41 Northcote Ave., Toronto<\/p>\n
Asking Price: $3.2-million<\/p>\n
Taxes: $15,406 (2026)<\/p>\n
Lot Size: 19.8 by 123 feet<\/p>\n
Agent: Ryan Barnes, Sotheby\u2019s International Realty Canada<\/p>\n
The backstory<\/p>\n
In the summer of 2020, many families went through upheaval as urban dwellers grappled with the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. <\/p>\n
For Nick and Priscila Golding, the pandemic created a sudden and urgent need for additional bedrooms.<\/p>\n
The couple were already planning for a blended family with Ms. Golding\u2019s 10-year-old son and a new baby on the way.<\/p>\n
Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n The large, open kitchen has an island with a breakfast bar.Charles Lynn Photography<\/p>\n Then Mr. Golding\u2019s university-aged children switched from attending lectures to remote learning at home. One moved back to Toronto with a partner.<\/p>\n The Goldings quickly began searching for a house large enough to accommodate adults and kids of various ages, all living together under one roof.<\/p>\n Ms. Golding is an immigrant from Brazil who moved to the energetic Queen West neighbourhood because it reminded her of life in Rio de Janeiro. There, she and her son could walk to schools, parks, supermarkets and shops.<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n The main floor has a combined living and dining area overlooking the street.Charles Lynn Photography<\/p>\n Mr. Golding is an investment banker accustomed to living in Toronto\u2019s more traditional enclaves, but he was familiar with the work of author Jane Jacobs and her treatises on city living.<\/p>\n \u201cI was interested in her vision of a vibrant, urban neighbourhood,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n When the couple found a contemporary, eco-friendly house on a residential side street near Queen Street West and Ossington Avenue, it wasn\u2019t hard for Ms. Golding to persuade her husband to give up his staid east side haunts for the arts, diversity and walkability of the area.<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n On the second floor, a large bedroom has a separate sitting area.Charles Lynn Photography<\/p>\n The house today<\/p>\n The couple looked at many properties before they saw 41 Northcote Ave., with four-plus-one bedrooms and five bathrooms in more than 3,000 square feet of living space.<\/p>\n When they learned the building was designed to be sustainable, with 20 solar panels on the roof, efficient heating and cooling, and airtight construction, they were intrigued, but that was not the primary draw.<\/p>\n \u201cPassive houses are so rare that you could never have that as your search criteria,\u201d says Mr. Golding. \u201cThere are so few of them.\u201d<\/p>\n They were mostly drawn to the open plan, abundant light and high ceilings of the home, which was about two years old at the time, Mr. Golding says.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a calm, open and airy feeling throughout the house.\u201d<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n The primary suite has access to a private rooftop deck.Charles Lynn Photography<\/p>\n Once the family moved in, Mr. Golding experienced the quiet interior created by sturdy construction, hefty insulation and windows with triple-pane glass. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s super quiet and calm in the house because the walls are so thick,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely the most comfortable house I\u2019ve ever lived in.\u201d<\/p>\n The home\u2019s large, open kitchen and family room quickly became the centre of the household, he says. There\u2019s an island with a breakfast bar and an area for lounging and watching television. <\/p>\n The main floor also has a combined living and dining area overlooking the street.<\/p>\n On the second floor, a large bedroom has a separate sitting area and a bathroom with an \u201cabsurdly large shower.\u201d<\/p>\n A second bedroom on that level also has an ensuite bathroom.<\/p>\n The third floor has two more bedrooms, including the primary suite with access to a private rooftop deck.<\/p>\n The primary bathroom is also vast, says Mr. Golding, with a glassed-in area combining an open shower and soaker tub.<\/p>\n