John Irwin House

Last updated November 08, 2024

The John Irwin House is a historic structure located in Toronto, one of the oldest surviving residential buildings in its neighbourhood.^[2] The house is listed on the City of Toronto government's registry of historic properties.^[3] The city describes the house as being an example of Second Empire style.^[2] The house is located at 21 Grenville Street. That part of the city, east of Queen's Park, was opened for residential development in 1860, and the house was recorded on city records as being owned by John Irwin in 1873.

Enzo di Matteo, writing in Now , included the house in a profile of 15 historic properties that were nevertheless under threat of demolition.^[4]

In the winter of 2012, a rear wing of the house was demolished.^[5]

In 2012, 2013, and 2014, the block surrounding the house was redeveloped into a 50-story highrise, and extraordinary steps were taken to preserve the John Irwin House.^[1]^[3] The house was temporarily moved to a concrete platform, supported by deep piles that extended through what would be several underground floors, to bedrock.^[6] When the highrise is complete, the historic house will be repurposed as commercial space.^[7]

In a profile of the development, in January 2017, Urban Toronto reported that the John Irwin House was expected to become a restaurant.^[8]

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References

1 2 Brandon Leal (2013-07-17). "Heritage Gets Some New Legs at Karma Condos". Urban Toronto . Retrieved 2015-09-04. To support the structure while excavation continued underneath, two deep holes were drilled, and then massive concrete columns were poured. A concrete slab was then formed over the columns and anchored into the shoring structure along the side. The house was then lifted and placed onto the new foundation and support columns.
1 2 "REASONS FOR LISTING: 21 GRENVILLE STREET" (PDF). City of Toronto government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-01-30. The John Irwin House has design or physical value as one of the last surviving examples of a house form building in this area, and for its Second Empire stylistic features.
1 2 Sarah Sweet (2014-01-29). "Spotted: The John Irwin House, Mid-Air". Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Torontoist. Archived from the original on 2014-01-30. Retrieved 2014-01-30. The John Irwin House, dating back to 1873, which had to be moved to the north-east corner of the site in order to accommodate the new 50-storey Karma condo development.
↑ Enzo di Matteo (2012-03-29). "15 Toronto architectural gems under threat". Now. Archived from the original on 2012-04-16. Retrieved 2014-01-30. The original development plan for the site proposed the relocation of one of the last examples of Second Empire architecture still standing in the Yonge and College neighbourhood.
↑ "Demolition of rear half of 1873-era heritage house heralds construction start for Karma condo tower". The Toronto blog. 2012-08-28. Archived from the original on 2014-01-30. … and work to prepare the site for construction of the 50-storey tower has finally started with the demolition of the rear half of the heritage house at 21 Grenville …
↑ Abigale Subdhan (2013-02-03). "Historic home perched five storeys above solid ground so 50-storey condo can rise behind 19th century dwelling". National Post. Archived from the original on 2014-02-04. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
↑ "Karma Condos Promise Nirvana at Yonge & College". Cubed magazine. 2015-02-05. Retrieved 2015-09-04. Right now the construction company is using it for their site office, but once the project is complete the Irwin House will be converted into a restaurant or retail space; thereby making it a real Karma chameleon.
↑ Jack Landau (2017-01-12). "Throwback Thursday: Karma Condos on Grenville Street". Urban Toronto . Retrieved 2017-02-20. A major element in the project's early stages was the relocation of the John Irwin House, a Second Empire style home dating back to 1871.

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[UrbanToronto2013-07-17-1] 1 2 Brandon Leal (2013-07-17). "Heritage Gets Some New Legs at Karma Condos". Urban Toronto . Retrieved 2015-09-04. To support the structure while excavation continued underneath, two deep holes were drilled, and then massive concrete columns were poured. A concrete slab was then formed over the columns and anchored into the shoring structure along the side. The house was then lifted and placed onto the new foundation and support columns.

[HeritageJohnIrwinHouse-2] 1 2 "REASONS FOR LISTING: 21 GRENVILLE STREET" (PDF). City of Toronto government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-01-30. The John Irwin House has design or physical value as one of the last surviving examples of a house form building in this area, and for its Second Empire stylistic features.

[Torontoist2014-01-30-3] 1 2 Sarah Sweet (2014-01-29). "Spotted: The John Irwin House, Mid-Air". Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Torontoist. Archived from the original on 2014-01-30. Retrieved 2014-01-30. The John Irwin House, dating back to 1873, which had to be moved to the north-east corner of the site in order to accommodate the new 50-storey Karma condo development.

[NowMagazine2012-03-29-4] Enzo di Matteo (2012-03-29). "15 Toronto architectural gems under threat". Now. Archived from the original on 2012-04-16. Retrieved 2014-01-30. The original development plan for the site proposed the relocation of one of the last examples of Second Empire architecture still standing in the Yonge and College neighbourhood.

[5] "Demolition of rear half of 1873-era heritage house heralds construction start for Karma condo tower". The Toronto blog. 2012-08-28. Archived from the original on 2014-01-30. … and work to prepare the site for construction of the 50-storey tower has finally started with the demolition of the rear half of the heritage house at 21 Grenville …

[NationalPost2013-02-03-6] Abigale Subdhan (2013-02-03). "Historic home perched five storeys above solid ground so 50-storey condo can rise behind 19th century dwelling". National Post. Archived from the original on 2014-02-04. Retrieved 2014-02-13.

[Curbed2015-02-05-7] "Karma Condos Promise Nirvana at Yonge & College". Cubed magazine. 2015-02-05. Retrieved 2015-09-04. Right now the construction company is using it for their site office, but once the project is complete the Irwin House will be converted into a restaurant or retail space; thereby making it a real Karma chameleon.

[UrbanToronto2017-01-12-8] Jack Landau (2017-01-12). "Throwback Thursday: Karma Condos on Grenville Street". Urban Toronto . Retrieved 2017-02-20. A major element in the project's early stages was the relocation of the John Irwin House, a Second Empire style home dating back to 1871.

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