Search Results for: howard park methodist church
At a former church, this loft is like no other
Listed for $1.65-million, the light-filled, offbeat Bell Tower has $350,000 worth of upgrades
Connie Adair, National Post
With a mix of modern and medieval, the Bell Tower suite is a place that piques the interest of the visitor, makes them think — and makes them smile.
The former Howard Park Methodist Church on Sunnyside Avenue, in the Parkside and Bloor neighbourhood, once housed a nursery school, an auditorium, a basketball court and pews for more than 1,000 parishioners. The massive 1910 stone structure was bought by a developer in the early 2000s and was converted into residential lofts. In 2008, the first occupants began moving into The Abbey suites, no two of which are alike.
The Abbey Lofts — 384 Sunnyside Avenue
The owners of the Bell Tower put much thought and cash (about $350,000) into serious and not-so-serious upgrades throughout the 2,700-square-foot interior and 550-sq.-ft. exterior spaces (MLS# W1889416).
From the original 26-foot high cathedral ceiling in the open-concept living area to the industrial kitchen, exposed limestone walls and pipes to modern granites, this suite is “modern meets Gothic romance,” says real estate agent Lynn Tribbling of Coldwell Banker Terrequity Realty.
Wide open white spaces are punctuated with vibrant stained glass that stretches two storeys high and draws the eye upward, the visitor’s gaze stopping only to notice a lamb statue, or two, resting atop limestone outcroppings.
Subtle artwork in the hall takes the form of “wall spirits,” Ms. Tribbling says. “Parts of a nun and a pope peek out from the wall — a nose, half of a pope’s hat, a hand holding a candle — with musing rather than scary faces.”
Granite floors in the living room have insets of 32×32-inch etched-glass floor art. In the foyer, a Holstein “holy cow” statue stands beside massive wood bookshelves reminiscent of the stacks at the University of Toronto library, she says.
The space was designed to be not only beautiful, but functional too. The sleek kitchen, “the beating heart of the main floor,” has no upper cabinetry for a clean look, she says. “A 20-foot walk-in pantry was added to offer much-needed storage and a place to keep a wine collection.”
A highly polished stainless steel staircase offers access to the upper levels, where there is a master bedroom with an ensuite spa bathroom complete with shoji screens, a spa tub, heated floors and a door to one of three terraces.
The third-floor office, where the owners, a university professor and a school principal, write books and prepare speaking notes, is a minimalist space drenched in natural light.
The outdoor turret landing has artificial grass, Ms. Tribbling says. “The owners were recently shopping for an antique lawn mower to put on the artificial grass.”
From the top of the church tower are lake and park views.
The media room, the only room that isn’t white, has red walls and stained glass windows. It’s like being inside a glass paperweight, Ms. Tribbling says.
So fun, serious and interesting is the space that a photographer friend of the owners insisted on capturing it in an art book.
“The suite offers numerous features and art to keep the mind fed. There is no downtown cookie cutter loft here,” Ms. Tribbling says. “Abbey Lofts were sold with little fanfare. Academics live here — professors, lawyers and people who think for a living.”
But if it’s not to the next owner’s taste, the art and decor can simply be removed to transform the space into whatever the new owner desires, she says. “You could even do a Canadiana look with a simple wood table and church pews.”
The Bell Tower suite is listed for sale for $1.65-million.
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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information - 416−388−1960
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The Abbey Lofts — 384 Sunnyside Avenue
From Methodist Church to Stunning Loft Conversion
The Abbey Lofts are located in a converted 1911 neo-Gothic church situated between Roncesvalles Avenue and High Park in a high-demand community with great shopping, restaurants and nightlife, and lots of room for recreation in Toronto’s most beautiful downtown park. Public transportation, a five-minute walk to the Bloor subway line, is excellent, and there are three streetcars nearby, running along College, Dundas, and King.
The Abbey Lofts is a 24 unit project created in a neo-Gothic church that was built in the Medieval Revival style in 1911. The light-grey solid limestone walls and stone cladding of architect William George Burns’ church, built for a Methodist congregation, are unchanged in nearly a century. The 90-foot church tower, built with the same limestone, quarried in St. Mary Ontario, is a square campanile with pseudo ‘battlements’ on top.
