above the silhouette of Queens Park when viewed from any vantage point along College Street at the intersection of University Avenue.

Existing policy support - The Official Plan does not address specific views Downtown. The existing Design Criteria for Review of Tall Building Proposals contain guidelines for new tall buildings on prominent sites, but does not address specific views.

Old City Hall – The view up Bay Street from the Financial District to the clock tower of Old City Hall is a Landmark View. No building will interrupt or rise above the silhouette of the clock tower when viewed from Bay Street at the intersection of Temperance Street.

Precedent City research - The study found strong view corridor guidelines for three of the six Precedent Cities. In New York, a “scenic view” is an outstanding view from a mapped public park or esplanade that is protected. “Scenic View Districts” are established in the Zoning By-law, and supersede all other zoning designations. No buildings can penetrate the view plane. In San Francisco, a detailed height plan controls views throughout the city. Vancouver has adopted council approved view cones that pass through parts of Downtown and limit height on sites as noted in Official Development Plan. On sites affected by view cones, variation from setback guidelines may be possible with exceptions.

City Hall – The view from Queen Street of the two towers of City Hall is a Landmark View. No building will breach the silhouette of City Hall, including the sky view between the two buildings, when viewed from the south side of Queen Street between Bay Street and York Street. There are a number of other important views that were discussed at length during the study but were ultimately omitted. The view of Downtown from Toronto Island, specifically of the Rogers Stadium and the CN Tower, is an iconic skyline view and should not be compromised for individual tall buildings projects. This view falls outside the scope of the Study but has a strong relationship to the Downtown. Views of the St James Cathedral and the Flatiron building on the east side of downtown are important views, though not as high profile as the three designated Landmark Views. The City may wish to identify such additional views to be secured when implementing this Study.

URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

111

Regulation #17: Tall buildings will not visually impede the setting of listed/designated heritage buildings. Where heritage buildings are lowscaled, the podium of the tall building will respect and reflect the unique urban grain and scale, visual relationships, topography and materials of the surrounding historic building(s). The tall building will preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the setting of the adjacent listed/designated building(s). Applicable Policy – Official Plan, Site Plan Criteria, and Design Guidelines

112 TALL BUILDINGS STUDY

Rationale – The history of any city is best told though its streets, parks and architecture. Downtown Toronto is home to a wide range of designated heritage resources. The City of Toronto values its heritage properties and therefore requires that they be protected and integrated into new development in a manner that preserves their setting, character and integrity consistent with accepted principles of good heritage conservation. Heritage conservation and the careful blending of old with new is an important consideration in the redevelopment of Downtown. Although the scale of development may be limited on some heritage properties, many of these same historic places can accommodate new uses and harmonize with tall buildings. In order to maintain a consistent approach to designating High Streets, the study did not attempt to identify any individual heritage properties within High Street designations – such a comprehensive task goes beyond the scope of the study. This should not be interpreted as an indication that heritage properties along High Streets and Secondary High Streets should be redeveloped to the heights recommended in this report. Designation as a High Street does not exempt any property from any of its heritage obligations. The heritage policies and legislation at both the City and Provincial levels that are currently in place and the current system of negotiations for preservation of historic buildings continue to prevail over the High Street designation.

Existing policy support – The Official Plan contains a number of policies with respect to the protection of heritage resources. Specifically, heritage resources will be conserved through listing properties of architectural and/or historic interest on the City’s Inventory of Heritage Properties, designating them and entering into conservation agreements with owners of such properties. Areas with a concentration of heritage properties will be designated as Heritage Conservation Districts, and design guidelines will be adopted to maintain them and improve their character (3.1.5.1). The Official Plan outlines the steps that new development applications must undertake when they involve lands listed on the City’s Inventory of Heritage Properties, including: • Submitting a comprehensive master plan • Demonstrating that the alterations conserve the character and significance of the heritage property • Providing adequate architectural, structural and economic information to evaluate proposals to remove heritage resources; and • In the case of a Zoning By-law Amendment, submitting a Heritage Impact Statement prepared by a heritage conservation professional, to evaluate how the proposal conserves the heritage resource, physical condition and potential for restoration and reuse. Toronto also uses Section 37 of the Planning Act (community benefits) to permit additional density and height in exchange for heritage conservation and restoration. The Heritage Resources policies of the Official Plan (3.1.5.8) provide that additional gross floor area can be permitted as an incentive to conserve an on-site heritage building. A Heritage Impact Statement is currently required as part of the City’s complete application process for heritage properties. The City’s Design Criteria for Review of Tall Building Proposals contain provisions for heritage conservation, stating that new tall buildings will neither visually impede the setting of listed/designated buildings nor block important views into areas designated as HCDs. The podium of the new tall building will respect and reflect the unique urban grain and scale, visual relationships, topography and materials of the surrounding historic building(s).

New proposals should satisfy all requirements of the Official Plan and should demonstrate the area’s character and appearance of the setting of listed/designated building(s) will be preserved and enhanced. These are appropriate requirements applicable to tall buildings Downtown, and have been adopted into this rule. The City’s Design Criteria for Review of Tall Building Proposals should continue to require that tall buildings will not visually impede the setting of listed/designated heritage buildings. Where heritage buildings are lowscaled, the podium of new tall buildings will respect and reflect the unique urban grain and scale, visual relationships, topography and materials of the surrounding historic building(s). New tall buildings will preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the setting of the adjacent listed/designated building(s). Precedent City research – All of the Precedent Cities studied have requirements for heritage conservation. In Boston, height and density bonuses are exchanged for heritage rehabilitations that cost greater than 50% of the value of the building or structure. In Calgary, historic preservation and rehabilitation is achieved through density bonusing and transfers of development rights from heritage sites to neighbouring buildings in exchange for rehabilitation of the heritage building. In Chicago, floor area bonuses are offered in exchange for “adopting” historic landmarks, i.e. making payments to their owners for restoration. In New York, special districts are designated for historic preservation. In San Francisco, new buildings must be designed to respect the character of older developments nearby by repeating or complementing their detail, texture, colour, and material. Heritage buildings are divided into classes, which dictate the amount of change that may occur to such buildings. Higher class buildings cannot be altered, and lower class buildings are encouraged to be preserved by allowing owners to transfer unused development rights. In Vancouver, when developing a site which contains a heritage building, retention options should be explored. Sites adjacent to heritage buildings should respect the heritage buildings. Density transfers are also possible in exchange for the retention and rehabilitation of heritage buildings. URBAN STRATEGIES INC & HPA

113