Losani Homes takes pride in restoring Grimsby’s heritage homes
September 8, 2010
Chris Mills
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
GRIMSBY—In a town that vigorously protects its heritage and history, Grimsby could be a worse choice for Losani Homes to engage the company’s Heritage Division.
The company has rebuilt, or replicated historic homes in the area.
“It’s a great adventure for us,” comments Fred Losani, CEO of Losani Homes, and the son of founder John Losani and co-owner with brother and president Lino Losani.
Losani’s past projects have included preserving the Rock Chapel (c.1873) in Stoney Creek, refinishing the William Hamilton Pettit Homestead (c.1895) in Grimsby, and building a replica of the Andrew Hamilton Pettit house (c.1880).
Another residence, now in private hands, is the Maplehurst Mansion (c.1799) in Grimsby, one of Losani’s first heritage restorations in 1999.
Losani’s affection for historic homes isn’t altogether altruistic, as it resonates in communities the company builds throughout Niagara and southern Ontario, as reflected in the “big, wide porches” in the builder’s neighbourhoods.
In London and Paris, Ont., says Losani, “you see the old homes in these places and you’ve got a history of old architecture and the cobblestone streets. You can see that they celebrate the beauty of these old houses.
“I live in Grimsby and on Main St. you get that same sense, where the architecture is appreciated and nurtured, and we wanted to do something that pays tribute to it, especially since it’s shaped the architecture of our new homes and is emblematic of the historic architecture in our environment,” says Losani.
The first United Empire Loyalists fled to the Niagara Region of Canada from the United States in the wake of the American War of Independence (1776). These families received 81 hectares (200 acres) each as reward from the Crown. One group, called The Forty (indicating the number of families), pushed through to Grimsby, literally axing the trail wide enough by hand.
Once belonging to descendents of The Forty, two Grimsby homes under Losani’s heritage division have been replicated or refurbished. The Andrew Hamilton Pettit Homestead (new in 2007, replicated from the original c.1880 for $999,000), and the William Hamilton Pettit house (c.1895).
ANDREW HAMILTON PETTIT HOMESTEAD
Pettit roots run deep in Niagara.
When Stoney Creek-based Losani Homes bought the house and acreage in 2006 in order to construct the company’s 192-home Gardenview project, it found a house arguably more condemnable than reparable. Even the Grimsby Heritage Advisor Committee agreed.
“As a heritage preservation group, we never want to lose a house,” says chairwoman Barbara Longfield. “But the fact remains that the original home had never been designated a heritage home, so we hadn’t any teeth in it anyway.
“When Mr. Losani bought it, it was beyond restoration.”
Still, the demolition caused concern due to the significance of the Pettit name. Given that Losani’s reputation and business interests were at stake, he volunteered to reconstruct a facsimile of the original home.
“We invested a lot in research, both with the family who’d occupied the home, the children who lived there, and the history of the surrounding homes,” says Losani.
“There was quite a bit of the original home intact when we removed it, so we had a lot of materials at hand to understand the style of trim, the kind of tile and type of cabinetry used.
“Plus we had the historical society and the library in Grimsby that provided a great source of information.”
And while the façade and general layout remains true to the original, every element of the new home reflects new and modern mixed with traditional and venerated.
Old work hickory hardwood is laid in a random pattern of three-, four- and six-inch wide boards on the main floor. Natural stone was typical in Grimsby, but for the home, Losani used natural limestone.
Losani employed seven-inch baseboards and four-inch casings to enhance antique replica glass doorknobs and bronze hardware on solid eight-foot cherry wood doors that swing open with the touch of a finger.
The enormous kitchen/family/breakfast room boasts an island kitchen counter, walk-in pantry, a wine cooler, a replica old farm front apron-style sink and a stone gas fireplace.
Freestanding bathroom sinks throughout the home reflect the era and include vintage inspired Moen faucets. The master ensuite bows to modernity with a glass-enclosed shower to complement the cast-iron tub. Although electricity didn’t exist in Grimsby at the time, oil lanterns were emerging so Losani found hand-blown glass lights and fixtures with lantern styling.
Fully decorated as though the family has simply stepped out for lunch, the home features Canadiana and antique-style furniture throughout.
The 3,600-square-feet home is enveloped in vinyl siding, with a front porch, front balcony, a rear deck, escarpment stone steps, stone encapsulated decorative gardens in stone, and a three-car garage with an overhead office.
In December 2007, the home received a heritage plaque from the town and has since won numerous awards, including one for interior decoration by Losani’s own Nicole Kipp.
While not a perfect replication of the original Andrew Pettit homestead, the house has won approval from many, says Barb Longfield.
“It’s beautiful. We now have something to honour the family with much of the character of the original built into it. We’ve a lot to be grateful for. Mr. Losani was very respectful of the need to remain consistent in size and style on the street.”
William Hamilton Pettit house
Within a week of opening the Andrew house, Losani acquired his next project plus about five hectares (12 acres) of land from Westbrook Greenhouses that had been using it as their corporate offices until 2007.
Losani wasn’t even aware it had roots in the Pettit family legacy. At the time, it was just a big, drafty old house with a leaky basement and a rotted porch.
Although also devoid of any heritage designation, the red brick Victorian Regency style with Italianate details beckoned for Losani to refurbish it rather than tear it down.
“If Frank Lloyd Wright and Norman Rockwell built houses, this is what it would look like,” says Losani.
“(But) it was the structure that was most challenging. The sagging floors, the crooked walls, the leaking basement. The challenge was getting back the integrity of the structure.
“We had to replace and update the windows, replace some trim, and remove about 100 years of paint from the walls and trim before refinishing them.”
The original wraparound wood front porch had rotted out over the years, so he rebuilt it with new concrete foundations and floor to create a slate look. The tapered double columns are actually load-bearing fibreglass for added longevity. He added stone steps, rebuilt the overhead balcony and replaced the widow’s walk with a tapered tower under fish-scale and dentil work.
Finishes include 12-by-24-inch slate porcelain floor tiles, a substitute with long-lasting properties that match in style but not deficiency. Natural oak hardwood is laid in the main areas and upstairs floors.
The kitchen was completely updated with modern plumbing and vintage-style Moen faucets, and each of the original coal fireplaces and mantels in the front office and dining room were stripped, refinished and reset with modern gas fittings. The basement faced complete reconstruction.
Fortunately, the wiring had been updated about 15 years ago, so Losani only added smart wiring for the security, sound system and new technology.
The 3,776-square-foot house is now part of the Westbrook Estates community, that has 106 fully detailed homes. After more than three decades in the business, and a wall full of awards, Losani tips a hat to the old homes.
“As a builder, I lean toward classic style with modern influences, but when I walk into this house, I could move into it myself. There is phenomenal warmth, the kind you get with family at Thanksgiving. Situated at the base of the Niagara Escarpment, surrounded by a streetscape of everything offered there, no matter what your taste is, the elegance lives.”
Detached homes in Westbrook Estates start in the $300,000s, townhouses from 239,900. The sales centre is at 326 Main St. W., Grimsby (exit the QEW at Casablanca Blvd. and turn south, turn west on to Main St.), open Monday to Thursday from 1 to 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 p.m., 905-309-1928, westbrook@losanihomes.com, www.losanihomes.com