The church itself has changed names and congregations several times. In 1925, the Methodists merged with other Protestant denominations, and set up the Howard Park United Church. Then in 1970, the United Church congregation left the building and it was acquired by a group of Italian evangelicals. In 2003, they in turn moved from their Howard Street Pentecostal Church to a new building in Vaughan. The church on Sunnyside Avenue, in the High Park-Bloor area, was acquired by the current developers.
Inside the former church, one Abbey Lofts unit has retained the three original solid wood church doors, fronting onto a 30-foot terrace. The elegant, arched doors have glass insets. Almost every unit has original exposed walls, some with 13-foot ceilings in sunken living rooms.
The medieval Revival style is also referred to as Tudor, as in English architecture from the early 16th century. Some aspects of the Tudor style were borrowed from late Medieval castles or palaces, which often had overlapping gables, parapets, and patterned brick or stonework. Medieval churches were often fortified places of sanctuary and the Sunnyside church has some of the features of a fortification, but with a huge arched stained glass window to let light into the vaulted structure.
The Abbey Lofts have open-concept living spaces, with galley-style kitchens and island eating areas. Some have stairs down to sunken living rooms, which can lead to a den or extra bedroom reached through double doors.
The architects have taken care to retain as much of the original 1911 Edwardian interior as possible. There are original, exposed limestone walls, original church doors (with newer windows) and stained glass archways.
The ceilings are very high and help to create a large open atrium-style space. The walkout to a 30 foot terrace itself is large enough for an ‘outside’ lifestyle. The master bedroom has good closet space and a large en suite bathroom with shower stall.
The Roncesvalles/High Park area is desirable for young professionals and executives alike, with Sunnyside Park, the Boulevard Club, the Toronto Sailing Club, the Argonaut Rowing Club, Ontario Place and the Martin Goodman trail about 15–20 minutes by foot to the south on the shoreline of Lake Ontario.
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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information - 416−388−1960
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Update On The Abbey Lofts
Thank you to all of the people who have been contacting us about The Abbey Lofts near High Park. While this project has been rather delayed, there is finally good news.
The site has been closed to prospective buyers for months now, but it seems that is because they were refinishing some of the units, changing prices and hiring new sales staff.
The builder has at least 9 units left for sale, though someone told me that there might be as many as 12 units left for sale. Prices have been lowered and they now start at $449,900.
As for the units themselves, apparently they were making some changes as recently as last week, so the details are not as firm. All I know is that they will range from around 1,200 square feet up to around 2,200 and tha parking and locker and the little details are included.
For those not familiar with this project, The Abbey Lofts are located in a period neo-Gothic church situated between Roncesvalles Avenue and High Park in a high-demand community with great shopping, restaurants and nightlife, and lots of room for recreation in Toronto’s most beautiful downtown park. Public transportation, a five-minute walk to the Bloor subway line, is excellent, and there are three streetcars nearby, running along College, Dundas, and King.
Each loft is one of only 24 created in a neo-Gothic church that was built in the Medieval Revival style in 1911. The light-grey solid limestone walls and stone cladding of architect William George Burns’ church, built for a Methodist congregation, are unchanged in nearly a century. The 90-foot church tower, built with the same limestone quarried in St. Mary, is a square campanile with pseudo ‘battlements’ on top.
The medieval Revival style is also referred to as Tudor, as in English architecture from the early 16th century. Some aspects of the Tudor style were borrowed from late Medieval castles or palaces, which often had overlapping gables, parapets, and patterned brick or stonework. Medieval churches were often fortified places of sanctuary and the Sunnyside church has some of the features of a fortification, but with a huge arched stained glass window to let light into the vaulted structure.
The church itself has changed names and congregations several times. In 1925, the Methodists merged with other Protestant denominations, and set up the Howard Park United Church. Then in 1970, the United Church congregation left the building and it was acquired by a group of Italian evangelicals. In 2003, they in turn moved from their Howard Street Pentecostal Church to a new building in Vaughan. The church on Sunnyside Avenue, in the High Park-Bloor area, was acquired by the current developers.
P.S. If this particular loft conversion is more than your budget allows, be sure to ask us about the various other converted churches around Toronto – you might be surprised at what is out there!
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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information – 416−388−1960
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