Edwardian Architecture At Printers Row Lofts In Riverdale, Toronto
I’m Steve Fudge, and I sell real estate.
Welcome to my blog on housing, culture, and design in the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Today I wanted to share my love for Toronto’s Edwardian architecture and, in particular, the adaptive reuse conversion of the former Bell Telephone Company’s world headquarters (circa 1911) into 12 custom contemporary lofts in Riverdale, a verdant residential neighbourhood located east of the Don Valley just north of Gerrard Street East.
Printers Row Lofts
As a housing conceptualist who was actively engaged in the adaptive reuse conversion of several small buildings into loft condominiums in the 90s and 00s, and a realtor who has been engaged in the purchase and sale of unique urban homes for 30 years, I have enormous affection for Printers Row Lofts located at 525 Logan Avenue. Converted into 12 dramatic custom contemporary lofts in 2001, over the past 2 decades I’ve seen these 2 and 3-level incubators of domesticity evolve according to the specific spatial and stylistic preferences of each new incoming resident owner. Ironically, as much as I celebrate each owner’s commitment to transforming their spaces into personal style statements, I also have tremendous appreciation and admiration for these same owners who are collectively committed to ensuring the preservation and restoration of the building’s exterior.
Originally built in 1911 and designed by architect W. F. Carmichael, the building was constructed as the Bell Telephone Company’s world headquarters. Built for utility and purpose, red brick – the most abundant and economical building material in Toronto at the time (and made at the Evergreen Brick Works located nearby in the Don Valley) – was used to build 18-inch exterior walls while the 12-inch floor plates are layers of concrete, brick and stone. The spatial configuration of the building comprised two floors each containing double-height spaces plus a lower level with generous ceilings.
Architecturally, the popular Edwardian fashion and flavour of the day followed the foundation of classical proportion, which is very much evident in the facade. The scale and rhythmic placement of the large vertical windows balance the brickwork, while the centre inset of the three panels comprising the front facade and the arrangement of the brick corbels each add some depth and dimension. The significant red stone stylobate (both in dimension and weight) delineating the two top floors from the lower level breaks the verticality of the building, visually anchoring it to the site while the understated wood cornice on the parapet frames this compositional confection. Although there are no specific dates, Bell Telephone eventually vacated to a location around the corner and the building was occupied as the ABSO Blueprint Factory until it was purchased in 1998 for its conversion into loft condominiums.
Along with permission to sever the 25×110 foot parcel on the south side of the building for the construction of a new freehold dwelling, the development was approved to expand the structure ten feet south to accommodate parking and storage in the lower level with outdoor terraces above as well as permission to add a mezzanine addition with roof terraces on top of the existing roof. This resulted in the first level having five 2-storey and one 3-storey unit (which includes a portion of the lower level on the streetside of the building), and six 3-storey lofts with roof terraces on the second and new mezzanine level. Each of these 12 units has secure deeded parking.
Completed and registered as a condominium in 2001, this boutique walk-up called Printers Row was converted by Bob Mitchell of Mitchell & Associates. Launching his business in 1982, I tip my hat to Bob because from day one his focus was on retrofitting and converting adaptive reuse buildings into one-of-a-kind loft condominiums, and he accomplished this by offering the original buyers the opportunity to custom-design and craft their property purchase to suit their own personal wishes, wants and needs. Over the span of 3 decades, Bob’s project portfolio includes many of the smaller less-than-twenty-unit adaptive reuse conversions located in the central city including, amongst others, 41 Shanly Street, 75 Markham Street, 289 Sumach Street, 110 Hepbourne Street, 34 Claremont Street, 670 and 676 Richmond Street West, 525 Logan Avenue and 660 Pape Avenue.
I first met Bob in 1991 when I was completing my research on adaptive reuse conversions as part of a Graduate Degree in Environmental Studies at York University. He was very generous in mentoring his time, knowledge, and guidance, including teaching me how the art of conversion requires a blend and balance of pragmatism and imagination. He also became a client after I launched my real estate career, hiring me to sell and market several existing and pre-construction lofts. In fact, I personally placed six of the 12 original Buyers here in Printers Row, in addition to the Buyers of the house constructed next door at 523 Logan Avenue.
Printers Row is a well-executed example of how ingenuity, time, capital and hard work can take a utilitarian near-obsolete place of industry and transform it into an inviting near-new place of domesticity. For those coveting these unique urban homes, sadly units in existing conversions are extremely rare to market because they don’t turn over very frequently (this is the first time this has been offered for sale on MLS), and any potential or possible adaptive reuse conversion sites remaining are garnering sale prices that no longer make retrofitting an existing building economically viable. Instead, most century-old buildings are considered obsolete and prohibitively expensive to retrofit, meaning the only option now is to demolish them for replacement with new construction. It’s unfortunate, because the philosophy of the adaptive reuse conversion market has, as its core values, a commitment to respect and preserve the existing urban fabric of the site and the community it surrounds, the tacet understanding that the retention, retrofit and restoration to respecting a site’s structural resilience, environmental history, architectural integrity, and local vernacular results in rewards that are more sustainable, collectively beneficial, and rooted in community and place.
Wouldn’t you adore an urban dwell ensconced in such rich history and beautiful architecture?
One of the rare-to-market lofts at Printers Row has just come to market: A Sun-Kissed Contemporary Loft In Riverdale’s Printers Row
Printers Row Loft is a well-executed example of how ingenuity, time, capital and hard work can take a utilitarian near-obsolete place of industry and transform it into an inviting near-new place of domesticity. Units in existing conversions are extremely rare to market because they don’t turn over very frequently (this is the first time this has been offered for sale on MLS), the sites are few, and the aesthetic very sought-after. The best conversions – like this one – preserve the existing urban fabric of the site and the community they surround, and respect a site’s structural resilience, environmental history, architectural integrity, and local vernacular, resulting in more sustainable, collectively beneficial dwellings rooted in community and place.
Wrapped in the roots of history while boasting the conveniences of modern living, Loft 105 in Printers Row is the epitome of stylish urban living. Having around 1154 square feet of indoor/outdoor living, this elegant voluminous space has 979 square feet spread over 2 levels inside, and an exceptional 175 square foot south-facing terrace with gas barbecue hook-up, electrical outlets and water line!
Comprising two irregular rectangular floor plates anchored by a visually-arresting 2-storey volume with near 16-foot-high ceilings, the loft is delineated into a series of cleverly designed living spaces. The first level is dedicated to collective engagement and celebration while the upper level serves as a private sanctuary for rest and contemplation.
Substantially renovated from top to bottom in 2011, the comprehensive retrofit designed by Coz Design introduced a space plan that maximizes efficiency, a selection of materials that are of a high standard, and an aesthetic that is both contemporary and timeless. The result is a loft that is warm, welcoming and visually cohesive!
This place is special: A Sun-Kissed Contemporary Loft In Riverdale’s Printers Row
Would you like a private tour of this sleek and sexy loft in Printers Row?
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