A semi-detached home near Ossington Avenue and College Street made headlines last week after the house collapsed while undergoing major renovations. Neighbours in the surrounding houses were evacuated in the middle of the night after parts of the structure caved in at 290 Roxton Road. The house was on the market last year for $925,000 (yes, a fixer-upper for $900K), and the new owner had worked with an architect to renovate the property. City officials had visited the site for a routine inspection that afternoon, hours before it collapsed, and had issued a work-stop order because the home was deemed unstable. "Fortunately, we did everything by the book and it's all insured. So there won't be a financial loss, just a delay," the owner said. "Hopefully, it's just the back of the house."
When listed back in December of last year, the Victorian semi seemed quite lovely and in good condition even though it was built in 1895. The pre-renovated property was 3,290 square feet with five-bedrooms, three bathrooms and laneway parking. According to the listing, the house had "good bones" and the "property would appeal to renovators" who wanted to fix up the home.
· Portion of Roxton Road House Caves in [CBC]
· 290 Roxton Ave. [Re/Max]