If you travel through Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, many people are struck by the number of churches that each city has. Toronto has been called a “City of Churches” and Montreal’s history and geography is dominated by them.
Image: Taber Andrew Bain / Flickr
But, as has been noted by demographers, church attendance is continuously falling. Many of the beautiful buildings that belong to the various dioceses are expensive to maintain. And the Victorians, who built many of the churches in these cities, were often overly optimistic about the number of churches required to service various areas – even in the late nineteenth century these churches were not well attended.
The result of all of this is the fact that churches are increasingly being sold to private developers for conversion into other uses, including as condos and homes.
The benefits for this are easy to recognize: the homes made from these conversions are distinctive and unlike anything on the market. Many buyers appreciate the fact that they offer a story, and connect them to the history of an area. The units themselves often feature high ceilings, original stone work, and stained glass windows along with many technological benefits. For instance, the Swanwick in Toronto offers hardwood flooring and full Internet access in a Neo-Gothic building.
There can be some downsides to conversions of this sort. Since churches are not purpose built as residences, the units can have awkward layouts or feature sharply peaked roofs in rooms. Maintenance costs can be potentially higher, since they must also factor in the architecture detailing and age of the structure. Some churches may have restrictions on what can be done to the interior structures.
Poorly done conversions can also be a nightmare to live in. Although the renovator might make the units look beautiful, they might have serious insulation problems. Church roofs, for instance, weren’t designed to be particularly energy efficient.
Despite these drawbacks, a well-constructed church conversion can be a once-in-a-lifetime property purchase. There is no doubt that you will have any difficulties selling your unit, and it is likely its value will only rise throughout the entire time you own it. Anyone looking for a distinctive and personalized home should think about checking out this market.
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