5 Miraculous Toronto Condos That Used to Be Churches

By Josh Sherman | 5 minute read

Condos in former churches only account for a tiny share of the Toronto real estate market, so they’re typically not the most affordable units.

Over the years, the Toronto real estate market has seen multiple churches convert to condos. With local congregations shrinking, and land values at sky-high levels, it only makes sense that these buildings would be slated for redevelopment sooner or later.

When they’re done right, few units can compare, suggests Laurin Jeffrey, a Toronto real estate agent who specializes in lofts and has sold a number of homes in former churches over his nearly 20 years in the business.

“The Abbey is a great example, on Sunnyside, over in the High Park area, that’s jaw-dropping,” Jeffrey  tells Wahi. “You’ve got exposed wooden rafters, big stained-glass ceilings, the 150-year-old limestone walls — they can be really, really impressive,” Jeffrey vouches for the building’s charm.

To show what converted churches can look like, Wahi scanned the listings for five miraculous units. We also asked Jeffrey for pointers on what homebuyers should expect when buying a unit in a former church. First, the units.

1. The Abbey 

List price: $1,699,990
Address: 384 Sunnyside Ave., Unit 202
The condo: Here’s about 1,836 square feet of living space in a neo-Gothic-style Methodist church that dates back to 1910. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom unit is one of just 24 that was converted in 2007 in a project known as The Abbey Lofts.

The Roncesvalles church’s original character is reflected throughout. The unit has stone walls, stained glass, millwork, and exposed roof trusses.

The  kitchen was fully renovated in 2019 with a dramatic backsplash and marble and wood finishes. 

2. West 40 

List price: $2,699,900
Address: 40 Westmoreland Ave., Unit #15

The condo: A hundred years after it was built, the Church of St. Mary the Virgin and St. Cyrian was transformed into the 40 West Lofts: a collection of 17 massive suites spanning anywhere from 1,500 to about 3,000 square feet.

This approximately 1,900-square-feet condo townhome impresses with original brickwork, arched windows, and vaulted ceilings.

Architectural relics are paired with sleek modern treatments, including a glass staircase and striking dark statement walls.

3. Saint Leslieville 

List price: $779,000
Address: 175 Jones Ave., Unit 13

The condo: If you want a condo in a converted church, but you don’t have a seven-figure budget, well, this 820-square-foot unit could be the answer to your prayers.

Despite its lower price tag, the one-bedroom-plus-den unit still has some nice reclaimed brick walls, a nod to the original 1913 church that became the St. Leslieville Church Lofts, in 2018.

Not only does it have a lower cost to purchase than the other condo conversions on our last, but the monthly maintenance fees are just $374.

4. The Victoria Royal Church

List price: $1,249,000
Address: 152 Annette St., Unit 304, Toronto
The condo: Outside, the Junction’s Victoria Royal Church and Sunday school have been lovingly restored, thanks to Triumphal Developments Inc.’s 2011 conversion of the structure into 34 lofts. Inside, however, it’s all modern.

t may lack the unique interior design of some comparable units, but the two-floor unit does boast a killer 264-square-foot private rooftop terrace, something many conversions lack.

5. Sunday School Condo 

List price: $1,189,000
Address: 14 Dewhurst Blvd., PH-407

The condo: Here’s a totally modern take on the church-conversion concept. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom penthouse crowns the Sunday School Lofts, a 2019 development that maintained portions of the 1925 Temple Baptist. 

The home’s got a bright, minimalist interior and should appeal to homebuyers who don’t want to live in a glass box but who aren’t crazy about the creaks and quirks of an older conversion either. Even the most discerning buyer should be able to appreciate the views from the unit’s private rooftop terrace.

What You Should Know Before Buying a Toronto Condo in a Converted Church 

If you like what you’ve seen so far and are thinking about buying a condo in a converted church, consider the following points before jumping into the Toronto real estate market headfirst for this niche type of home.

1. Church Conversions Are Super Rare

In just the past few years, several Toronto churches have been slated for redevelopment. But that’s just a sliver of the overall housing stock, and some churches are torn down rather than converted. Jeffrey estimates there are fewer than 150 condo conversions of all types—including warehouses and factories—in Toronto, and only a fraction of those represent churches. That means homebuyers need to be patient if they have their hearts set on a cool church conversion. “Expect to wait, because they’re not common.”

2. They’re Also More Expensive

Anyone with high hopes for a church conversion also needs to have deeper pockets. It’s not unheard of for all the units in a converted church to be priced from $1,000 per square foot and up. “Lofts, in general, carry a premium,” says Jeffrey. “They’re far, far rarer, which gives them that cache that makes them tend to cost a little more.”

Conversions also cost more to develop, Jeffrey notes: “They’re just not built the same. They’re not straight, they’re not level — stuff just isn’t where it should be, and the cost to do it is just so prohibitive compared to the cost of building a new building.”

3. Not All Conversions Have Character

When you think of a church conversion, you probably think about hardwood floor, arches, and other unique characteristics. But not every conversion tastefully preserves the past. “Some of them are just so covered in drywall and whatnot, you can’t even tell what building you’re in,” says Jeffrey.

4. Condo Conversions May Require More Upkeep

“It’s like buying an old house. If you’re not willing to deal with the upkeep of an old Victorian home, then you probably shouldn’t be buying an old Victoria loft, either,” Jeffrey cautions. “Not to say that there will be problems — but there can be,” he adds.

In some cases, residents have been on the hook for a special assessment. “A special assessment is an extra one-time charge added to the owners’ common expenses fees that condo corporations may use to cover shortfalls in their yearly budgets,” according to the Condominium Authority of Ontario’s website.

5. They’re Secular Spaces Now

Jeffrey once had a Muslim client who was worried about what his mother would think about him living in a Christian church. “I had to explain that it’s been deconsecrated. It’s not really a holy space anymore—it’s fine,” recalls Jeffrey, who says he closed the deal in the end.