Bylaw: (1990)-13719
Legal description: Lot 594, Lot 580, Plan 8
Designated portions
- All of the exterior walls of the building, including all door and window locations, with the exception of the rear (south) wall facing Cambridge Street and a portion of the west wall south of the existing porch, as delineated by numbers 3 and 4 on the sketch (included in the by-law), are designated. The more recent corner greenhouse window, delineated by number 2 on the sketch (included in the by-law) is also excluded from the designation.
- Main and upper level porches, as delineated by number 1 on the sketch (included in the by-law), are not included in the designation, but it is understood that these porches may be returned to a documented earlier design, in whole or in part, without requiring City Council permission for an alteration to the designation.
- The roof form and massing, including the existing chimneys and their location, are designated.
- All major trees which frame the building and are located on Lot 594, Registered Plan Number 8 and are visible from Paisley Street, are included in the designation. The designation excludes all bushes, hedges and driveways and does not prevent the surface use of the property for a swimming pool, gardens, driveways, walks or any other typical surface use.
It is intended that current and later owners may return non-original features to documented earlier designs or to their documented original form without requiring City Council permission for an alteration to the designation.
Property history
Built in the mid 1860’s of local limestone, this large two storey stone house forms part of a fine grouping of significant stone buildings in its block. The house features a number of elements typical of Italianate architecture including bold arched window lintels, strongly accentuated corners with rusticated quoins and wide projecting roof eaves with cornice brackets above the bay window. The rear addition, also of stone, was added in the mid-1870’s while the north and west verandas and balconies were still later additions.
This impressive building has been the home of a number of prominent Guelph citizens. Alexander Thomson, clothing merchant, owned the house until 1869 when it was purchased by William S. Ball, third minister of Knox Presbyterian Church. Businessman John C. McLagan family retained ownership of the house until 1889, when it was purchased by William Tytler, teacher, school principal and long-time school inspector. The Tytler family owned the house for forty-five years. Converted to apartments in 1938, the 1990 owners, George and Joanne Ariss, are responsible for the work begun in 1989 to restore the house and return it back to a single family residence.
The designation includes (a) all exterior facades with certain exceptions allowing for new additions at less prominent locations, (b) the roof form and massing and (c) the existing chimneys. All major trees framing the house and forming part of the view of the house from Paisley Street are also included in the designation. The designation excludes all bushes, hedges and driveways and does not prevent new surface uses including a swimming pool, patio, gardens, other driveways or walks. It is understood that current and later owners may return non-original features to documented earlier design without requiring City Council permission for an alteration to the designation.