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Unique Houses of Waterloo Region
#1
I'm working on mapping some of the most unique houses in the region and I thought it would be interesting to hear from others on what homes that they find interesting or completely unique!

Here are a few to give you and idea of what I mean:

100 Mansion st Kitchener - apparently it was once a church, and it happens to be for sale at the moment

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4570027,-...6656?hl=en


15? Grandview dr Conestogo - looks to have been designed with Asian architectural influences

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.5356663,-...6656?hl=en


50 Forest Hill dr Kitchener - a mid-century gem alongside other excellent MC homes on the street

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.429866,-8...6656?hl=en


40 Maurice st Kitchener - a curious little split with an interesting little decoration

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4400165,-...6656?hl=en


7 Westgate Walk Kitchener - another mid-century gem backing right onto Westmount GC. The house across the street is quite unique as well

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4508962,-...6656?hl=en


135 Maple Pond (Jackson ave) Kitchener - This one is better seen from above or in person. I've always been curious of this one, it's a very large castle-sque home with a large wall separating it from the rest of the homes on the block.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4412264,-...!1e3?hl=en


374 Warrington dr Waterloo - a modernist cube tucked away near Fischer-Hallman and University.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4494964,-...6656?hl=en


242 Driftwood dr Kitchener - Something you would never expect to see in Forest Heights

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4122746,-...6656?hl=en



I have a bunch more but I'm interested to see what others have to share.
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#2
Interesting thread.  

I once lived near 100 Mansion and it was a church used by a Christian sect, possibly East European.  Hearsay has it they wanted to build a church, started it, ran out of money and settled for a basement.
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#3
https://goo.gl/maps/xR3mh - This one on Algonquin Drive has always been a favourite of mine. There are a number of great houses in that area, the nicest part of town if you ask me. Here's another one on Longfellow https://goo.gl/maps/ue634

Old Westmount with some gems too - https://goo.gl/maps/oIUZV gingerbread house, as my dad used to call it. Also currently for sale. This one on Claremont, though it doesn't show too well on google maps https://goo.gl/maps/omqlL

Recent modern house in Hidden Valley https://goo.gl/maps/Wai1U but we'll have to wait for the google car to get back there...

Grand Hill Drive with a bridge to the front door - https://goo.gl/maps/tyCgZ

Silo house - https://goo.gl/maps/4sjrt

Kiwanis Park "arena" = https://goo.gl/maps/hLCgO
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#4
(09-12-2015, 07:42 PM)jgsz Wrote: Interesting thread.  

I once lived near 100 Mansion and it was a church used by a Christian sect, possibly East European.  Hearsay has it they wanted to build a church, started it, ran out of money and settled for a basement.

Great idea for a thread.

A number of local churches started life as "basement only".  Two of them are on Ottawa St S. between Mill and Hoffman.  There's another one on Stirling Ave S at Pleasant Ave.  All three basements dated from the fifties - the sanctuaries above are from the '60s or 70s.

One Kitchener house that intrigues me is the one beside Victoria Park bounded by Jubliee Dr., Heins Ave and Water St S. - it has two fronts and no back!
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#5
(09-12-2015, 07:27 PM)Lens Wrote: 242 Driftwood dr Kitchener - Something you would never expect to see in Forest Heights

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4122746,-...6656?hl=en

Another house built during the epic glass shortage of '73

Tongue
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#6
Several of the houses listed by Lens are Eric Schuele houses. Here's another example, though the late fence addition now hides some of the most interesting features:

https://goo.gl/maps/bOZSU  352 Bride Path  Ct. (side view: https://goo.gl/maps/v0fTO  )

Another interesting house on 788 Glasgow St.  https://goo.gl/maps/PwJ5a
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#7
Good use of space?

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4563323,-...56!6m1!1e1
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#8
That one on Braun caught my eye the last time we went to Central Fresh, very slim profile.
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#9
Very interesting to hear the story behind 100 Mansion, It it definitely makes sense looking at the structure of the building.

That one on Braun is interesting since it still doesn't seem to be finished.

After touring Saskatoon recently and seeing some of their super modern new houses it makes me wonder when we might start to see some of those here.

Here's another one from Driftwood dr in Forest Heights: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4130608,-...6656?hl=en

This may be one of the only Art Deco homes in the city: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4508296,-...6656?hl=en

Also, some really interesting homes tucked away beside Bechtel Park on Springdale dr in Kitchener: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4783361,-...6656?hl=en

A good way to see homes obscured by foliage is to wind back the streetview to an earlier date
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#10
(09-12-2015, 08:09 PM)notmyfriends Wrote: Kiwanis Park "arena" = https://goo.gl/maps/hLCgO

Good idea for a thread!

345 River Oak Place, Waterloo (above) was the first house that came to mind for me. I will see if I can think of any more.
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#11
Another one of mine, the "backwards" house at the corner of Grey Fox Drive and Active Avenue in the Laurentian Hills area of Kitchener:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4130804,-...312!8i6656

Like come on, how was this allowed to happen??

Here's the view where you would expect the frontage on Activa Avenue:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4130202,-...312!8i6656
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#12
(09-12-2015, 09:43 PM)BuildingScout Wrote: Another interesting house on 788 Glasgow St.  https://goo.gl/maps/PwJ5a

I have always liked this one (although I believe it's actualy 795 Glasgow) ... I would really like to know how old it is.  It's been there for well over 30 years.
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#13
Being the huge Arthur Erickson fan that I am, it would be impossible not to mention Hilborn House.

(I adore 242 Driftwood and 795 Glasgow!)
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#14
(09-13-2015, 01:07 PM)Lens Wrote: Very interesting to hear the story behind 100 Mansion, It it definitely makes sense looking at the structure of the building.

That one on Braun is interesting since it still doesn't seem to be finished.

After touring Saskatoon recently and seeing some of their super modern new houses it makes me wonder when we might start to see some of those here.

Here's another one from Driftwood dr in Forest Heights: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4130608,-...6656?hl=en

This may be one of the only Art Deco homes in the city: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4508296,-...6656?hl=en

Also, some really interesting homes tucked away beside Bechtel Park on Springdale dr in Kitchener: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4783361,-...6656?hl=en

A good way to see homes obscured by foliage is to wind back the streetview to an earlier date

My dad actually framed that house on Driftwood for family friends over 25years ago.
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#15
(09-13-2015, 08:11 PM)Canard Wrote: Being the huge Arthur Erickson fan that I am, it would be impossible not to mention Hilborn House.

(I adore 242 Driftwood and 795 Glasgow!)

I was not aware of Hillborn House.  Is it visible from the street?
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