Sunday School Lofts, 14 Dewhurst Blvd: A 1925 Church Facade on the Danforth

Sunday School Lofts is not a loft conversion in the old sense, and buyers should know that going in. The 1925 Temple Baptist Church on Dewhurst Boulevard was largely taken down in 2019, and what you buy is a new four-storey building wrapped behind the church’s restored front walls. That combination of a heritage face, new construction and family-sized suites a few steps off the Danforth is very rare. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

What was kept, and what is new

Temple Baptist Church was built in 1925, a two-and-a-half-storey brick church in a Georgian Classical style, designed by Hamilton architect George Thomas Evans. Heritage Toronto’s record says the facade was restored and the stained glass and stone detailing were kept, along with the north and south return walls.

Behind that, almost everything is new. UrbanToronto reported that the church was largely demolished in early 2019 with the front walls retained, and the new four-storey steel-framed structure was built up behind them. The new section uses red and black brick as a darker backdrop, so the old facade reads clearly instead of competing with the addition.

That matters in two ways. You get a building with real character on the street and new construction behind it: modern plumbing, electrical, windows and insulation, not a 100-year-old envelope. But the heritage facade is part of the common elements, and restored masonry and historic windows need specialist care over time.

The project was nominated in the Built Heritage category of the 2022 Heritage Toronto Awards. Heritage Toronto lists COMN as lead architect and interior designer, George Popper as design architect, Giaimo on heritage architecture and ERA on heritage approvals; UrbanToronto’s file also credits Andrew Pike Interiors. A team that size on a 32-suite building tells you how much of the budget went into getting the facade right.

Family-sized suites and two-storey penthouses

Grid marketed this building to families from the start. UrbanToronto’s project file says most of the 32 suites are two- and three-bedroom plans, the average suite is over 1,000 square feet, and there are eight penthouses, seven of them two-storey suites with a main-floor terrace and a private roof terrace. Condos.ca lists sizes from about 583 to 1,361 square feet.

That is unusual. Most new buildings near the Danforth are weighted toward one-bedrooms. Here, the share of suites that can actually hold a family, a home office or a downsizer’s furniture is high, and that tends to make for owner-occupiers rather than a building full of short-term tenants.

The finishes were specified with engineered hardwood, quartz counters, generous kitchens, ensuite primary bedrooms and eight-foot interior doors. Every balcony was given a gas hookup for a barbecue, which is the one amenity condos.ca lists. I could not confirm ceiling heights from public sources, so check them on the plan for the specific suite.

A very small corporation

Thirty-two suites over four storeys means the building has no gym, no party room and no concierge. UrbanToronto lists Live Patrol as the security provider. Ask how the building handles deliveries, parcels and visitors today, because without a front desk that is the daily friction point.

In a building this small, every cost is split between few owners. That is fine for routine running costs, but larger items such as heritage masonry work, the roof terraces and the garage, if there is one, will be shared by 32 households. I could not confirm parking or locker details, so ask what comes with the suite and how it is held.

The dates are slightly out of step, which is normal for a new building. Heritage Toronto gives 1 April 2021 as the completion date, while the condominium corporation was registered a year later, in April 2022, and condos.ca shows 2022 as the build year. Condos.ca also labels the building a high-rise, which is clearly wrong at four storeys. Use the registration date when you think about the warranty timeline.

Dewhurst and the Danforth

The address is a residential side street just north of Danforth Avenue, between the Pape and Donlands stretches of the strip. You get a quiet street of houses outside the door and the restaurants, groceries and shops of the Danforth a short walk away. Transit, schools and parks for this address are in the data panel on this page.

The neighbourhood is mostly detached and semi-detached houses. That is what most buyers here are comparing against: a renovated semi at a higher price with a yard and more maintenance, or this building with stairs to a roof terrace and someone else looking after the exterior.

Pricing and fees

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $965 per square foot. That is a premium over larger, newer buildings in the east end, for example The Lofthouse Condominiums at Logan and Gerrard, also by Grid, at about $883, and well above The East Yorker on Donlands at about $716. You are paying for the heritage facade, the small building and the family layouts.

There were no suites for sale or for rent when I checked, which is typical for a 32-suite building where owners tend to stay. Without current listings I cannot give you a fee range, and I will not quote a single suite’s numbers. Heat, hydro and parking are not listed in the fee, so budget for them separately.

With supply this thin, the right approach is to register interest early and be ready to move. For sold history in this building, ask for my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Sunday School Lofts

There are no shared amenity rooms. The private outdoor space, especially the penthouse roof terraces, is the amenity, and the fee is not carrying a gym or party room you might never use.

Jatin’s honest take on Sunday School Lofts

Sunday School Lofts — frequently asked questions

Looking at Leslieville, Riverdale, the Beaches, Danforth and Leaside more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.