27 Green Street was once a two-unit home, but it has recently been converted back into one large house. It is now a very generously sized single-family home, one that has been elegantly redone head to toe.
It’s an all-stone, 2-storey century home built in the 1870s and located in the heart of downtown Guelph. While the interior is strikingly modern and contemporary, the home’s original character and charm have been maintained.
“All-stone mansions or big properties are few and far between now,” says real estate agent Allison DeMontmorency. “They really put a lot of work and effort into maintaining the heritage and beauty of the original home. What they’ve done is they kept that century feel but they put that modern, contemporary twist on the house to highlight both the old and the new.”
She loves the natural limestone walls throughout the main floor; they had been hidden behind drywall and plaster for years but were carefully restored during the renovation process.
Another key feature?
The custom-made stairs, which are extra-wide and give a sense of grandeur to the home. “It has that really royal feeling when you walk in,” says the agent.
The home has four bedrooms, each with their own three-piece ensuite bath and walk-in closet. Of course, it has all the bells and whistles too: 9-foot ceilings, an updated kitchen, granite countertops. All of the work is high quality, done by professional contractors.
The area can’t be beat. It’s in a prime location, in the heart of downtown. You’re a two-minute walk to the core, within five minutes’ walking distance to all the local shops, restaurants and downtown attractions. In seven minutes, you can walk to the GO train and GO bus station. You’re also close to Exhibition Park.
The neighbourhood is full of young families, mixed in with some younger professionals and retirees. It’s perfect for those who want to be near all the excitement and hustle bustle of the city.
“What you’re buying with this home is a lifestyle,” explains DeMontmorency. “You’re buying the luxury of a just-shy-of-3,000-square-foot, 4-bedroom, 4 1/2-bath home that’s on a good-sized yard but is low maintenance, for those people who don’t want to be tied to their homes on the weekends and want to get out and enjoy life. Walk down and grab a glass of wine on Buon Gusto’s patio on a Thursday night. Walk to the coffee shop and the farmers market on Saturday mornings.”
The agent points out that from Green Street you’re only five minutes to Highway 6 which gives access to the 401. You’re within walking distance of the library and can access all of the river trail systems; you can even walk all the way to Riverside Park. “Exhibition Park has tennis courts you can use and baseball diamonds. It’s a very large, sprawling park that’s great for family activities, picnics and enjoying the outdoors in the summer,” she says.
With higher-end homes, a lot of people want an open layout. Lately though, DeMontmorency has been encountering a lot of clients who are interested in having distinct, separate spaces again; they want a family room, a formal living room and dining room. When the owners of this house were putting the home back together, they decided to follow the tradition of more compartmentalized homes, just as homes would have been laid out back in the 1800s. What they did, however, was open the rooms up, so that each was larger and more generously sized. The result is a home that respects its heritage but also offers more modern, larger living spaces.
She can see 27 Green Street appealing to a young professional couple or a young family. It would be perfect for those whose children are slightly older, perhaps already in high school, who could use the extra space. Parents can enjoy being able to walk out their front step and find the world is their oyster. A family with younger children might be excited to raise their kids closer to downtown, in a hipper, more urban neighbourhood.
Says DeMontmorency, “You can walk everywhere. It’s a dream, the downtown dream.”
Allison DeMontmorency can be reached at 519-821-3600 or via email.