Vancouver Hobbit House has sold. It’s one of three in Metro Vancouver designed by Ross Lort
The Hobbit House has sold. David Mooney already owns the properties to the west and is looking to incorporate the West Kind Edward property into a town house development.
Mooney works with W.T. Leung Architects and has retained heritage consultant Don Luxton. Luxton will figure how best to preserve the original bones of the house and incorporate it into a low-rise strata development.
It’s early days yet, but Luxton says the intent is to restore the house to its original appearance. He wants to keep the leaded windows and repair the distinctive shingle roof.
“Solving the building envelope issues will be the most challenging part of this heritage conservation project,” says Luxton. “Conversion to a strata use involves a very complex series of regulations.”
It doesn’t sound like a bad bargain. It would mean the restoration and upkeep of the original house on its original site, while Mooney tells me he would get 22 units instead of 18. Three of the units would be at the back of the Hobbit House and not visible from the street.
Have to think that having the Hobbit House as part of the development won’t be bad from a marketing standpoint either.
Other recent townhouse developments by Mooney include Boxwood Green on West 6th and Viridian Green at Collingwood and 4th.
Mooney wouldn’t tell me what he’s offfered, just that it was a fair price and nowhere near the asking of $2.86 million.
Part of the deal includes heritage designation.