The Church Lofts
Centennial Methodist Church on Dovercourt Road, an 1891 church with a neo-Gothic front of 1906, later Centennial Japanese United Church. Heritage-designated in 2004 and converted by architect Bernard Watt into 28 lofts around a three-storey atrium, keeping its Art Nouveau stained glass.
History of The Church Lofts
Centennial Methodist built its first church here in 1891 and added the present front on Dovercourt Road in 1906, with stone trim, three central Tudor-arched windows and square towers topped with pyramid steeples. It became Centennial United in 1925 when the United Church of Canada was formed.
In 1986 the Nisei congregation of the Toronto Japanese Church joined it, and it became Centennial Japanese United Church. As the congregation shrank it could no longer keep up the old building, and the last service was held on January 8, 2006. The city had designated the church a heritage property in 2004.
Bernard Watt, the architect and developer who also converted the Creed's fur vaults, bought it through Dovenco and turned it into 28 lofts. Almost everything but the outer walls and roof was rebuilt from within, since the old floors sloped toward the pulpit. The botanical Art Nouveau stained glass was taken out pane by pane, restored and put back, and a giant octagonal skylight now lights a three-storey atrium the lofts wrap around. Units are single or two-storey, about 614 to 1,484 square feet, with 24 different floor plans.
The Church Lofts: quick facts
Where is The Church Lofts?
The Church Lofts is at 701 Dovercourt Road, Toronto, near Bloor W & Dovercourt, in Dovercourt.
When was The Church Lofts built, and what was it originally?
It was built in 1906. Centennial Methodist Church on Dovercourt Road, an 1891 church with a neo-Gothic front of 1906, later Centennial Japanese United Church.
What kind of loft is The Church Lofts?
The Church Lofts is a hard loft: an older industrial or commercial building converted into homes, keeping features like brick, beams and big windows.
How many units are in The Church Lofts?
The Church Lofts has 28 units.
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