Tag Archives: methodist congregation
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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Quiet, domestic and lowrise Roncesvalles
By Christopher Hume – Toronto Star
Mention the west end in Toronto and people immediately think of Queen Street. That’s hardly surprising, but there’s more to it than that. One of the city’s most attractive neighbourhoods, Roncesvalles, couldn’t be more different in its flavour than the trendy precinct along Queen. Quiet, domestic and overwhelmingly lowrise, Roncesvalles is one of those residential areas for which Toronto is justly famous.
Unlike what happened in so many North American cities, where people fled the inner core for the illusory comfort and safety of the suburbs, here they stayed. Even in the heady days of postwar sprawl, Toronto’s downtown remained alive if not always vital. Several decades later, neighbourhoods that were once less than entirely healthy are now much sought after. Think of Cabbagetown, the Annex, even Roncesvalles itself.
Condo Critic – THE ABBEY, 384 SUNNYSIDE AVENUE
Of course, nothing makes more sense, especially at a time of environmental crisis, than the practice of saving and reusing existing buildings. Vast amounts of energy go into the construction process and it’s more critical than ever not to squander that expenditure.
Still, the idea of converting an early 20th-century church into a loft condo takes some getting used to. In this case, we’re talking about the stately Gothic heap at the corner of Sunnyside Ave. and Marmaduke St.
Built in 1911, this is as impressive a neighbourhood church as you’ll find in Toronto. It comes from a time when ecclesial architecture was an extremely serious business; it also hearkens from that period in the city’s history when Gothic was automatically assumed to be the only appropriate architectural style for anything religious. Indeed, until well into the 1900s, Toronto was a Gothic city.
This particular church, with its square tower and large stained glass windows, is a memorable example of the genre. Built originally for a Methodist congregation, it feels as much a Fortress of God as a House of God. That’s mainly due to the tower, which stands nearly 30 metres high and boasts castlelike crenellation at its top. The fact the church is built of enormous limestone blocks adds to the impression of strength – a mighty fortress this.
Now, less than a century after it was consecrated, the church has been converted to lofts. As much as anything, this is an indication of just how much this city has changed.
But to be honest, there’s still something incongruous about seeing residents sitting outdoors in their terraces on the side of a church. The medieval references feel somehow at odds with the building’s newest incarnation. But so what? The important thing is that a magnificent piece of architecture has been saved and several dozen people have a place to live.
As these churches do, this one anchors its neighbourhood and looms over it in its own benevolent way. It is only a matter of time before this, too, seems normal. After all, other churches have also been converted. Better they be maintained and repurposed than abandoned and destroyed.
GRADE: A
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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
Incoming search terms
Related posts:
- Abbey Lofts Update Thank you to all of the people who have been...
- The Abbey Lofts — From Methodist Church to Stunning Loft Conversion The builder has re-opened the sales centre! They have less...
- The Abbey Lofts — 384 Sunnyside Avenue The Abbey Lofts are located in a converted 1911 neo-Gothic...
- New Sales Update Lanterra Suite Sales Event From now until June 30th, we are...
- Toronto Church Loft Conversions Across Toronto, churches are putting their buildings up for sale,...
