Mid-19th Century 1 1/2 Storey Cottages

215 and 219 King Street West Dundas , Ontario
Central Ontario

CURRENT OWNER: Prime Properties

BUILDING HISTORY:

See the following report posted on our Resources page:

215 and 219 King Street West, Dundas - Statements of Cultural Heritage Value and Background Documentation

DETAILS OF THREAT:

Cottages located on the property at 215 King Street West and the adjacent property at #219 (just west of Market Street) are both under threat of demolition.  In March 2021, it was announced in the Dundas Star News that the owner, Prime Properties, was proposing to build a four-storey, 14-unit residential building on the site. It is currently zoned ‘Neighbourhood Commercial’ which only permits residential uses above ground floor commercial uses.  The proposed development will therefore require an amendment to the Zoning By-Law.  No application has yet been received and in order for it to be considered complete, a Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment will first need to be submitted.

In the section of King Street extending from Market to Matilda streets, all the surviving historic buildings erected as residences have recently served a commercial use or combined residential/ commercial use except for #219, which has been maintained for many years as a residential rental property.  #215 served for decades as an ophthalmologists’ office for Dr. Keith Mann and Dr. Dalia Eino.  Earlier in 2021, their practices were relocated to a new medical building at 118 Hatt Street, leaving #215 vacant. 

These two inventoried properties were brought to the attention of HMHC's Inventory & Research Working and at its meeting held on April 26, 2021, recommendations were made to the HMHC to add both 215 and 219 King Street West to the Heritage Register.  Both properties have since been added to the register (20 June 2021).  In a Dundas Star News article, "Dundas development proposal retains heritage consultant" (7 October 2021), it was reported that a consultant had been retained to prepare the Heritage Impact Assessment but that that no application for a zoning by-law amendment had yet been submitted. This will be required in order to allow only residential units in the proposed building, with no ground floor commercial use.