One of the more unique houses in Windsor was featured in the review of the 1948 residential construction, being noted as one of the “higher-priced private homes” built in 1948.
The house was featured with it’s own little photograph.
Located on Ypres and Moy, this unique house, is unlike any others in Windsor. It’s a neat house, and it’s currently for sale, on the plus side of $300,000.
The house shown on Ypres is a lesser known style of architecture know a Art Moderne (see link).
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Artmoderne.htm
I always found South Walkerville (especially along Ypres) to have one of the largest collection of homes built in the 1940’s Shortly after this development was built homes styles were transforming form more traditional designs to a more contemporary mid century look.modern look.
I always liked this house on Ypres because of it’s uniqueness.
post war baby boom!
I live in what was the “last house on Lincoln Road” according to the delivery invoice from Crane Plumbing at the time of construction in June 1930 that I found plastered into the wall during a renovation. There are now half a dozen houses further south on Lincoln of various styles and ages.
It is my understanding, and would love to hear otherwise, that the South Walkerville Memorial Development went bankrupt after the Stock Market Crash and subsequent depression of 1929. Even though the development went bankrupt, the original restrictive covenants of the development, namely; 40′ lot, brick to roof, 2 storey, detached garage at rear of lot serviced by a side driveway, etc. were in full force and effect until they expired 10 years after they were first registered. This time frame also coincided with the end of the depression and post-war building boom. All of the lots that had not been developed in the initial phase were now available for purchase and could be grouped together in 40, 80 or 120 foot lots with houses of whatever design the new builder wanted. That is why there is now an odd assortment of house styles on lots of various sizes intermixed within the neighbourhood with some built in the late twenties, but many built post war. Anyone know of anything different?
The southern reaches of the former town of Walkerville are aplenty with amazing old (and well preserved) homes and architecture. Some of my favorites are on Sommes, Vimy, etc. Always a treat for us to walk through these streets.
We are the new owners of 1380 Ypres.
We don’t know very much about the house, except that it was apparently called the Harris house (who was Harris?) and that it has a historical designation because it was designed by G.A. McElroy. We also don’t know very much about McElroy except for a couple of buildings he designed in Windsor and that he was the staff architect for S.S. Kresge for many years.
We agree that the house is unique and interesting (which is why we bought it).
Very nice to see some of my grandfather’s residential work. I’ve known of only one other house, but my knowledge is admittedly quite incomplete. Thanks for posting this.
Gil,
Do you happen to know which house that is?
Stewart
I grew up on Hall Ave in the southern most block just a few houses from Ypres. This house was just east and I passed by it so many times wondering what kind of house it was as a kid. As one of the other posters mentioned, there are so many different styles of houses in South Walkerville and it is always an area I enjoy visiting even though I moved away several years ago.
Hi Folks
We’re trying to find out who the architect was on our South Walkerville house which is on the southeast corner of Gladstone (2500) and Somme (white brick facade cape cod) facing Somme. We understand construction was actually started in Sept./39 but wasn’t finished for several years. Original owners were Ed and Edna Laird who had a clothing business downtown. I am told that the same architect who did our home also designed a ranch style home further down the street at the southwest corner of Gladstone and Ypres. Anyone have any ideas?
Hi, Stewart. No, I don’t know anything more about the other home my grandfather designed beyond a brief mention in his listing in the biographical dictionary of Canadian architects. I’m hoping there are many more out there that I’ve yet to discover. My grandfather wasn’t someone I remember with any fondness at all (I last lived with him in the summer of 1967), but his career interests me. I’ve published a memoir about my father’s military career – “Cold Comfort: Growing Up Cold War” – published in 2012 in which my grandfather figures in several chapters. I’d like to know much more about him.
Hi Gil,
Thank you for the info.
Here is a bit more info on some original features of the house.
1. Some of the interior walls are curved, characteristic of Art Moderne style.
2. There are a few large sheets of flutex glass (https://www.google.com/#q=flutex+glass+images)
3. The heating system is in floor hot water heating (including part of the basement), divided apparently into 26 zones. I don’t understand yet how it works.