Implications of Heritage Designation for 95 St Joseph Street

On March 9, 2022 City Council approved Part IV Heritage Designation for the Basilian Seminary building at 95 St Joseph Street. This is a positive step and more than justified – by both the stature of architect Ernest Cormier who designed the building, and the strength of the historical and heritage connections to the University of St Michael’s College.

Whilst this is good news, the threat remains that a development proposal for the site will mean that the majority of the building will be demolished. So long as the developer’s current plan progresses, changing the height of the building from 4 storeys to 39 storeys, it is impossible to preserve much of the existing structure.

We need to continue to lobby the Councillor Mike Layton and the City Planners not to allow this development as proposed.  The relevant contacts are Councillor Layton councillor_layton@toronto.ca and mary.macdonald@toronto.ca, who is Senior Manager of Heritage Preservation Services. Please send your email as soon as possible, but certainly before the end of March. This item could be before City Council for approval in around 3 months’ time. Be sure your voice is heard, and thank you for your continuing support.

Sample text is below to help you, or to cut and paste into your email.

As a member of the local community, I would like to applaud the recent decision by City Council to approve Part IV Heritage Designation for the Basilian Seminary building at 95 St Joseph Street. However, this heritage designation must have meaning, and represent actual heritage protection. I am very concerned about the current development proposal for a massive 39-storey, high-rise residential tower on this sensitive site.

Amendments are allowed to a designated heritage building. However, by preserving little but a thin façade of the building, overwhelmed by a 39-storey tower, Toronto would not be protecting architectural heritage but leaving only a glimpse of ‘what was’. The beautiful chapel – Cormier’s masterpiece – would be disconnected, moved to the side of the site, buried inside the massive building, and turned into a private event space.

I do not feel that the development proposal is appropriate or that it provides sufficient heritage protection for the building, for St Joseph Street, or for the St Michael's College Campus, which are part of a Cultural Heritage Landscape and a very special extension of Queens Park.