THE LISTING 94 Pine Cres.
ASKING PRICE $3,499,000
TAXES $13,484.27 (2016)
LOT SIZE 95 by 133 feet
LISTING AGENT Judith Moireen Hume, Chestnut Park Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage
The home features a wrap-around porch, which caught Norm Trainor’s eye when he was a boy.
Theresa Suzuki/The Globe and Mail
Norm and Wendy Trainor both grew up in the east end of Toronto. The Beaches was a particular haunt for Norm, who in his youth delivered newspapers throughout the neighbourhood. In fact, he remembers tossing papers on the porch of the home perched atop the hill at 94 Pine Cres., little knowing that years later, he'd own the house himself.
The backstory
The house at 94 Pine Cres. on June 18, 1931. It’s considered a house of architectural significance and protected by the historical board, but Ms. Trainor says the home’s special status has never been a barrier to careful restorations.
Dept. of Public Works / City of Toronto Archives
"When my family moved to the Beach, it was considered a working-class neighbourhood," Mr. Trainor said. "The home we lived in housed three families. Growing up, we didn't own our own home and we lived in probably seven different places."
However, Mr. Trainor did get to see many interesting homes on his paper route on some of the Beaches' nicest streets, including Glen Manor Road and Pine Crescent, with its sweeping interlocking brick road.
He particularly remembered 94 Pine Cres. because of the wrap-around porch that embraced the house.
Mr. and Ms. Trainor completely renovated the home since purchasing it in 1979.
Mitch Fain/The Print Market
Later, as a young adult, he would visit friends who rented an apartment in the house, which had then been converted into a triplex. In and out of the house he would go on a regular basis, with his younger brother in tow. In one way or another, he was always drawn to 94 Pine Cres. – although maybe more for the house parties than the storybook porch, he admits.
When he and Ms. Trainor married, they moved to North York but retained a fondness for the Beaches and, in 1979, let their real estate agent know they were interested in a move back to their old neighbourhood.
Mr. Trainor remembers the day their agent called about the house on the hill going up for sale. At the time, the average price of a two-storey, four bedroom home with double-car garage in Toronto was $145,000. The asking price for 94 Pine Cres. was $148,000. They decided to short-circuit any competition by putting in an early bid of $160,000 – an uncommon strategy at the time, but now well known as a "bully" offer.
The living room features one of the home’s three fireplaces.
Mitch Fain/The Print Market
"It was going to be listed on the Sunday and we signed an offer on the Friday," Mr. Trainor said.
To their delight, the tactic worked and they took ownership of the disjointed house, which was in need of much repair.
"It was a lot of money. Our parents thought we were crazy," Mr. Trainor said. But they had grand plans to return the home to its former glory. Their total gut reno eventually cost three times their original budget.
The house today
The master bedroom has its own fireplace, something that was on Ms. Trainor’s wish list.
Mitch Fain/The Print Market
"I once found a wish list that I had made," Ms. Trainor said. Among the most desired objects was a fireplace in the bedroom – she got that and more. There are three fireplaces, in the living room, the dining room and the master bedroom. The original wood-burning fireplaces have been updated to gas. "Wood is more romantic, but gas is more practical."
The house was built some time between 1897 and 1904 and designed by architect Charles Frederick Wagner. Originally, it was built as a summer home when the Beaches and the cooling breeze off Lake Ontario offered some relief from the Toronto heat.
The kitchen opens to sitting and dining areas.
Mitch Fain/The Print Market
It's considered a house of architectural significance and protected by the historical board. But Ms. Trainor says the house's special status has never been a barrier to their careful restorations. "We've never had them refuse anything."
Major renovation finished in 1980, but there have been continuous updates since then, including new copper plumbing, wiring, insulation, steel-beam supports as well as bathroom and kitchen upgrades. There have been new walls and windows and the addition of three sets of French doors with heavy hardware that lead from three principal rooms onto the wrap-around porch.
One of the renovated bathrooms at 94 Pine Cres.
Mitch Fain/The Print Market
The house is ideal for entertaining and the Trainors have hosted events with up to 100 guests.
"It's a great party house; we have had 35 people here for potluck Christmas dinners," Ms. Trainor said. "And in summer, we throw open all the doors, so guests can move easily from inside to outdoors."
It's also a home well suited to a large and growing family. A basement excavation and renovation meant more room for the Trainors' three children to hang out. The house was always a place for the kids and their friends to gather, no matter the season or the reason. School graduations, birthdays – the Trainors even hosted their daughter's wedding reception.
Favourite features
Third floor turret.
Mitch Fain/The Print Market
The Trainors' favourite parts of the house have changed over the years. Currently, the office and turret on the third floor is special to Mr. Trainor, who works from home twice a week, because of "the view of the street, the trees and the lake."
But he says the outdoor space comes a very close second; sitting on the porch is like being in the country. "There are 17 trees on the property, so everywhere you look it's green," he said. "The southeast exposure gets a lot of filtered sunlight, but the trees keep it cool."