Heaven Sent In Dufferin Grove’s Hepbourne Hall

Lots Of Love For Dufferin Grove

Dufferin Grove, a charming community of merchant and working-class century homes just minutes from the downtown core, has become a testament to the richness of spirit that Toronto’s urban fabric is celebrated for. Having a diverse multi-cultural community, from street to street, corner to corner, this neighbourhood is full of all walks of life. Historically within the boundaries of Bloor, College, Ossington, and Dufferin Streets, this community literally “has it all”! In fact, it was recently heralded by Time Out as “one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world“!

A big part of the appeal of this location is the rich breadth of accessible amenities, ranging from local purveyors to big box stores. The extremely popular Dufferin Mall (for fashion, the LCBO, or Walmart!) is four blocks west, and the eclectic retail and cafe culture of Bloor West is a stroll north at the top of the street. Two blocks south, College Street offers its own colourful mix of boutiques, including La Fromagerie for fine cheese, Prairie Boy Bread for organic baked goods, and Quixotic Sounds for vinyl. Cycling downtown? The speedy bike lanes on Harbord Street two streets east will get you to U of T or Queen’s Park in a jiffy! On a quest to get somewhere else? The Dufferin Subway Station can zip you to all points accessible by transit! Speaking of zipping, if you don’t own a car, there’s a ZipCar location just a short stroll from Hepbourne on Gladstone Avenue south of Bloor Street. How fantastic is that?

Are you a foodie like we are? We personally love eateries like Hogtown Vegan who serve up wholesome, organic dishes perfect for the days when we just don’t have the time to cook. Field Trip Cafe  is great when we need to satiate our sweet tooth, and when we need to caffeinate with a shot of java, we head to either the Bloor West or College Street locations of The Common. But if indulging your culinary prowess is more your speed, head to the Farmer’s Market in Dufferin Grove Park for locally grown produce, as it’s just a hop, skip and a jump south of the property. Looking for a new dining table to gather everyone around? Stroll to nearby Ossington and pay our fave furnishing stop Stylegarage a visit – you don’t have to go far for great design, whether your taste is contemporary, traditional, or urban chic.

For lovers of leisure, Dufferin Grove Park is one of the community’s destinations of choice. A short stroll away, this 5.3 hectare park with large mature forest canopy features a multipurpose sports field, basketball court, picnic area, wading pool, children’s playground and reflexology footpath. At the north end of the park is the Dufferin Grove Park Artificial Ice Rink and Clubhouse for ice skating or inline hockey. The park’s clubhouse will be upgraded this coming year to include a new commercial kitchen/baking area, a multi-purpose room, a refrigeration facility for the outdoor ice rink, public washrooms, a snack bar and a skating rental booth. Amazing! Plus there’s a weekly organic market, a community pizza oven, and even internet ‘Wi-Fi’! And whereas most parks in the city rely on the City of Toronto Parks and Recreation Department to organize events, a community support group called the ‘Friends of Dufferin Grove Park’ organizes most events and activities here which is a testament to how engaged the local residents are! This park is also home to the celebrated ‘Clay and Paper Theatre’ who “create, develop and perform multi-disciplinary, community-driven theatrical works using narrative theatre and large-scale puppetry for large and diverse audiences”. Imagine strolling to these magical puppet shows each summer with your friends and family?

Love to read like we do? This residence is three blocks from the Gladstone Library, an incredible example of civic pride with its spectacular recent $119 million renovations. Sun-kissed and contemporary, this marvellous literary amenity offers free Wi-Fi and even encourages lounging with snacks for ultimate comfort. If fitness is part of your weekly routine, the YMCA at the corner of College and Dovercourt can be one of your Go-To’s, or if you want to be on-trend and on-point, the United Boxing Club is practically around the corner at the top of Bloor Street West at Salem Avenue!

If educating a child is part of your purchasing decision, the in-demand highly-regarded Dewson Elementary Public School offers a comprehensive education program from JK to Grade 6, with both regular English and French Immersion Programs. Having around 530 students of diverse ethnocultural backgrounds, the school has specialist teachers for Core French, Music, and Physical Education, along with a great Learning Resource Centre. Students JK to Grade 8 may alternately attend King Edward Jr and Sr PS which features four tracks including Regular English, French Immersion, French Extended and Gifted. For Grades 9 through 12, Bloor Collegiate Institute serves area residents and features a number of select and advanced programs. Without a doubt, this amenity-rich, dynamic neighbourhood has all the features desired by those purchasing with the “location, location, location” mantra in mind.

Hepbourne Hall Lofts – A Well-Managed, Unique Church Conversion

Located in Hepbourne Hall on Hepbourne Street, just east of Rusholme Road (and its regal century-old homes and mature trees), this church annex – dating from 1904 – was converted by reputable loft conversion developer Bob Mitchell in 1991. We’ve been fans of Bob’s for years, having negotiated the sale and purchase of units in all of his loft conversions, including 41 Shanly in Bloorcourt Village, Printer’s Row in Riverdale, and The Glebe on Pape Avenue just south of The Danforth. Hepbourne Hall represents Bob’s excellence in preservation. Originally built in the Collegiate Gothic style, the building was an extension for St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church originally established in 1885, and now the Portuguese Speaking Presbyterian Church of Toronto.

Comprising 20 lofts over two above-grade levels, and a lower level which contains the underground parking garage and the lower level living areas for a handful of units, these custom one-of-a-kind spaces range from 650 to over 2200 square feet. One of the earlier church loft conversions in Toronto, Hepbourne Hall was lauded by author and champion of urban renewal Jane Jacobs as “a model for the development and smart re-use of heritage properties”, and was also once home to CBC personality Peter Gzowski. It’s currently regarded as one of our city’s most renowned historic adaptive reuse conversions – I love the elegant proportions, red brickwork, and limestone architectural details.

