Condo of the Week: $1.3 million for a three-storey unit in a church steeple
Address: 21 Swanwick Avenue, Unit 1 Neighbourhood: The Upper Beach Agent: Mark Richards, Re/Max Hallmark Realty Inc. Price: $1,270,000
The place: The most impressive suite in a converted church. The unit is spread over three floors (plus a basement), all of which are accessed from a private staircase inside a 30-foot steeple.
The history: The Emmanuel Presbyterian Church was built in 1883 and converted into condos in 2009. This suite has the church’s original stained glass windows, as well as some original brick. The builders even saved the church’s heavy-duty wooden doors; they now form the entrance to this unit. (We featured another condo in this building in 2013.)
Big selling point: The place has many of the benefits of a detached house, including Victorian charm, a basement family room, substantial outdoor space and parking right outside the front door. That said, it’s still technically a condo, which means no grass to mow or snow to shovel.
Possible deal breaker: The patio isn’t perfectly private, although the current owners have planted some shrubbery that could eventually block out the neighbour’s view.
By the numbers:
• $1,270,000 • 1,750 square feet (including the basement) • $331 in monthly fees • 500-square-foot terrace (approximately) • 30-foot-tall steeple • 10-foot ceilings on the main floor and in the basement • 3 bathrooms • 2 bedrooms • 1 parking pad with room for two cars
The church’s heavy wooden doors are now the entrance to this unit.
The living room has a fireplace.
The dining area is combined with the living room.
And here’s the kitchen.
Another benefit of owning a unit in a church conversion: lots of exposed brick.
There’s an office on the second-floor landing.
And here’s the second-floor bedroom.
The master suite occupies the entire third floor.
And here’s the master bedroom’s en suite bathroom.
The basement is finished.
And there’s a surprisingly large back patio.
