A current image of the stone house at 201 Cooper St., which could lose its heritage status due to a rezoning of the Centretown Heritage Conservation District. The rooms in the building are rented out to tenants like an apartment.
The Centretown Citizens Community Association is looking to get a historic Centretown building officially recognized as heritage site because it’s at risk of losing the current protection afforded by its inclusion in the Centretown Heritage Conservation District.
The stone house at 201 Cooper St. was built around 1889. While the architect is unknown, similarities can be seen between the house and Italianate mansions designed by Henry Horsey, says David Jeanes, vice-president of Heritage Ottawa.
Horsey is also known for his design of the Nicholas Street Jail, built in 1860.
The rooms in the building are now being rented out to tenants, in an apartment style.
By the time 201 Cooper St. was built, the use of stone was almost completely phased out and many other historic buildings in the area are made of brick, making this site particular to Centretown, Jeanes says.
“There are no heritage designated-stone residences in Centretown and I am not aware of any others that are as large or as close to original condition as 201 Cooper,” says Jeanes.
Without the individual designation, the building would lose protection if the heritage boundary is adjusted, Jeanes says, adding the change could occur “without any debate.”
Under the Ontario Heritage Act, a heritage conservation district includes not only historic buildings themselves, but also the surrounding area, protecting both the natural and man-made landscape.
The building sits on the edge of the Centretown heritage district, just off the corner of Cooper and Elgin streets.
Charles Akben-Marchand, chair of the Centretown heritage committee says that the consultant team for the Mid-Centretown Community Design Plan is considering changing the HCD boundaries.
“(The) CDP will include guidelines to help ensure that new infill development is compatible with the policies of the district,” says Robert Spicer, a City of Ottawa planner.
He says that the study will actually be “strengthening the district so it can be a more effective tool in preserving heritage buildings and groupings of buildings.”
But if “the heritage overlay for the area is removed from that part of Centretown, this building will be without any heritage designation whatsoever,” Akben-Marchand says.
“Even with the current overlay, the particular heritage features of the building are not specified, and these features are only protected if they are specified in the heritage designation.”
The CCCA heritage committee is “still discussing internally” about how best to proceed with getting a heritage designation for the building, says Akben-Marchand.
He cites a City of Ottawa application backlog as a problem and says the committee is considering completing its own independent heritage survey.
Jeanes writes that there have already been alterations and damage done to the building, changing its overall look.
“A heritage designation could help this,” he writes. It could even provide some city grant money for minor restorations, Jeanes adds.