Sheppard Development

1710 Baseline Road

In 2019, we acquired this duplex with an unfinished basement in a prime location – walking distance to Algonquin College. We planned to renovate the two existing three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartments and create an additional unit in the basement for our target tenants – Algonquin students.

However, we faced a challenge during the due diligence process. We discovered that the property was on the city’s expropriation list due to its proximity to Baseline Road, where the city plans to create a Rapid Bus Transit system.  

We had to change our plans and decided to build a semi-detached property containing 4 units. The lot size was insufficient to divide the property into two and build a semi-detached house, so we had to apply for a variance from the Committee of Adjustment. During this process, we negotiated with the city to reduce the size of the backyard in exchange for the land they wanted to take from the front.

Our original intention was to build student housing for Algonquin College, and we carefully designed the space to fit the purpose. All the bedrooms are very spacious and most of them have private bathrooms. The main units use a conventional furnace and AC, along with a tankless water heater. The basement units use a boiler system for in-floor radiant heating and hot water supply. Superior soundproofing between the rooms and contemporary interior design are trademarks of Sheppard Property Development.

The construction was started and finished in 2020, in the height of Pandemic.  We built 4 new units that were rented fast and well above the market rent. The place was fully occupied January 1, 2021  and never had a vacancy since the completion.

Completed Images

Progress Images

Plan

Original Property

Location