In the Carlington neighborhood there has been a controversial infill (are there any other type??). The first proposal had a too-big house that dwarfed the post-war one-and-half storey homes that comprise most of the area. There was an odd -lot subdivision. Unsympathetic design. Most recently, there was a fuss over damage and removal of a large tree while digging utility lines.

But, for all this, or perhaps because of all this, the finished result is lookin’ good. And most excitingly for all those upset about over-sized over-priced infills, this project is ideal for single persons, couples, or small families.

The site on Crown Cresc. in the Westgate neighborhood is odd. The street makes a 180 degree turn, and the subject lot is on the inside of the turn. So the lot is shaped like a “C”, with the street running all around the front and both sides of the lot. A corner lot with a vengeance.

The pic above is taken from the base of the “C”. The street runs around to the left, and reappears on the far side of the photo beyond the dumpster. Presumably there will be a driveway and small back yard  running off each street.

From the front, the two houses make a compatible pair. The house on the right was original to the lot, but has been picked up and moved right to go on a new foundation that is deeper and better than before, so the downstairs level can be completely finished space.
The house on the left used to be located several blocks away, but was to be demolished to make way for another development. It was moved here, put on a new foundation, gutted, and is being redone inside and out.

Both houses seem to be getting a really nice exterior treatment that will make them probably the best-looking houses on the block, in a neighborhood where too many of the small houses have had inappropriate big picture windows, insul-stone, or other “bad” renovations. I hasten to point out that there are numerous nice renovations too, but these will be amongst the nicest and will raise the bar for other homeowners to fix up.

I gather the houses will sell in the 400 range, which is certainly affordable for infills that have been completely and sympathetically renovated and rebuilt. The developer bought the lot for the low 200’s. I find it very encouraging that a builder can do this size and scale of project and presumably still make money.

N0w, if we could only persuade more builders to think small, think affordable, think compatible … we might get a better adjective for infills: Welcome.