Heritage Kitchener Meeting Summary

Heritage Kitchener approved a heritage permit application for 121 Water Street South to demolish and reconstruct a one-storey rear addition, subject to heritage staff review of final building permit drawings. The committee also moved forward with heritage designations for 265 Weber Street East, 305 King Street West, and 58 Louisa Street. Before adjournment, Chair Berry Vrbanovic said the committee's next meeting will be "the first Tuesday of August."

Topics Discussed

• 121 Water Street South rear addition: Heritage Kitchener considered heritage permit application HPA 2026-B010121 / HPA 2026V-010, DSD 2026-223 for a circa-1910 Queen Anne-style house in the Victoria Park Area Heritage Conservation District. The application proposed demolishing and rebuilding a one-storey rear addition dating to about the 1960s. Staff said the existing addition "does not contribute to the heritage value of the property" and that the replacement would be compatible with district policies for additions.

• Questions about reversibility at 121 Water Street South: Committee members asked how the new work would affect existing openings on the rear wall. Preston asked about "the conservation and reversibility of these changes in the long term." Magda pointed to a window that would be covered and asked what would "actually happen" to the brick and openings and whether they would be "maintained" and remain "reversible." Staff said the basement entrance would be enclosed with a concrete foundation, the existing brick would remain, and "no brick will be destroyed."

• Approval details for 121 Water Street South: The motion carried unanimously. Discussion noted the storm-door access was "not usable" and in "disrepair" because of winter flooding. The rebuilt addition will extend to the four-foot property line, and a window between the existing house and the addition will remain open. Approval was subject to one condition: final building permit drawings must be reviewed and approved by heritage planning staff before a building permit is issued.

• 265 Weber Street East designation: The committee considered designation of 265 Weber Street East under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. Staff said "the property meets five out of the nine criteria for designation based on staff's evaluation" and that it is recognized for its "design physical historic associative and contextual values." The property was described in the meeting materials as a representative example of Structuralist architecture, associated with Michael Krauss and post-war apartment housing development, and significant as Kitchener's first cooperative housing development. The committee directed the clerk to publish a notice of intention to designate.

• 305 King Street West and 58 Louisa Street designations: Heritage designation for 305 King Street West passed unanimously under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. During discussion, a committee member said that "if they were to replace all of the glass and totally redo the exterior of the building, I think we would be reviewing that," referring to the building's curtain-wall exterior. The committee also approved designation steps for 58 Louisa Street. Heritage Planner Victoria Grun described it as "a 2 and a half story early 20th century brick house constructed in the decorative Berlin vernacular architectural style with Queen Anne and classical revival influences."

• Next meeting date: At the close of the meeting, Chair Berry Vrbanovic said, "The next meeting that we're going to have will be in August. The first Tuesday of August."

Motions

Passed: - Heritage Permit Application for 121 Water Street South — demolition and reconstruction of a one-storey rear addition, subject to heritage planning staff approval of final building permit drawings - Notice of Intention to Designate 265 Weber Street East under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act - Designation of 305 King Street West under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act - Designation steps for 58 Louisa Street under Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act

Attendees

• Berry Vrbanovic
• Preston
• Magda