The row house at 63 Seaton Street was originally situated in the middle of a block of attached Victorian terrace houses. In 1954, Shuter Street, which at the time ended at Sherbourne Street to the west, was extended eastward across Seaton to Parliament Street. As a result, the row houses south of 63 Seaton were demolished and the south party wall of 63 was suddenly exposed to Shuter. Although the street frontage of the wedge-shaped side yard formed to the south of 63 Seaton is only 4 centimetres, the rear yard’s dimension of 7.8 metres was regarded by the owner as decidedly more tempting…

In 1989, a new three-storey infill house was designed for the wedge-shaped side yard. The design for the new free-hold house accommodated the specific living requirements of the owner of 63 Seaton – a doctor with an extensive art collection. The south end wall of 63 Seaton has been restored to its former party-wall status. Owner and architect wanted the new building to cauterize a part of the city block that had been previously wounded by the rather barbarian insertion of a new roadway.

Although this house is shaped like a piece of pie, City Hall approval to build it was no piece of cake. Neither the neighbours, nor the Planning Department shared the enthusiasm of the owner and architect. Fortunately, the Ontario Municipal Board approved its construction after a time-consuming and costly appeal. Then the capriciousness of the housing market and the owner’s purchase of a new home elsewhere nearly caused the project to be shelved permanently; however, it was extensively redesigned and built as a speculative venture eleven years after its initial conception.

The front of the house may be only an entry door wide, but the principal rooms at the rear are more spacious and airy than those in its Victorian neighbours.

Paul Reuber