|
CITY OF VANCOUVER Administrative Report |
Date: |
September 29, 2004 | |
Author: |
G.McGeough/7091, J. Rifkin/6448 | |
Phone No.: |
7091 | |
RTS No.: |
4474 | |
CC File No.: |
1805 | |
Meeting Date: |
October 5, 2004 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
Director of Current Planning |
SUBJECT: |
Statements of Significance for Victory Square and Chinatown - Award of Contracts |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the Statements of Significance project with an estimated cost of up to $140,000 for:
i) preparing Statements of Significance for buildings currently on the Register in the Victory Square area;
ii) preparing Statements of Significance for buildings that are candidates for addition to the Vancouver Heritage Register in the Victory Square and Chinatown areas; and
iii) undertaking a public awareness and outreach component which includes soliciting for additions to the Heritage Register in the Victory Square and Chinatown areas.
The source of funding is: $40,000 from the 2003-2005 Capital Plan for Downtown Eastside Revitalization; $85,000 funding contribution from the Provincial Government; an additional $15,000 Provincial funding contribution, subject to Provincial approval, for the outreach component.
B. THAT Council authorize the Director of Legal Services to enter into a service contract with the Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services to receive $85,000 to provide the services set out in Appendix A of this report. Such contract shall be on terms and conditions acceptable to the Director of Legal Services and the Director of Current Planning and will include an indemnity against any additional costs in favour of the Province.
C. THAT Council authorize the Director of Legal Services to enter into a service contract with the Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services to receive up to $15,000 for the public awareness and outreach component. Such contract shall be on terms and conditions acceptable to the Director of Legal Services and the Director of Current Planning and will include an indemnity in favour of the Province.
D. THAT Council authorise the Director of Legal Services to enter into contracts with the following two consultants on terms and conditions acceptable to the Director of Legal Services and the Director of Current Planning, at a total cost of $85,000 (including GST and disbursements) to produce Statements of Significance for buildings in the Victory Square and Chinatown areas:
i) Contract 1: 43 sites in Victory Square to Arlington Group Planning & Architecture Inc. for $42,500; and
ii) Contract 2: 42 sites in Victory Square and Chinatown to Commonwealth Historic Resource Management Ltd. for $42,500.
E. THAT upon completion of the Statements of Significance for buildings on the Vancouver Heritage Register, Council direct staff to have the buildings put forward for addition to the National Register.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council approval is required to enter into contracts which are not covered by departmental standing authority. Council approval is also required in order to grant indemnities to third parties.
Heritage Building Rehabilitation Program Policies for Gastown, Chinatown, and Hastings Street Corridor. Heritage projects seeking municipal funding under this policy are required to seek Federal heritage building funding first for which a Statement of Significance is a pre-requisite.
PURPOSE
This report seeks Council approval to prepare a second round of Statements of Significance (SOS's) for buildings in the Downtown Eastside (DTES), along with a public outreach component. To achieve this, Council is also asked to enter into a service contract with the Province as well as enter into two contracts with consultants for the production of a large portion of the SOS's. The contract with the Province includes a standard indemnity clause against any additional costs in favour of the Province.
BACKGROUND
In 2003/2004, Council approved a Statements of Significance Project Budget for buildings in Gastown, Chinatown and part of Hastings Street at a cost of $167,700; source of funding was $40,000 from the 2003-2005 Capital Plan - Downtown Eastside Revitalization and $127,700 from senior government. The consultants completed their work this past spring. Staff is in the process of mailing the Statements out to the respective property owners along with information on the heritage incentives available to them. Ultimately, these Statements will be publicly accessible through VanMap and will be included on the National Historic Register and the BC Heritage Register.
For 2004/2005, the Federal and B.C. Provincial levels of Government are prepared to contribute $85,000 for the production of SOS's provided the City of Vancouver makes a meaningful contribution. Staff is also in discussions with Provincial staff regarding $15,000 of additional Provincial funding in order to augment the associated outreach program for soliciting additions to the Vancouver Heritage Register.
DISCUSSION
A Statement of Significance (SOS) is a new planning tool developed as a key part of the Federal Historic Places Initiatives. Commercial properties on the Vancouver Heritage Register with Statements of Significance are eligible for applying for federal funding from the Historic Places Initiative. When owners are successful in receiving Federal funds, it reduces the amount of City contribution through the Heritage Building Rehabilitation Program for the Downtown Eastside. To date, two heritage projects in the DTES have been approved with conditions for a combined total of approximately $1.2 million in Federal heritage incentives.
Staff recommends using the $85,000 of the Federal and Provincial SOS funds and the $40,000 of City contribution to prepare SOS's largely for buildings in Victory Square and Chinatown where it will enhance City planning efforts underway. By preparing SOS in area groupings, a higher quality of product and greater efficiency in research is achieved. This work will be accompanied by a public outreach component which includes meeting with public advisory groups and a web site for the public to view and contribute to the historical information. Further outreach such as public heritage events will be implemented if the additional $15,000 of provincial funding is secured. This proposed use of 2004/2005 SOS funds was supported by the Vancouver Heritage Commission (VHC) and the Chinatown Historic Area Planning Commission (CHAPC) on June 28, 2004 and September 14, 2004 respectively.
