This rare $3-million Cabbagetown home from the 1870s is a ‘modern oasis’

Price: $2,995,000
Neighbourhood: Cabbagetown-South St. James Town
X-factor: The modern, three-story detached home at 50 Amelia St. is “a rare and unique space that can be live and work” according to Kyle Frank, one of the property’s realtors.
The three-bedroom and three-bathroom main building — described as a “unique 1870s ‘worker’s cottage’ completely transformed into a modern oasis” on the property’s listing — has office and living space on the ground floor that are separated by sliding oak doors.
The living space on the ground floor includes a kitchen, dining room and sitting area, with windows looking out into an enclosed courtyard and the backyard.
The upper two floors have two bedrooms, the one on the second floor comes with a walk-in closet and the one on the third floor has access to a wraparound terrace.
A third bedroom is located on the ground floor across from the designated office space at the front of the house — although Frank says it can be converted into another home office if needed.
Along with the main building, there is a coach house in the backyard with a small studio room and washroom, and a garage. The backyard has a small patio and grassy nook.
There are two types of potential buyers, according to Frank.
First are people who need or want to work from home and want a separate space for their office within the house, he said.
“Someone can live in the house, which is the three-story addition in the back, but then can work from home in a separate space,” Frank says. “And if they have staff, they can have those staff come over and work in that area that’s separated from the rest of the house.”
He adds that the coach house in the back can be used as an office if people want a completely separate building for their remote work area.
The other type of buyer could be someone who wants to live in a unique space.
“It’s someone who appreciates architecture and understands that they’re buying into an architect’s portfolio and having a piece of architectural history in the city.”
The property was designed by architect John O’Connor of Basis Design Build, Frank says. O’Connor, who currently lives in the house, has led projects on other modern-style spaces in the GTA. 
The house is located in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood, which Frank says is one of the only historically-protected neighbourhoods in the city.
Cabbagetown is one of 21 heritage conservation districts, according to the City of Toronto’s website.
He said buyers will be able to get “all of this charm” they couldn’t get elsewhere with this house, and that the home looks heritage from the street view, so it blends in with the properties around it.
Some of the nearby amenities include restaurants and shops along Parliament Street down the road or Riverdale Park and Riverdale Farm a little further away.
The house’s listing price of nearly $3 million puts it a lot higher than the average selling price of a home in Toronto. According to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board’s housing market report for August 2024, a typical detached home in the city sold for close to $1.7 million.
Frank acknowledges that the market is “not what it used to be,” but says he thinks the house’s price tag is worth it.
“This is a special and unique property that literally does not exist anywhere else in the city, so our pricing is aligned with market value and having such a special, unique product.”