Some readers may remember the infamous Cat House on Windermere in Walkerville, that we visited back in September, 2007.
The old house was demolished after it was left abandoned by the owners at the time, and full of cats. The site remained a vacant lot for the better part of a year, before some work started on the site.
This is the turd that’s been thrown up in Old Walkerville. A child with crayons could do a better job of urban planning than the people in charge at city hall. The neighbours were told that the house would “blend in to the neighbourhood”…
… uhh, yeah… You can’t even tell that house is new, it looks just like the rest of the street…
Certain areas of the city (like old Walkerville) need to be held to a certain level of design for new construction. If infill is built in old and historic neighbourhood, then you should have to build a house that looks like the rest of the street.
Other cities do it, why are we always having to settle for a silver medal in this city? Its the little things that make our cities and neighbourhoods appealing. If the owners of the replacement for the Cat House wanted a LaSalle style house, they should have built one out there…
The scale and massing of the whole end of the block is thrown off by this place, not to mention that the “porch” is idiotic looking. Building this house to look more like the rest of the ones on the street would not have been difficult or more expensive. I think it’s just a lack of anyone caring in the planning & building departments. Rubber stamp on the plans, and we’re good to go…
From the Border Cities Star - December 6, 1924, almost a century ago to the…
Built in 1929, the house at 2177 Victoria Avenue was originally numbered 1545 Victoria, pre…
Crescent Lanes first opened on Ottawa Street in 1944 at 1055 Ottawa Street, opposite Lanspeary…
Above is a photo of the home of Mr & Mrs Oswald Janisse, located at…
in 1917 two Greek brothers Gus & Harry Lukos purchased a one story building on…
View Comments
Silver medal for Windsor? More like a tin can. At least it isn't covered in stucco.
Please tell me you photoshopped that picture. Please?
I'm new to this blog so I don't know the histry of the cat house. What was wrong with the house that they had to tear it down? Can cats really destroy a house?
Dave: Yes, they can. As a matter of fact I heard Andrew is buying a few hundred cats to let loose in this house too. ;)
The term "cookie cutter" is often used on this site. The row of three houses shown in one of the above photos would fit that definition as well. Just because it is old doesn't mean it is good, and just because it's new doesn't mean it's shit. The cost to build a clone of one of the surrounding houses would be high. Too high to make it a worthwhile investment. I love the pictures on this site but sometimes the opinions and comments are pretty stupid and make some people sound like elitist fucks.
But at least these homes have charm, front porches and......what is it? Craftsmanship? Yeah that's it. Notice the sidewalks also,and the fact that the street isn't massive garage after garage, with no trees. Notice how you said three homes? Is someone hereone of thiose crappy contractors who rips everyoe off?
I said three homes because the photo shows three homes very clearly. I'm sure if you look down the street you will find many more built from the same plan. I'm not sure what your references to front porches, sidewalks, garage after garage, or your insinuation that I am a crappy contractor who rips everybody off has to do with my previous comments. I guess you are saying you don't like new subdivisions and have a problem with contractors ? I don't like new subdivisions either, but again, that has nothing to do with my comments that you replied to.
Your reply is typical of the kind of comments that bug me, widesweeping and ill informed, black or white, no shades of grey.
The lack of porches, or sidewalks and the fact that the only thing exposed to the road is a massive garage with a house somewhere behind it is the exact problem with the "cookie-cutter" sub divisions Patrick. The whole lack of a community feeling, just park in your garage and straight into the house. Then to the backyard with a 10 foot fence. You rarely see your neighbours, and if you do its generally because one of you is driving out of or into the garage. Was that grey enough? I'm an "elitist fuck"...so I'm not sure. And no, I don't like modern sub divisions for the reasons above. I know there's some well built places in there, but they're boring as sin on the inside and on the outside unless the home owner puts some personal touches into it. And I don't TRUST most contractors. Next time one rips your family off for 15K, and then never does build the place and goes "bankrupt",you let me know how you feel about'em.