As construction work draws closer to completion at the site of Camrost-Felcorp's Imperial Plaza on St. Clair Avenue West, we have been looking at plans for the developer's redevelopment on the heritage church site next door, to be called Blue Diamond at Imperial Plaza. A new Diamond Schmitt Architects-designed, 26-storey condominium tower will rise from behind a preserved portion of the 1911-built Norman-Gothic-style Deer Park United Church.

Deer Park United Church viewed from the north side of St. Clair, image by Jack Landau

The structure, originally built as a Presbyterian church, received heritage designation back in 2008, the same year that the congregation relocated from the building due to rising maintenance costs. The site subsequently came under the wing of Camrost-Felcorp who were already working on the Imperial Plaza redevelopment to the east.

Deer Park United Church's main entrance on St. Clair, image by Jack Landau

Camrost-Felcorp will save portions of the building which will act as a scenic backdrop for the redevelopment's gardens. The entire north end of the site, including the church's main facade and turret, will be the among the most notable features of the preservation, being overseen by heritage specialists ERA Architects. It's the south end of the building which will be taken down for the new tower. Stone from the demolished portions of the church will be reused and incorporated into the development's six 3-storey townhouses facing Foxbar Road.

Deer Park United Church viewed from the southwest on Foxbar, image by Jack Landau

The roof of church sanctuary, visible in the image below, will be removed to create an open-air courtyard which will act as a community space. This is the product of the involvement of the surrounding community, who were vocal in their desire for this former congregational space to live on as a meeting place. The delicate stonework of the church's arched windows are among the features that will live on as part of the new development

Windows to be preserved and roof to be removed at Deer Park United Church, image by Jack Landau

Comparing a wider view with a rendering of the finished project gives us a clearer picture of what parts of the church will be spared: south of the three arched windows, everything comes down.

Deer Park United Church viewed from the west, image by Jack Landau

Rendering of Deer Park United Church incorporated into Blue Diamond Condos, image courtesy of Camrost-Felcorp

Once complete in late 2017, Blue Diamond at Imperial Plaza will add 226 new condominium units to St. Clair Avenue West and Foxbar Road, just east of Avenue Road. New shops will be opening soon at the base of Imperial Plaza immediately to the east.

Additional information and renderings can be found in our dataBase file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment in the space provided at the bottom of this page.

Related Companies:  DesignAgency, Diamond Corp, Diamond Schmitt Architects, Jablonsky, Ast and Partners, Janet Rosenberg & Studio, Live Patrol Inc., Milborne Group, Onespace Unlimited