444 Shaw Street | Central Toronto - Little Italy

Cool Scene, Hot Property!

• Prime Little Italy, The Ossington Strip and all the hip destinations steps from your front door of this stunning historically significant detached completely renovated 2.5 storey Victorian home.
• Majestically situated on top of the hill.
• Designer's own home! Recently renovated for their personal use by Sarah Richardson Design. Everything is of the highest quality in design and production with skilful craftsmanship & attention to detail.
• Rarely available extra large city lot combined with 2 car parking adds to the worth of this irresistible package.
• Striking seamless combination of old world charm and modern amenities creates unparalleled opportunity to live luxuriously in the present & enjoy Toronto's past glories. This home was built in 1890 by one of Toronto's first bottled water merchants.
• Entertainer's dream with "to die for" chef's kitchen, an abundance of natural light, spacious principal rooms, open concept and wood burning fireplace. A fabulous home to host parties all year round.
• Convenient College & Ossington location provides easy access to streetcar, bus and subway. Close to U of T, University Health Network locations & hot water tank is rented financial centre. Walk to shops, local restaurants, grocers, gourmet Italian foods, shopping, Trinity Bellwoods Park & intimate neighbourhood life.
• Superb combination of location, uniqueness & high quality renovation offers incredible value for today's turnkey buyers who want perfection prepared and presented to them.

Location Location!

• Step into urban life with a European ambience.
• Centrally located north of College with easy access to Ossington, Bloor, Queen West, Fred Hamilton Playground, Trinity Bellwoods Park & Bickford Park for dog walking.
• Plethora of trendy restaurants & bars in Little Italy and the newly gentrified Ossington with its galleries, clothes shops, antiques, plus some of Toronto's hottest chefs. Close to interesting cafes and food shopping.
• Walk to everything including 24 Hour Metro & Shopper's Drug Mart. Summer is highlighted by a variety of festivals and street activities. Rediscover the Toronto Public Library system!
• Go green - lots of TTC and public transit routes connecting to downtown via Bloor Street subway or College streetcar. Eco-option: bike downtown.
• For convenience when driving there is easy access to the Gardiner and all its connecting highways.
• Nearby desirable schools include Dewson St Jr Public for French Immersion, Montrose Jr, Kent Sr, Harbord, Central Tech & Central Commerce. Or St. Luke, St. Francis of Assisi, & St. Mary Secondary Catholic Schools.
• House is set-back from street, high on a hill which creates a retreat in the city. Preferred east-facing to receive plenty of western light.

Victorian beauty makeover...

• 444 Shaw has been enhanced and improved for both aesthetics and comfort without losing its gracious, timeless charm.
• Rare detached home offers a well-designed open floor plan ideal for entertaining plus light & bright sumptuous family living.
• Living & dining rooms join to create Great Room with dark stained hardwood floors & soaring ceilings.
• Spacious living room features original stained glass & working wood burning fireplace.
• Dining room glows with natural light from bay window alcove & the 3 antique windows (salvaged from Legacy Vintage & Antique in Cobourg by the present owners) that uniquely divide the dining room from the kitchen.
• Imagine a new quality chef's kitchen... highlighted by endless Caesar stone working island/breakfast bar, & countertops, numerous custom cabinets, top of the line stainless appliances including gas range & French door refrigerator. Windows galore
• Walk out via elegant French Doors to large garden deck from kitchen.
• Main floor offers the convenience of an elegant comfortable sized 2 piece powder room, as well as hall closet.
• The enormous second floor with hardwood flooring throughout is completed by master bedroom suite & family or guest bedroom plus a new 4 piece spa bath.
• Grand master bedroom offers comfortable sleeping arrangements plus sitting area, plenty of closets and walk out to balcony overlooking spectacular city skyline & twinkling lights at night. Balcony doors are highlighted by lovingly restored original stained glass panels.
• Huge spacious Victorian style master ensuite bathroom features marble floor, tin ceiling & white wainscoting. There is natural light from window, a pedestal sink & refurbished delectable claw foot tub with handheld shower.
• The third floor with original refinished white pine floors & sloping ceiling offers charming eyrie of spacious home office/guest room with walkout to 26 x 16 ft. oasis sundeck with privacy fence and the luxury of no other neighbours with decks. Enjoy evening sunsets.
• Lower level with its large open area plus laundry & utilities area is unfinished for plenty of storage space.
• Low maintenance exterior includes a rare extra wide 30' lot with a rolling front lawn, numerous perennials, tumble brick patio area, 3 wooden decks, pea gravel driveway that fits at least 2 cars, gracious wrought iron railings, a fully fenced yard for pets and a wide alley between neighbours.
• If you've been looking for a one of a kind property in a great neighbourhood, you've found it. Location, attention to detail and price create outstanding value in this remarkable prime Little Italy home.

444 Shaw Street - Pertinent Details

Completely updated & renovated in 2007 yet retains much original charm & character.

EXTERIOR

• Home built circa 1890 - fully brick all the way around. All brick re-pointed and cleaned.
• Original fabulous slate roof checked and maintained annually.
• Oversized lot with established city perennial garden that includes: mature grape vine, hops, clematis, peonies, poppy, lilies and Virginia creeper.
• Exterior paint - Farrow & Ball - OFF-BLACK
• Fully fenced yard front and back
• Exterior wrought iron detail around covered front porch, as well as up front stairs
• Lots of space beside the house - including a thoughtful detailed gate at side plus tumbled brick area for air conditioner, gardening equipment, room for a shed, and Toronto's oversized garbage disposal receptacles!
• Electrical in the wooden fence, with lights on each post for relaxing evenings outdoors.

