Letter to council Re: 100 Stanley Street

To Members of City Council (via email)

Dear Councillors and Mayor Holder:

Re: 100 Stanley Street

This letter raises some points that were not addressed in our February 28, 2021 letter to members of the Civic Works Committee. Even if you received that earlier letter, we respectfully ask that you review this new letter.

On behalf of the London Region branch of Architectural Conservancy Ontario (ACO London), I am writing to express support for the continued preservation of the city-owned house at 100 Stanley Street and the current plan to move it to city-owned land on the west side of Wharncliffe Road. After the move, we expect that the house will be sold. The proceeds of the sale, plus future property tax revenue from the house in its new location, will help to mitigate the associated short-term costs. In addition, the newly vacant lot at 100 Stanley Street may present a revenue opportunity to the city. We further understand that the infrastructure project budget has the capacity to absorb the expected cost of the move – even though the most recent cost estimates, if accurate, are higher than anticipated. We hope that City Council takes the expected future revenue from the eventual sale of the two properties (and future property tax revenue) into account when granting any final approvals that may be necessary.

We would also note that it is possible, even probable, that other elements of the overall construction project may prove to be more expensive than originally budgeted. If cost savings are to be sought, there may be other places in the project budget where those savings could be more easily found. A decision to demolish the house at 100 Stanley Street instead of moving it is likely to delay the project, and may not yield much (if any) overall cost savings. A considerable amount of money and staff time have already been invested in issues surrounding 100 Stanley Street. Any deviation from the agreed-on plan would lead to additional costs.

We continue to be mystified as to why the house has to be moved at all. It would seem – to a layperson – that the road widening could have proceeded without disruption to this lovely home. It is our understanding that the land on which the house is currently situated is only required for the temporary positioning of heavy machinery during the construction phase (and not for the roadway or sidewalk allowances after construction is complete). In light of the apparent cost to move the house, perhaps other options should be reconsidered.

In the alternative, it may be less expensive to temporarily move the house just far enough to permit the heavy machinery to be positioned and then to put it back in its original location after the construction project is complete. The house, repositioned in its original location, could then be sold.

Based on our experience (admittedly limited) with building-moving projects, the publicized cost estimates to move the house seem high. Council may wish to consider the possibility that actual tenders on the project could result in costs that are lower than the current estimates.

100 Stanley Street is a particularly outstanding example of the Queen Anne style in both its interior and exterior design. It was designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act in 2010, more than ten years ago and long before planning for this construction project was initiated. Section 1.7.1(e) of the 2020 Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) states that “Long-term economic prosperity should be supported by ... conserving features that help define character, including built heritage resources and cultural heritage landscapes”. Section 2.6.1 of the PPS states that “Significant built heritage resources and significant cultural heritage landscapes shall be conserved”. Similarly, both the London Plan and the 1989 Official Plan encourage the protection, conservation, and enhancement of structures that have cultural heritage value.

The City of London is currently faced with many challenges. In particular, ACO London is concerned about the need for additional affordable housing. There are many underutilized heritage structures in the city, particularly near the core. A number of these were constructed as single-family or multi-family residences, but are currently vacant. We see opportunities for win-win situations where neglected heritage structures might be renovated and repurposed to provide cost-effective affordable housing. At the same time, we also believe that the city should make the investments required to preserve outstanding city-owned architectural gems such as Nan Finlayson’s former home. As a community, we should strive to both give a leg-up to our neighbours who require assistance and also preserve beautiful houses like 100 Stanley Street for all Londoners to enjoy as they travel about the city.

Thank you for considering our comments. Yours truly,

Kelley McKeating

President, Architectural Conservancy Ontario – London Region

Copy: Cathy Saunders, City Clerk - csaunder@london.ca