Woodbridge_Heights
Senior Member
You'd be surprised. All the more so if an architectural figurehead (you know, like a Ron Thom, or a Jerry Markson) were involved in the design.
Between that statement and the following
...you're proving yourself one heck of a hack amateur when it comes to a 2010 standard of heritage judgment. Which needn't even involve the strictest listing/designation/do-not-touch parameters.
Than why not educate me. What makes this solitary house worthy of heritage designation and not any of the other houses on this street?
- The dormer? IIRC dormers were very common during the late 1800's early 1900's. What makes this dormer on this house so special?
- The turret? I wonder if when it was built if others saw that as a bit of self indulgence, what exactly did the turret add to the house other than being a turret?
- I can appreciate that it represents a "beech"/"cottage" style of construction, built on a plateau, lots of windows, big balcony; and yet the street is lined with examples of this type of construction. Again why bring this house up for designation and not any of the others on the street or have the entire 'hood designated as a heritage district?
- Was there something else that was specifically special/unique about this house? Was it built by some famous person? Did some famous person live here? Was it specifically involved in some historical event? Anything else?
I still cannot comprehend how someone can follow all the rules, and have their plans accepted by the city suddenly be told by someone else "oh by the way I like this house I think it's got historical value you can't touch it" and go so far as to have it brought to heritage discussion without so much as mentioning it to the family in question.
I think we, legally, have to let them go ahead because the did follow all of the rules at the time of their plan. Or the city must reimburse them their full costs if the building is designated. In future I think there should be some sort of easment on properties that are on the Heritage consideration list but that haven't yet been designated. So that prospective owners can have full knowledge going into their purchase.