The Abbey Lofts, 384 Sunnyside Ave: 24 Homes Inside a Gothic Church

The Abbey Lofts is the building I think of when someone says they want to live somewhere nobody else has. It is the former Howard Park Methodist Church on Sunnyside Avenue, one street west of Roncesvalles, a Gothic Revival building with buttresses, stained glass and timber ceilings, now 24 large suites. It is also a heritage-protected century-old church, and that comes with responsibilities as well as romance. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A Methodist church with a long second act

The building began as Howard Park Methodist Church. ERA Architects, who worked on the conversion, note that the foundation stones show the Sunday school went up first, in 1910, and the church followed in 1914; other sources give 1910 for the church itself, and blogTO credits it to William G. Burns. It became a United church after church union in 1925.

According to Broadview, the congregation merged with nearby Emmanuel United in 1970 and the building was sold. An Italian Pentecostal congregation worshipped there until the late 1990s, after which a developer bought it for condos.

The style is Gothic Revival, with heavy buttresses, crenellated parapets and detailed stone window tracery, and the building keeps its limestone and stained glass. Condos.ca’s description calls it the most beautiful church conversion in the city; that is a matter of taste, but I would not argue hard against it.

What heritage protection means for you

ERA Architects state that the church is protected by a heritage easement agreement and designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act by the City of Toronto. The firm prepared the heritage impact statement and conservation plan before becoming architect of record, and its project listing runs from 2003 to 2007.

The conversion conserved the exterior of the church and its administrative wing, while most of the interior structure was removed to create the suites. In practice, that means the outside you fall in love with is protected, and the inside is a new arrangement of homes within an old shell.

Protection cuts both ways. It keeps the character intact for good, but repairs to stone, stained glass, windows or masonry generally have to respect the heritage requirements, which can make them slower and more expensive. With 24 owners, the reserve fund carries a lot of weight here.

Big, one-of-a-kind suites

These are not starter units. Condos.ca shows suite sizes of about 961 to 2,889 sq ft, so even the smallest is close to 1,000 sq ft and the largest is the size of a substantial house. Because the suites were carved out of a church, no two are quite alike.

Press and listing coverage describe cathedral-style wood ceilings, tall original windows, exposed brick and Douglas fir beams in some suites, and one suite occupies the bell tower. Those are suite-level features rather than a building standard, so ask exactly which elements the suite you are viewing has: stained glass in a living room is wonderful, but it can also limit light and views.

Size also changes who you are competing with. A buyer looking at a 2,000 sq ft suite here is usually also looking at houses, and will compare your suite with a semi that has a backyard. That is why condition, light and the quality of the conversion inside each suite matter more here than in a building of identical units.

Sunnyside Avenue, between Roncesvalles and High Park

Sunnyside is a residential street of houses. Roncesvalles Avenue, with its shops, cafes and restaurants, is one street east, and High Park is a short walk to the west. You are in a house neighbourhood, in a building with a garage and a party room.

The transit, school and walkability details are in the data panel on this page. The day-to-day reality is that this is a quiet street, and it is likely to stay that way.

It is also a neighbourhood where people stay. Buyers who look at a building like this often come from a house nearby and want to remain near the same park, shops and friends. If that describes you, the location is not a compromise at all; it is the reason to buy.

Pricing: large suites, parking in the fee

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $869 per square foot. That is below what smaller west-end lofts trade at per foot, and the reason is size: with suites from about 1,000 to nearly 2,900 sq ft, the per-foot figure falls even though the total price is high. Compare it with a detached or semi-detached house in Roncesvalles, not with a one-bedroom condo.

There was only one suite for sale on condos.ca when I checked, so I cannot give a fair asking range, and with 24 suites the average can rest on very few trades. Expect to wait for the right suite.

On fees, condos.ca lists common elements, building insurance, water and parking as included. Parking in the fee is a genuine plus. Heat and hydro are not listed, and in large suites with high ceilings and original windows, heating costs matter, so ask for twelve months of utility bills along with the current fee schedule. For the building’s recorded trades, see my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Abbey Lofts

For a 24-suite building, the package is more generous than most: a party room, a media room and a meeting room, plus a parking garage and visitor parking. It is enough to host family or a board meeting without turning the building into an amenity-heavy tower.

Jatin’s honest take on The Abbey Lofts

The Abbey Lofts — frequently asked questions

Looking at High Park-Swansea more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.