Our team was engaged by the homeowners to breathe new life into this 100-year-old coach house, introducing a unique urban living space at the upper level and maintaining the building’s character. The structure was first constructed to house horses for a local milk delivery service and was repurposed over time, garnering a beautiful patina true to the typology of Toronto’s laneway structures.
Working with the homeowners at a limited budget and tight spatial allowances, a plan was devised to introduce a single-bedroom rental unit on the second floor, while working within the existing envelope and openings. This approach preserves the budgetary viability of the project and pays homage to the coach house typology that is unique to our city’s urban fabric. The ground floor is maintained as a single car garage and storage space complete with a full bathroom for guests and outdoor entertaining. An upper level is a loft-inspired unit that leverages the historic structure to its greatest potential.
The Little Italy Laneway Suite is a unique example of how the new laneway suite by-laws can be interpreted to animate existing underutilized space both in the broader context and at the property-specific level. This 21st-century intervention aims to enable a new generation of use for a vestige of Toronto history.
