House of the Week: $1.9 million for a Beaches townhome with two terraces and a very famous pair of shorts
The 1,900-square-foot property is part of a former Methodist church and comes with a wine fridge, two parking spots and three walk-through closets
Neighbourhood: The Beaches
Price: $1,979,000
Size: 1,900 square feet
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 4
Agent: Shane Little, The Richards Group
The place
A three-storey townhome tacked onto a church restoration, with views of Kew Gardens.
The history
The Bellefair Methodist Church, built in 1923, underwent a makeover in 2015, when its nave and chapel were transformed into a cluster of 23 condos. Developers also affixed six additional luxury townhomes to the building’s east side on Bellefair Avenue.
This unit is one of the six. The sellers bought it for $1.8 million just over a year ago and added custom wallpaper and statement pieces throughout the home. They’re big art lovers, and they’re using their eclectic collection to stage the house. But the showstopper isn’t a work of art at all—it’s the shorts that Mike Tyson wore for his infamous 1997 Bite Fight, in which he chewed off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear. Sadly, the trunks are for viewing only and are not included in the sale.
The tour
The former church’s revitalized Gothic façade looks over Queen East, and its main floor is now retail space.
The six luxury townhomes around the corner are shielded from Queen Street’s bustle. This particular unit comes with two parking spots and a large storage room, and residents of the complex share a courtyard, a gym and a doggie bath.
The living room features a custom media unit, which reflects light from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The modern Scavolini kitchen is made for entertaining with its built-in wine fridge, dining island and expansive marble countertops.
A sunken south-facing dining room sits just beyond the kitchen.
The primary bedroom is tricked out with electronic blinds and Italian wallpaper.
Each of the three bedrooms comes equipped with a walk-through California Closet and an ensuite bathroom.
The sellers converted their third-floor hallway into an office, with one wall devoted to those infamous shorts—nothing like Iron Mike for some mid-afternoon motivation.
The two private terraces are probably the home’s best features. The largest one is accessed via the kitchen. It has a motorized awning and a gas line for the barbecue.
And, for an even better view of the neighbourhood, walk upstairs to the second patio.
