Everybody knew except for Gus Vagenas.

The TTC knew last Friday.

His neighbours in the Greenwood community knew Monday.

Vagenas found out — from the Star — on Tuesday.

The TTC will expropriate Vagenas’s property at 9 Linnsmore Cres. in order to build an emergency exit for the Greenwood subway station. They are also building an emergency exit at the Donlands subway stop.

“Nobody told me up to now — that’s crazy,” a stunned Vagenas said, who scrambled to get in touch with his daughter to make sense of the news.

The transit commission originally proposed to expropriate four houses, two near each station, but community groups mobilized and pitched alternative solutions. One of those proposals included Vagenas’s property to be sacrificed — without his knowledge. The TTC accepted the proposal, which saved the other two houses. Alternate plans also saved the other two house, leaving just Vagenas’s property as the only casualty.

Neighbours assumed it was derelict, including Steve Martin, a Greenwood community spokesperson.

“There’s no way to talk to anyone,” Martin said. “No one lives there.”

Cheers erupted at a community meeting Monday when the TTC decided to expropriate Vagenas’s house rather than the other two units. The TTC later admitted that they hadn’t even spoken with Vagenas before the announcement.

The house has been vacant for years as Vagenas slowly worked on gutting the house and reconstructing it. He hoped to present the finished product to one of his daughters as a gift one day. Vagenas lives nearby and co-owns the large property at the corner of Linnsmore Cres. and Danforth Ave. He heard the initial proposal through the news and was under the assumption that the TTC would follow its original plan to expropriate two houses at 245 and 247 Strathmore Blvd.

The TTC decided that the property at 9 Linnsmore Cres. was a viable option for the second exit last Friday, according to transit spokesperson Brad Ross. When first contacted around 11 a.m. Tuesday, Vagenas was confused, initially thinking that the TTC was still examining the two houses on Strathmore, but also wanted to put an offer on his place.

“Well, they can look, but I’m not interested in selling,” said Vagenas, 67, who wasn’t aware of Monday night’s meeting.

When it became clear that his house was targeted for expropriation, rather than the other two units, Vagenas wanted to know who to call.

“It’s a very crazy situation,” said Vagenas, “They don’t even talk to me and they want to make a decision tomorrow (Wednesday) and I don’t even know where this meeting is.”

Unfortunately for Vagenas, the decision has already been made. His property will belong to the city and the TTC once the commission passes the recommendation at a meeting on Wednesday.

“For all intents and purposes that is the option we are recommending and. . . that is to have a second exit where 9 Linnsmore currently stands,” Ross said.

The city will enter into negotiations with Vagenas to acquire his property for market value. If negotiations break down, the city still has expropriation at its disposal, according to Ross.

Vagenas was shocked that his neighbours would figuratively throw him and house under the bus. But expropriating Vagenas property was the option put forth by Martin and the Greenwood community.

“I think, to me, it’s a much better solution,” Martin said. “In truth, in a couple of years from now he’ll tell you that it was actually a good thing for him as well.”

Vagenas’s daughter, Soula, disagreed.

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“It would have been nice to hear something,” an emotional Soula said.

Neighbours said they tried to contact Vagenas.

“Regardless of what it is, it’s his house,” Soula said. “We live in a democratic society — you don’t just go in and say ‘we’re taking over your house, period.’”