6443 Coburg Road, South End

Description

A rare piece of Halifax architectural history. Designed in 1915 by renowned Maritime architect Andrew R. Cobb for the Dennis family, owners of the Halifax Herald, this Coburg Road residence has been held privately for nearly a century. Cobb's Beaux-Arts training shows throughout. Long roof overhangs, outlook timbers and an unequal pitched roof lend chalet inspired grandeur, while the interior stays warm and intimate. Set behind a mature horse chestnut, the west facing side is flooded with light all day. Inside, original dark stained Douglas fir millwork and birch or maple hardwood run throughout, with an oak main staircase. The front hall opens through millwork screens to the living room, where French doors reveal the signature Cobb fireplace in imported brick, flanked by historic inglenooks. The dining room is fully panelled with a false beamed ceiling, plate rail and built in sideboard set into a bay window. Original wrought metal pendants, many with amber glass, give the feature rooms a Craftsman glow. Remarkably, the home retains all original windows and doors: authentic in-swinging Douglas fir casements with original hinges, sash locks and weatherstripping, plus seasonal storms for nearly all units. Two front bedrooms sit within the shed dormer, the larger with its own fireplace. The attic holds two rooms, a bath and laundry, with skylights added in 2007. A one bedroom apartment with private interior stair, custom 2007 kitchen and elevated garden views is fully grandfathered as a legal two dwelling. Full poured concrete foundation, robust original framing, blown cellulose insulation, two masonry chimneys, two wood burning fireplaces and a high efficiency gas condensing boiler. The mostly unfinished basement is ready for development. 6443 Coburg Road is more than a home. It is a beautifully preserved piece of Halifax history, ready for its next chapter.