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Background The Issues from the City's Perspective The following material is almost all of the material released on July 24, 2002 by the City of Toronto as background for the Union Station matter (several sections which add little to the story have been omitted), and explains the situation from the perspective of city staff and city council. The material in square brackets [ ] is not written by city staff, but has been added. Click here to visit the section of the City of Toronto's Website devoted to Union Station. Union Station: RFP Process and Looking Ahead After purchasing Union Station in August 2000, Toronto City Council authorized the Commissioner of Corporate Services to issue an International Request for Expressions of Interest ("REI") from interested developers with the relevant skills and experience to undertake a project of this nature. Marshall Macklin Monaghan was hired as the process manager and Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg provides legal advice and assistance. The REI was issued in January 2001. Purchasing received eight responses, two of which did not constitute formal submissions. At its meeting of March 6, 2001, Council pre-qualified three firms to participate in a subsequent RFP:
In June 2001, Council authorized the issuance of a Request for Proposal (RFP) to the three pre-qualified firms that identified three objectives:
The RFP was released on August 10, 2001 and identified a submission deadline of November 9, 2001. Because of the events of September 11, two respondents requested an extension to the RFP deadline. Consequently, it was extended one month to December 7, 2001. A further extension was later granted to December 14, 2001. Two proposals were received from LP Heritage + Union Station Consortium and Union Pearson Group Inc. Union Place Development Corporation did not submit a proposal. A strict security protocol was implemented to ensure the confidentiality of the two proposals. To evaluate the proposals and recommend a preferred proponent, the City formed a Selection Committee comprised of members of the City's executive management team, representatives of Transport Canada and a respected heritage architect. To evaluate the two proposals, the Committee:
Members of the Selection Committee are:
Between January 2 and April 9, 2002 the two proposals were carefully reviewed by six review teams focusing on those elements identified for evaluation in the RFP:
At the end of February 2002, the two respondents made presentations to the review teams and selection committee. They were also engaged in a series of written communications with the review teams and selection committee to clarify all aspects of the proposals. Both have been subjected to a fair and thorough review process. The selection committee recommend[ed] Union Pearson Group Inc. as the preferred proponent , [and city council authorized staff to] commence negotiation of a lease on terms and conditions outlined in the RFP. [Staff are expected to report to the city's Administration Committee on October 24, 2002.] Heritage Preservation and Union Station Union Station was built between 1914 and 1927 as a joint construction project by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPR) and the Grand Trunk Railway (now the Canadian National Railway Company - CNR) to consolidate their railway services within one facility. It opened in August 1927. Since then, it has operated as one of the most significant hubs in Canada's transportation network. The Station was built during the last great phase of railway station construction at a time when a railway station was viewed as the gateway to a city. It was the largest and most opulent station erected in Canada. Like many stations of the early 20th century, Union Station was designed in the grand manner of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Its monumental scale, classical details and rational, ordered planning were hallmarks of the style. Heritage Status The Station is designated as a National Historic Site by the federal government and is protected under a Heritage Easement Agreement that defines the design intent and limitations on alterations that can be made to the Station. Federal approval is required for any alterations to Union Station (and the train sheds behind it) that would affect the historically or architecturally significant elements. As the owner of the building, the City also has approval rights over alterations. Heritage Design Guidelines A set of heritage, conservation and design guidelines identifies the important heritage characteristics of Union Station. These guidelines are a public document and are available on request. They provide a framework for proposed alterations and conservation work in accordance with four prescribed zones which divide the building into areas of heritage significance. The successful developer chosen through the RFP process will be required to comply with these guidelines in its redevelopment plans. Any building redevelopment, enhancement or maintenance must be undertaken within the dictates of recognized heritage conservation principles in order to preserve the heritage character and significance of Union Station. Heritage Requirements in the RFP The RFP listed certain minimum required heritage restorations to be completed totalling $3.4 million and including:
The proponent will be subjected to a thorough heritage approval process. Union Station: Additional Density The City's principle objective in the City of Toronto's Request for Proposal (RFP) was to restore and redevelop the existing space within the Union Station building. The City recognized that because of its location, there would be interest in the creation of additional development at the Station. However, there is currently no "as of right" additional density permitted by either the Official Plan or zoning bylaw governing the Station. Air rights do not exist at this time and so cannot be included as part of a development proposal. The Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) and RFP provided that the successful proponent would have the opportunity to apply at some later date to create additional density on the site to allow development in the airspace. However, both documents also stated that the City could not guarantee that any application to create additional density on the site would be successful. The RFP required submission of a base proposal, which was limited to development within the current building. It then allowed, but did not require respondents to submit an approach for the creation of additional density as part of their proposal but made it clear this aspect would be given little or no weight in the evaluation process. The RFP provided that acceptance by the City of a preferred proposal that included an additional density concept would in no way constitute approval of the additional density concept. In addition, it stipulated that a submission could be judged non-compliant if proceeding with the restoration and redevelopment of the Station were conditional upon or would be delayed or compromised pending the creation and development of additional density. Both Union Pearson Group and LP Heritage + submitted additional density concepts. Both were highly conceptual and conditional in nature. Very little weight was given to this element of the proposals in the evaluation. Any application for the creation of additional density beyond the Union Station building itself will require both the consent of the City as the owner of the property and its approval as the municipal regulatory authority under the planning process. Transportation and Union Station Union Station is Canada's busiest passenger transportation facility. It now serves more than 120,000 people on business days - this number is expected to more than double over the next 20 years. Union Station functions as a central point for passenger rail, commuter trains, subway and bus service. The station is served by GO Transit, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and VIA Rail. GO Transit has identified $600 million in required major improvements to Union Station and the Rail Corridor. Preliminary upgrades are already underway at the Station to improve and increase access to the rail platforms. As part of the Waterfront Revitalization initiative, TTC is redesigning its Union Station subway station to widen the platform and increase its passenger capacity VIA Rail is just completing a $10 million renovation of its space in Union Station to consolidate and improve its operations in the station and better accommodate its passengers. The Request for Proposals identified enhancement of the transportation attributes of the Station as one of three City objectives for the Station. The successful proponents will be required to co-ordinate Station redevelopment with the ongoing construction programs of GO Transit, VIA Rail and the TTC. The City of Toronto has established an Operators' Committee comprised of GO Transit, VIA Rail, the TTC and appropriate City staff to ensure that work at Union Station respects and enhances its transportation uses. To ensure improved accessibility at Union Station, the City of Toronto retained the architectural firm Du Toit Allsopp Hillier to prepare a pedestrian circulation study. The RFP required proponents to adhere to the planning principles prescribed in the study. and to ensure that pedestrian circulation was not compromised or impeded by the proposals. Union Station Statistics
East Wing Formerly occupied by Canada Post until the 1970s, this wing is now leased to and occupied by the Bank of Nova Scotia. It contains four floors and has a gross floor area of approximately 14,000 sq. m (150,000 sq. ft.) West Wing Formerly occupied by the two railway companies as corporate offices this space is mostly vacant now. It contains four floors and has a gross floor area of approximately 11,600 sq. m (125,000 sq. ft.). Great Hall The centre block houses the main ticket hall, the VIA departure concourse, arrivals halls and other rail related areas as well as retail shops and restaurants. Below grade is the GO concourse, associated retail space, tenant storage, parking and building maintenance areas. |
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