Just tiny …
1. Toronto’s Detached Studio With NO ROOM
Price: $520,000
The Little House
128 Day Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The Little House is a 2.2m wide and 14.3m long house in Toronto. It was built in 1912 by Arthur Weeden. During the street’s development, Lot 128 was conceived as a laneway for the neighbouring home. However, the curb was never cut by the City to allow vehicular passage from the street. Observing this, Arthur decided that “in order to use the land, I would build on it” (Weeden, Toronto Sun Telegram, 1939). After completing the laneway house, he and his wife lived in it for 20 years. After his wife passed away, Mr. Weeden, 77 years of age at the time of the Sun Telegram article, lived in the house for 6 more years, during which time he tended to the vegetable garden in the rear of the house, growing tomatoes, cabbages, Swiss chard, rhubarb and some flowers.
After being sold by Mr. Weeden, it was inhabited by several different families (although information on them was difficult to track down), including one elderly man who now lives down the street. He visited during our renovation and recounted a story of the time he lived in the house: he came to Canada from Italy, after serving as an officer in his country’s army. Working in the construction industry among other jobs, he lived with his family in the house for 15 years. He claims to have lived there with his wife and three children. It was not clear if his story was completely accurate, however, we do know the most recent owners (a couple), who came to Toronto in 1996 from Brazil, lived in The Little House for over 10 years. While in the home, they made many improvements: updated flooring, a new roof, new electrical, new drywall and insulation in the bedroom and living room. The couple moved out in May 2007, when the Little House was sold. The house is now occupied by Jozef and Anna, a couple from Slovakia.