2015

EXCELLENCE IN RESTORATION
377 Sackville Street

Owner & Designer: James Davie and Mark Hendricks
Architect: Monica Kuhn
Landscape Architect: Martin Wade
Contractor: Joe Rozman, Weenen General Contracting Ltd.
Mason: Fergus Tyrell, Trinity Custom Masonry

Historical Information: The ‘Shield’s House’ was built in 1876 – 1877 by Bryce (Bruce?) and Hagon builders (architects?) for Francis Shields, a drover / dealer in livestock. The style is Second Empire. The semi-detached houses directly to the South, at 373 and 375 Sackville Street, were built at the same by the same builders, and are very similar in style - however the Shield’s House is unique to Cabbagetown in that instead of a brick façade, it has a stone veneer front, which is thought to have been applied post construction.

Reason for the Award: The house was completely repaired & restored - brick was repointed, or replaced where required; the stone base at grade was repointed. The weathered marble corner stones, etched by a previous acid wash attempt at cleaning, were all replaced. The sand stone veneer was cleaned.
All of the windows and exterior doors were replaced and replicated by Ridley; the double-hung windows operate with ropes and weights; the ‘antique’ glass, although part of a double pane unit, matches the Victorian original; the storms were removed and the muntin pattern was simplified. Original pieces of wrought iron cresting found in the basement were replicated, and installed around the top of the mansard roof and the bay window. The rear, one storey kitchen addition (which was not original to the house) was removed and replaced with a new, wider, one storey family room addition, with access to the new stone terrace and re-landscaped garden. A roof deck off of the third floor at the rear was added, with a wrought iron railing. The concrete front porch and steps was replaced with a stone porch with wrought iron railings. The existing garage in the NorthEast corner of the property was removed and replaced with a new garage; the design and materials were in keeping with the house, but interpreted in a contemporary manner. The front yard was re-landscaped, with new stone walkways and driveway, a wrought iron fence around the perimeter, and a driveway gate and fence between the front yard and sideyard.

Thanks to Monica E. Kuhn, Architect Inc. for details.