The proposed 2004/2005 SOS Project will be delivered in two blocks of work: 85 pre-identified buildings in Victory Square and Chinatown; and a second smaller set of approximately 17 buildings that will be identified as the project unfolds. Included in the 85 pre-identified building are: 33 buildings on the Vancouver Heritage Register (VHR) in the Victory Square area; 33 additional Victory Square buildings that are likely candidates for VHR addition; and 19 Chinatown buildings that are also candidates for VHR addition.
The 19 Chinatown buildings were on the Vancouver Heritage Register until 1992, when Council removed them at the community's request due to the perception that Register buildings were inhibiting the area's revitalization. As Register buildings in Chinatown now have access to major financial incentives, having a Statement of Significance in place will enable the owners of these 19 buildings to reinstate their buildings back onto the Register, on a volunteer basis, and access these incentives. The owner of a Keefer Street building is already proceeding to seek incentives on this basis. Similarly, the 33 non-Register buildings in Victory Square identified by staff are prime candidates for additions to the Heritage Register. The vast majority of them have early masonry facades covered in the 1950-70s when `modernization' of facades was popular. Archival photos and site visits reveal that heritage significance exists.
For the production of SOS's for these 85 pre-identified buildings in Victory Square and Chinatown, a call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) was advertised in the Vancouver Sun on August 10, 2004. A total of ninety firms and individuals were sent information on the proposal call. From the four responses to the EOI, three firms were asked to submit a proposal.
Staff structured the Request for Proposals into two contracts each with approximately the same number of buildings. Consultant bids ranged from $42,500 to $60,530 for each contract. The submissions were evaluated by staff based on their bid prices and their ability to undertake the work, namely: social/cultural and architectural historian experience; research approach and methodology; critical writing, project management skills; and knowledge of the specific area. Staff recommends the two contracts be awarded as follows:
i) Contract 1: 43 sites in Victory Square to Arlington Group Planning & Architecture Inc. for $42,500; and
ii) Contract 2: 42 sites in Victory Square and Chinatown to Commonwealth Historic Resource Management Ltd. for $42,500.
The second block of SOS work consists of producing SOS's for approximately 17 additional buildings. These buildings will be identified during the course of the project, either through the public outreach component or simply by owners of Heritage Register buildings outside the DTES seeking federal incentives. The $25,000 of project funds allocated for this component will be directed to small consultant contracts approvable by the Director of Planning as property owners and the public bring sites to the City's attention.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Budget of Confirmed Funds |
Budget with Additional $15,000 of Provincial Funds | ||
FUNDS |
2003-2005 Capital Plan (DTES) |
$40,000 |
$40,000 |
Federal/Provincial Historic Places Initiative |
$85,000 |
$85,000 | |
Additional Provincial funds for outreach program. |
0 |
$15,000 | |
Total Project Funds |
$125,000 |
$140,000 | |
EXPENDITURES |
Two SOS contracts for a total of 85 pre-identified sites. |
$85,000 |
$85,000 |
SOS's for sites nominated through public outreach or VHR sites outside the study area seeking Federal incentives. |
$25,000 |
$25,000 | |
Staffing/consultant support for SOS project and coordination with community planning initiatives. |
$15,000 |
$15,000 | |
Augmented community outreach program (e.g. heritage fair) |
$0 |
$15,000 | |
BALANCE |
$0 |
$0 |
The Downtown Eastside Revitalization fund is the identified source for the $40,000 of municipal funds. Funding is available in the 2003-2005 Capital Plan that includes an allocation of $2.5 million for Downtown Eastside Revitalization initiatives. In the 2003/2004 SOS project, staff used a portion of the fund to hire two community members to assist in the historical research of the buildings. Similarly, staff will pursue local hiring as part of the public outreach component.
CONCLUSION
This report recommends Council approve a project budget of up to $140,000 for the production of a second round of SOS's for buildings largely in the Downtown Eastside, focusing this year on Victory Square and Chinatown. The City share of the cost will be $40,000 to be provided from Downtown Eastside Revitalisation capital. The Federal and Provincial government are prepared to contribute $85,000 provided the City of Vancouver makes a meaningful contribution. In addition, $15,000 of additional Provincial funds may be forthcoming for the community outreach program to solicit additions to the Heritage Register. Council authority is sought to: enter into contracts with the Province; enter into contracts with two consultants; and to help fund the preparation of Statements of Significance and associated public outreach. These SOS's will define the core heritage values of each heritage building and enable these sites to seek federal heritage incentives.
* * * * *