INTERIOR

Main Floor

Living and Dining Room

• Elegant, neutral & bright, flooded with light, the focus stays on the furniture, art and the slate surround fireplace.
• The almost white colour gives off different feel & tone in different seasons
• Open concept living and dining room boasts new hardwood oak flooring and tons of natural light.
• Entry Vestibule wall as well as wall between dining area and kitchen custom created with a run of antique windows selected at Legacy Vintage and Antique in Cobourg.
• Cosy working, wood-burning fireplace and refurbished antique mantle with honed slate surround. Mantle also from Legacy Antique. New owners receive the bonus of all the unused firewood.
• Refurbished, original stained glass windows at front.
• High 10' ceilings.
• All new halogen pot-lighting throughout.
• Wall paint - Benjamin Moore - Decorator White
• Trim - Farrow & Ball - All White
• Custom Irish linen curtains, blinds and window treatments.
• Solid oak doors salvaged from a demolition in Forest Hill refurbished with antique Bennington porcelain knobs and vintage steel hinges with original patent stamp all sourced through Legacy Antique in Cobourg.

Powder Room & Closet

• Good sized
• Kohler pedestal sink and brushed nickel taps, limestone tile.
• Powder room paint - Farrow & Ball - Castle Gray
• Convenient front hall closet

Kitchen

• Sarah Richardson Design.
• Custom cabinetry featuring shaker style doors plus drawers with silent close feature by Altima Kitchens.
• All cabinetry painted in Farrow & Ball - Fawn
• Inset counter area with built-in glass and china display cabinet featuring glass doors and shelving plus under mount halogen counter lighting.
• Restoration Hardware's green glass doorknobs and drawer pulls.
• Extensive Caesarstone custom countertop - Nougat
• Viking Pro Series gas four-burner range with convection oven - stainless
• Viking Pro Series exhaust hood - stainless
• Miele Inspira series dishwasher - stainless
• Kitchen Aid - Two door refrigerator with water and ice dispenser - stainless
• Fieldstone Window's custom French door with extended transom.
• ¾ height white porcelain subway tiles surround.
• Remaining wall finish - Farrow & Ball - Light Blue
• Pro series under-mount two compartment stainless sink with single, spring mounted pro series faucet.
• Limestone tile floors.
• All new halogen pot-lighting throughout.
• Walkout to spacious back deck and ideal family barbeque area.
• Flooded with natural Western light & glass, enjoy sunsets when entertaining.

Second Floor

Master Bedroom

• Large high ceilinged room with two double closets plus refinished original oak floors.
• Originally 2 full size bedrooms
• Walk out to small pied-a-terre balcony with breathtaking, unobstructed view of downtown Toronto skyline and CN Tower.
• Original stained glass window.
• Wall finish - Farrow & Ball - Pointing
• All new halogen pot-lighting throughout.

Master Bath

• Tin ceilinged and very spacious - was originally a bedroom.
• Deep claw foot soaker tub refinished with silver feet & black exterior
• Gray marble flooring and period wainscoting.
• Wall finish - Farrow & Ball - Lamp Room Gray
• Wainscoting and trim finish - Farrow & Ball - All White

Hallway

• Attractive original banister & exposed wood spindles
• Long extra wide hall featuring oak hardwood flooring plus a small linen closet.
• All new halogen lighting.
• Beige waffle cut wool carpeting on all staircases to main and third floors.

Guest Bath

• Kohler pedestal sink and limestone tile flooring.
• Wall finish - Farrow & Ball - French Gray

Guest Bedroom

• Refinished oak flooring with new halogen lighting and double closet.
• Wall finish - Farrow & Ball - Pointing

Third floor

Den / Office / Bedroom

• Large open space currently used as den and double office area.
• Gabled roof space finished in Farrow & Ball - Mouse's Back
• Refurbished and refinished original wide, pine plank flooring circa 1890.
• All fully cabled and wired.
• New halogen lighting throughout.
• Wonderful home entertainment area for multimedia room or an evening party of cards.
• Walkout to third floor sun deck with privacy fence. Bask up in the tree tops with birds singing and the sun shining.

Unfinished Basement

• Ample storage area.
• Washer and gas dryer.
• Furnace and hot water heater.

Recent Articles featuring the resurgence & gentrification of Ossington Avenue:

www.TorontoLife.com

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www.Thestar.com

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www.BlogTo.com

The History of 444 Shaw Street

In 1887 it was a vacant lot. In 1889 William A. Hutchinson age 47, bought the lot to build a house for his family. He paid $900 for the land. In 1890 the house was completed and valued at $1600. It was upon completion of the house that it was given the address of 444 Shaw Street.

Hutchinson owned a bottlers supplies store on Front Street. Hutchinson & Peterson (August) Bottlers Supplies, 106 Front Street East was the address. The shop was the sole manufacturers of patent spring stoppers for soda mineral waters. They also sold bottlers supplies, essential oils, flavoring extracts etc.

In 1895 the house was sold to George B. Towers as Hutchinson and his family moved to the states in an attempt to grow the business. His partner remained at the 106 Front Street address and continued to run the Toronto store.

George A. Cox lived in 439 Shaw Street in 1891 (across the street). That whole area/land between 439 and 467 Shaw Street back then, was the private grounds of Cox and his family.

Offered at $989,000.