Apr 12, 2008
THE GLEBE LOFTS: Sitting a block south of Danforth on the west side of the street, this condo project at 660 Pape Ave. has been fitted into a handsome red-brick church.
The original, Riverdale Presbyterian Church, was opened 1912 and expanded nine years later. The spirit feels very English; it is imposing without being magnificent.
There's something warm and homey about the building, which may be why it was a good candidate for a residential conversion.
The main feature of the three-part structure, the large-windowed church at the south end of the site, was clearly designed to dominate the neighbourhood.
Although a house of God, it was also tied to the city, joined seamlessly to the street and everything around it.
In this sense, it also manages to connect past and present, English countryside and east end Toronto. The north side of the building even still serves as a church.
In its own quiet way, it is a wonderful example of the power of architecture to serve temporal and spiritual needs without compromising either.
GRADE: A
Christopher Hume is the The Star's urban issues reporter. In this weekly feature, he rates appearance of condos around town.
Built out of Riverdale Presbyterian Church, the Glebe Lofts on Pape Ave. near Danforth link past and present well.