Ulster House

This small-scale urban intensification project replaced one single-family home with a “multiplex” containing 5 condominum units — including two units sharing the upper floors, a ground floor unit, a basement apartment and a laneway dwelling. Among other things, that kind of medium density means less city infrastructure that needs to be built, leading to lower property taxes and more affordable living.

The home is also built to be highly energy efficient, and instead of heating with a natural gas furnace, it relies on a greener all-electric HVAC system and solar panels.

Meanwhile the owners made a deliberate effort to ensure all these green features did not increase the purchase price. Each unit is at a price comparable to a standard Toronto condominium.

Replicability

Ulster House offers a clear, transferable template for “missing-middle” housing on standard single-family lots. This project uses simple stick-frame construction to fit multiple dwellings within the scale of the surrounding street. The all-electric systems with rooftop solar panels eliminate the need for gas. The project also shows how owner-developers can align design ambition with community goals—adding gentle density without altering neighbourhood character—where local zoning permits multiplexes and laneway housing.