Authorization to Release Section 37 funds from the development at 70 The Esplanade to fund the Production and Installation of a Heritage Plaque to Commemorate the 110th anniversary of Hotel Victoria - by Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, seconded by Councillor Mike Layton

Just to the west, more than 100 warehouses and factories destroyed in the fire were beginning to be rebuilt. Protection against fire was becoming increasingly important, and as a result his hotel included a number of unique features designed to make it resistant to flames and other damage. The architect J. P. Hynes designed the eight storey structure, which is clad in pressed red brick with cut stone details. The foundations are especially deep, going right down to the bedrock, and non-combustible materials like slate, iron, and marble were used inside. When it opened the hotel had one of the lowest insurance rates of any hotel in Canada. The 48-room hotel was successful during its early years, but began to struggle during prohibition in Ontario. In 1927, it changed hands and was renamed the Hotel Victoria. Until the Second World War it was a prominent visual landmark on downtown Yonge Street as one of the taller buildings in the neighbourhood. It was renovated several times in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. High rise development around the Hotel Victoria has dwarfed the original structure but it remains an important part of Yonge Street's architectural heritage. Along with the Gladstone, Drake, and King Edward, it is one of the city's oldest surviving hotels. The City has secured funds under Section 37 of the Planning Act with the owner of the development at 6-18 Church Street and 51-63 Front Street East (70 The Esplanade), authorized by site-specific Zoning By-law 58-2011(OMB). The Zoning By-law and Section 37 Agreement with the landowner provide that the funds shall be used for community benefits, including heritage conservation initiatives in this neighbourhood. Sufficient funds remain available in the Planning Act Reserve Account to produce and install the heritage plaque at this location. The use of these funds for this purpose complies with the by-law and agreement. As Heritage Toronto is a directly funded City agency and not an "outside party", no undertaking is required to be signed by Heritage Toronto to govern the use of the funds and financial reporting. This Motion is urgent as Hotel Victoria's 110th anniversary is August 9, 2019, and Heritage Toronto requires the funding in place to meet its deadline.

of a heritage plaque at 56 Yonge Street to commemorate the 110th anniversary of Hotel Victoria (Cost Centre HG 0001).