House of the Week: $6.5 million for a church-converted townhouse in Rosedale with an elevator

| April 8, 2022

Neighbourhood: Rosedale Agent: Gillian Oxley, Oxley Real Estate Price: $6,595,000 Previously sold for: $3,800,000, in 2018 Last renovated: 2019

The place

A three-bed, five-bath townhouse in an old church, located on a quiet street just a few minutes from Rosedale station. At 4,250 square feet across three storeys, this place has some of the church’s original architectural features, like arched windows, exposed trusses and a pulpit. Oh, it’s also got three underground parking spots. Hallelujah.

The history

The church was built in 1903. Then, in 1990, it was converted into five tonwhouses. The seller purchased this place in 2018 as a renovation project, working with LA-based interior designer Nicole Sassaman to rethink the space. They added an elevator.

The tour

The front entrance takes you to a dining room with a gas fireplace. There’s white Austrian oak hardwood throughout the home:

The kitchen is on the main floor and has a porcelain island, a six-burner Wolfe gas range, dual ovens and custom cabinetry. There’s also a coffee station around the corner:

From the kitchen, there are two walkouts to a wrap-around corner terrace. The first walkout leads to a hot tub with a wooden privacy fence and an outdoor entertainment area:

The second walkout has an outdoor kitchen area, with a gas barbecue, pull-out garbage bins, a built-in fridge and additional lounge space:

There’s a powder room on the main floor, next to the elevator well. The elevator spans four storeys, from the private underground parking area up to the third floor:

Also on the main floor is a family room with cathedral ceilings and a Juliet balcony that looks onto Macpherson Ave. The fireplace was originally wood-burning, but was converted to gas during renovations:

Here’s another view of the family room, where there’s an opening to the second level:

There are two bedrooms on the second level. Here’s the first, featuring a glimpse of the original church’s woodwork:

Both bedrooms on this floor have ensuite bathrooms. This one features dolomite marble flooring and walls, original arched windows and a freestanding soaker tub:

This bedroom also has a small office with a skylight, perfect for working from home:

Here’s the second bedroom. The suit of armour doesn’t come with the home, unfortunately:

The second ensuite bathroom is smaller, but features a sloping skylight window:

Here’s that lookout spot into the family room. It’s the original pulpit of the church:

Up on the third floor, there’s another lounge area with original exposed brick and a dramatic wooden truss that spans the entire floor:

Next to the lounge is a home theatre. Custom electric blinds darken the room with the push of a button:

On the other end of the third floor is the main bedroom. The king-sized bed is built-in and custom-made to accommodate the wooden truss behind it. The railing is also from the original church:

The main ensuite has two separate vanities and a shower (not pictured):

That staircase in the main bedroom leads to a spacious dressing room:

Which leads to a bonus room in the church steeple that the seller converted into a gym. It’s got a great view of the city skyline, and you can even see Lake Ontario from here on a clear day:

Down in the basement, there’s also a wine cellar, a laundry room, a three-piece bathroom and another room that can be used as a guest room or an office (not pictured). The basement has heated herringbone tile flooring:

Here’s a look inside the wine cellar. It has room for 500 bottles:

Big selling point

If you’re looking for an out-of-the-box alternative to a traditional house or condo, this is it, especially if you recently won the lottery or just so happen to be the CEO of an up-and-coming tech company. It’s in a swanky part of the city, in a cool conversion property with plenty of space for living and working from home.