Boiler Factory Lofts – 189 Queen Street East

History of the Boiler Factory Lofts

Clad in Toronto’s classic red brick, with Italianate buff detailing, the Boiler Factory Lofts were originally built in the late 1800s as – wait for it – a boiler factory. Later on, the property was occupied by Waddington’s auction house as a retail showroom and warehouse facility. Converted to lofts around 2002, these are rare and lovely. You could have bought the entire building for less than just one of the lofts back at the turn of the millennium… sigh…

The lovely 19th-century Italianate facade of the Boiler Factory Lofts

Now the Boiler Factory Lofts, they are located on a rougher stretch of Queen Street East in downtown Toronto. The converted factory has 11 units – some with private terraces… but all have exposed brick, and post & beam ceilings up to 14′ high. As with many smaller loft conversion projects, many of the original owners had the chance to custom design their units, making them all unique.

Oddly enough, most of the exposed brick in the Boiler Factory is buff, not the same as the red brick exterior

The Boiler Factory Lofts are a rare downtown authentic hard lofts, developed by Paul De Haas. De Haas and his company were one of Toronto’s past hard loft developers, who have completed other loft conversion projects such as the Knitting Mill Lofts at 426 Queen Street East.

There are a few multi-level units in the Boiler Factory Lofts, these are what loft dreams are made of

While the area around Moss Park is still a little rough around the edges, it is changing every day. With all the development happening in the east end, it is only a matter of time before everyone discovers this hidden gem and drives the prices way up. The location does mean it is only a brief walk to the Queen subway station. A good thing, too, since parking is not included with every unit.

A few lucky lofts at the Boiler Factory have amazing private outdoor spaces

Moss Park is one of the more evocatively named neighbourhoods in Toronto, although its history actually tends more towards the industrial. Originally home in the 1800s to much of Toronto’s early factory and warehouse districts, the area has since evolved into a mixture of condos, apartments and townhouses on a mix of major thoroughfares and quiet side-streets. And it does have a number of parks, including the southern edge of one of the city’s most famous parks, Allan Gardens, founded in 1858 and best known for its conservatory and the spectacular display of rare and beautiful flowers within.

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