Exceptionally well-run, and in superb condition with many recent common element upgrades (the Status Certificate is available by request), Hepbourne Hall was transformed with a commitment to preserve its architectural vernacular and heritage details – all the while being reinvented into a charming domestic sanctuary! This intimate pet-friendly complex nestled on a quiet residential street offers turn-key living in a very convenient location. And with a walk score of 93, who could ask for anything more?

Loft 210

This unique and modern lofty residence, perched on the top north-west corner of the complex, offers all the comforts of contemporary living within its historic architectural envelope. Featuring expansive ceilings of 10’10” on the main level, which soar to 22 feet in a two-storey void, this thoughtful intelligent multi-level space plan offers a sun-drenched open concept entertainment area with two private zones of domestic bliss.

Entering the first level foyer, a discreet 2-piece bath and closet are tucked away from the entertainment space. A spacious second bedroom or home office is situated off this front hall, and features high ceilings, a west-facing window, wood floors, and an open-shelving Ikea Pax wardrobe unit (of which half is currently being stored in the generous locker and is included in the purchase price). Formerly used as the owner’s son’s bedroom (he’s now at university), the trundle (double) bed in this room is also included if you like, as it makes for a great guest room. The hall leads to the open-plan Entertainment Space wrapped in north-west windows – one in glass block with the others fitted with custom Hunter Douglas blinds. The renovated galley kitchen is warm and inviting, featuring wood and glass counters, a double sink, and artful open shelves. This kitchen, which has the washer/dryer conveniently tucked opposite, has the efficient triangle configuration cook’s favour, while being open to the living/dining zone so you can always be present to engage your friends and family while feasting. In the entertainment area, a custom cabinet with open bookshelves and rolling library ladder offers plenty of storage to hold your wares and curate your artefacts, all the while infusing an additional layer of personality to this bespoke space. Above, a two-storey opening floods this space with light throughout the day from the south-facing clerestory windows and the north-west floor-to-ceiling glazing facing the terrace. I especially love the wood-burning fireplace, as I adore the scent and sound of wood crackling in a hearth while curled up with a book on a frosty winter’s eve!

Ascending the wood staircase (with modern steel rails and additional pivoting shelves underneath that reveal additional storage behind), one lands at an open concept den that overlooks the entertainment space below and connects to the brick-walled terrace. Finished with wood floors, and fitted with a ceiling fan and a pair of red-painted wooden shelving units, this elevated respite makes for an ideal spot to lounge in quiet contemplation. Up a few steps further, a raised mezzanine (with large storage bay underneath with access door from the den) is home to the master sanctuary. It boasts a wall of closets behind custom sliding doors, a built-in shelving unit that frames a queen or king-sized bed, a 4-piece washroom, and a further two banks of south-facing clerestory windows that bathe the space in sunlight. Certainly, if natural light is the necessity by which you live, having expanses of glazing facing south, west, and north will assuredly regenerate your health and well-being.

Particularly rare to find in both a conversion – or a more conventional condominium – is the generous brick-walled sky-vista terrace with wood decking and arbour accessed from a bijou bridge. Bathed in the afternoon sun – and ideal for those who love to barbecue – this outdoor retreat is also ideal for romantic stargazing on moonlit summer evenings! What could be more ethereal than this sanctuary from the trials and tribulations of everyday life?

Artful and architectural, this divine dwelling is an intelligent purchase, as it fuses the practicality of its multi-function layout with the intangible benefits unique to loft living, including its soaring ceilings, expansive volumes, and the resulting interplay of light. That it’s perched on the corner of a small-scale conversion of historical merit, features a generous private outdoor space, and is situated in a Triple AAA neighbourhood, ensures it will always have appeal! Offering the easy-breezy benefits of condominium living, with reasonable common fees, this residence makes an excellent investment, a beautiful city pied-a-terre, or a great primary residence. Including one-car underground deeded parking and locker, this unique urban space is ready for occupancy as soon as December 5th, 2019!

Could this rare to market and truly unique residence be your perfect spot to call Home?

Want to learn more? Contact steve@urbaneer for more info!

With a multi-disciplinary education in housing – and 27 years experience in the property market – Steven Fudge of Urbaneer believes the search for a Home requires engagement on sensory, intellectual and emotional levels. In fact, those are some of the reasons why he’s a fan of multimedia, especially as it relates to creating an understanding of neighbourhood atmosphere or providing a snapshot of what life would be like as a member of a given community.

Toronto, as you may know, is a City of Neighbourhoods, where there is a patchwork of lifestyle, options and unique amenities. Part of the service he offers – along with the Urbaneer.com Team – is a comprehensive understanding of what makes each of these neighbourhoods tick, and what amenities might be most appealing to a particular homeowner. Can we help you decide which neighbourhood might be best for you?

With decades of experience navigating the highs and lows of our market, and our commitment to remain acutely aware of shifts and trends, we are here to help!

All without pressure or hassle.

Thanks for reading!

Steven Fudge, Sales Representative

& The Innovative Urbaneer Team
Bosley Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage – (416) 322-8000

– we’re here to earn your trust, then your business –

*Did you know we were recently listed as one of The Top 25 Toronto Real Estate Agents To Follow On Twitter! – The Top 50 Blogs On Toronto – and The Top 100 Real Estate Blogs In Canada? Consider signing up in the box below to receive our FREE monthly e-newsletter on housing, culture and design including our love for unique urban homes and other Toronto real estate!

*Love Canadian Housing? Check out Steve’s University Student Mentorship site called Houseporn.ca which focuses on architecture, landscape, design, products and real estate in Canada!