Another Conversion

 

This scene is from the neighbourhood where yesterday's mural was found. The house on the right was probably one of the corner stores that used to be found sprinkled through residential areas. They were great community centres but are rarely found now. They have done a nice job with this conversion.

To Each .......

 

There was a small building right in the middle of a residential area that had been a church when built in the 1800s, then a synagogue, and then several different offices before recently having a metal addition added to its top and being divided into condos. The units themselves may be nice inside but the look outside leaves me shaking my head. You can see at the right end what the original roof line was. To each their own.

Theatre In A Church Building

 

This is the Randolph Theatre which is in an old church building on Bathurst St. The Gothic Revival church was built in 1888 but by the mid 1960s the congregation had shrunk and the church became a theatre.

School Conversion

This building in the Annex neighbourhood housed a convent and high school for girls for many years. It was converted to condos several years ago and they are quite lovely. I have been in a couple of them and they have large rooms, lots of space and lots of windows. A successful conversion.
 

Construction Continues

 

I've been following the conversion of this church on Bloor St into condos for a few years (see HERE) and went by the backside of it to see what was happening there. There is nothing but the facade left and 2 towers with most of the previous interior parts of the facade clad in plastic. It certainly looks like completion is a long way off.

Small Condo

 

This small condo building in the Annex neighbourhood started life as a 1960s primary school but was converted to condos several years ago. I have been in a couple of the units and they are lovely and each seems to be quite unique in their layouts. And the landscaping on the property is always nice too.

Ongoing Work

 

I've been watching the progress of the construction around what was Bloor St United Church which was sold for condo construction. I last showed it a quite a while ago (HERE). All that is left now is the facade and the towers as work goes on behind it.

The Entrance

 I thought that I would show you the entrance to yesterday's condo building since it looks so striking especially in the sunshine. The person in the orange vest who was on the bike in yesterday's shot had just arrived at the entrance when I took this shot.

Finally Sunshine

The sun finally came out here last week and so of course I headed out for a walk. This striking condo building is a conversion from what had been storage space for Toronto Hydro. They did an excellent job changing the industrial building into residences.

Theatre In A Church Building

This is the Randolph Theatre which is located on Bathurst St near the Honest Ed's apartment tower construction site which I showed you on Tuesday. Built in 1888, the church was converted into a theatre in 1985 and the Randolph College For The Performing Arts is part of the theatre complex.

Protected Windows

This building in the Yorkville neighbourhood was built in 1890 as the Olivet Congregational Church but in 1973 it was in danger of being torn down when a smart person bought it and converted it to high end offices and shops. The building has heritage protection so the wonderful Gothic Style stained glass windows are protected. There were so many trees in the way that it was hard to get a good shot but I love the windows so here they are.

More Conversions

This shot was taken along Davenport Rd in the Yorkville neighbourhood just along the street from the bridal shop I showed you last week.  Originally homes, all the buildings along here have been converted to high-end commercial use and I don't think any of the upper floors are now residential. It was early in the day when I was there and so was quite quiet.

A Streetcar Barn

 This is a shot of one of the streetcar maintenance barns at the Wychwood Barns which have been renovated and now are used as a community and cultural centre. The barns were built in 1913 and have heritage protection. This hall, barn 2, is used for many events throughout the year and houses the Saturday farmers market all winter. Some of the other barns house a theatre, a community greenhouse, artist studios and also some artist homes. It is an active place.

Another Church Changing

This is/was Bloor St United Church and it is in the middle of a huge restoration/ construction project which will result in space for the congregation as well as a tower of condos. The roof has been removed and most of the stained glass has been removed and sent out for restoration. The glass will be reinstalled as part of the project. The church has heritage protection so will remain at the corner with the new construction around it.

A Hideaway

This was taken early on a Sunday morning when no one was around but it is usually a lively patio found hidden in a courtyard of old converted factory buildings. The old buildings now house offices and studios. The low building is an Italian restaurant now.

The Addition

This building in the Yorkville neighbourhood is in a heritage protection district but they were able to get permission to add onto the back as long as the street front was not changed.  So the addition that was added is that glass structure behind and apparently the floors run smoothly through from the front to back. The glass makes a nice backdrop for this fine building which is now occupied by offices.

A Yorkville Conversion

This is an old coach house found behind a grand Yorkville home. It has now been converted into a residence. There are several of these around and I have always wanted to see what the interiors are like. I think I would like this one.

Another Conversion In Liberty Village

This building was a major commercial bakery for many many years until the company moved out into the suburbs in order to expand. The building has been saved and divided up into offices and design studios and this is the main entrance. Liberty Village is right downtown so it is a convenient spot for companies to have a location well served by transportation. This shot was taken through a door early on a Sunday so all was quiet.

Conversion

I'm back in the Liberty Village neighbourhood to show an interior shot of one of the factories that have been converted into offices and design studios. The old beams are almost all that is left inside to remind us of the old days of manufacturing. This building has been divided up into smaller spaces all served by this lovely common area plus a boardroom & a kitchen area. A friend has moved into one of the design studios so I got a tour of the place. It is quite a place!

Times Change

I showed you a mural yesterday from the Liberty Village neighbourhood and today show one of the typical industrial buildings that once occupied the whole area. When industry left for overseas these buildings became studios and lofts for artists but as is usually the case gentrification has taken place and most of the artists have moved on to other spaces. Now these buildings are divided up into offices and design studios although this one has a climbing club on the main floor. Many of the really large factories have been torn down and the usual condo towers have replaced them. There are a lot of trendy restaurants in the area now too. The studio I had for 10 years is now a restaurant.