Victoria Lofts (Church Conversion)

http://www.victorialofts.ca/index.php

My favourite church in Toronto! Love that red brick! That's the colour of brick I wanted to see on the Hazelton Hotel, Montage, many other developments. And that steeple! I lived just down the street from that building and haven't got tired of it yet. But inside, the church is very plain--lotsa dark wood some stained glass etc.

Very sad to see it destroyed (it will be) by a condo/loft. It's got a huge addition around the back/side that would certainly make for nice lofts; but why can't they save the church part for a theatre group or concert hall? The junction needs a concert hall imo.

The Junction needs a lot of things, but a concert hall would be nice. They're a lot of property to work with. They did a lot of exterior restoration work on the church a few years back.

urbandreamer said:

Very sad to see it destroyed (it will be) by a condo/loft. It's got a huge addition around the back/side that would certainly make for nice lofts; but why can't they save the church part for a theatre group or concert hall? The junction needs a concert hall imo.

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While I'm not exactly gung-ho about such a conversion at all, I'd recommend that you hold your horses until you see what form the conversion takes.

"Destroyed" makes me think more of that church at College & Bathurst, or even (egad) some of that Distillery District stuff...

What a gorgeous church, love that spire!

Brad J Lamb turned up in my in-box this morning, pushing this.

I hadn't paid any attention to this one before. I think this'll be quite a nice conversion indeed. Possibly some very cool units inside the actual church.

Condo conversion from a church. Can anyone say super creepy?

it looks like they will be saving the historic building which is good, but who would want to live there? not me...

I couldn't live in what was once a place of higher peace and sanctuary either. It justs seems too narcissistic.

In High Park, there is another big ol' Church conversion very similar to this (I think called the Abbey) which does not have a website (!)

The conversion is quite unique. I toured all of the models and they are wonderful, but not a lot of light because they are using all of the original windows (and there is no addition like this one). They're pretty pricey too.

Nonetheless, I believe "unique" and "one-of-a-kind" always sell. (But then so does monotonous dreck like CityPlace... probably to the same people that buy Crocs and then wear them out in public.)

Anyways, check it out if you're ever in the area. (North of High Park Blvd and just south of Howard Park... on Sunnyside Ave, I think).

Back to this thread... The Victoria Lofts struck me because of all of the conversations about Modernist versus traditional, etc...

I couldn't be a more modern-lovin' guy (hey, it's casaguy).... but yet I really am in love with this building (and all of those pics of the details I posted above.)

So what's wrong with a little cross-pollination?

And what's wrong with living in a building that once housed faith? Lightning won't strike you for your sins... but Christ, if it does, let us know!

And quite frankly...

I wouldn't mind a 40 storey glass tower directly behind this church. (But nothing as unredeeming as the Windermere tower).

There's a church in Kitchener which was converted into a restaurant. You can eat on the altar. It's sacrelicious!

casaguy said:

And quite frankly...

I wouldn't mind a 40 storey glass tower directly behind this church. (But nothing as unredeeming as the Windermere tower).

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Er...not in this neighbourhood.

The conversion (pardon the pun begins: furniture--pews, pulpits, tables etc--moving out yesterday.

unimaginative2 said:

There's a church in Kitchener which was converted into a restaurant. You can eat on the altar. It's sacrelicious!

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Sacredelicious!

I'd love to live in a former church... the unique architecture would really appeal to me.

Plus, i'm not religious so I wouldn't feel the slightest bit strange having lots of sex with my S/O in there.