Interwar Semis were mostly built in the 1920’s and 1930’s 

Interwar Semis are quite prevalent in the downtown neighbourhoods of Old Toronto. This housing type is one of the smallest types both in terms of lot size and floor area of the house, between 80 and 110 square meters excluding the basement (860 to 1200 sq. ft.). The original basements were typically not designed as living spaces, and would require underpinning to increase the ceiling height and accomodate a legal basement unit.

Traditionally, the Interwar Semi’s have a full-width front porch, many of which have been interiorized or enclosed as screened porch. The roof toward the front of the house is usually a gable or hip roof, while the back is often flat or low-slope. The linear arrangement of the floor plan is typically organized along a straight-run staircase placed against the party/dividing wall - with separate living and dining rooms towards the front and the kitchen toward the rear of the ground floor, and three bedrooms and one bathroom on the second floor.

This type was common before the prevalence of the car, and hence does not typically have parking or a garage unless the property backs onto a laneway.

Housing Stats:
Second Floor Area = 49.5m²
Ground Floor Area = 53.9m²
Basement Floor Area = 46.9m² (excluded from FSI)
Total Floor Area = 150.3m²

This scheme is limited to minor additions, accessory dwelling units (Garden Suite or Laneway Suite) and renovations within the existing building footprint, and may include the scope of work included in the ‘LOW’ option.

Depending on the capacity of the existing structure and foundations, it
may be feasible to add a third storey. This option proposes a top addition that retains the existing front elevation. Given this is a street of similar houses, an addition towards the rear maintains the “neighbourhood character” of the street.

The ground floor and basement are renovated to each accomodate one-bedroom units. The screened porch is demolished and excavated to create a separate entrance for the basement suite.

This scheme is limited to major additions or a combination of minor additions, accessory dwelling units (Garden Suite or Laneway Suite) and renovations within the existing building footprint, and may include the scope of work included in the ‘LOW’ and ‘MEDIUM’ option.

The site is serviced by a lane and has sufficient depth to accomodate a two-storey Laneway House. The proposed one-bedroom laneway house fully conforms to the City’s Zoning By-law for Laneway Suites with appropriate setbacks and roof geometry informed by the angular plane requirement and dormer exception.