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After breaking ground in February 2016, Central Presbyterian Church's new home at its long-standing site at Thurlow and Pendrell Streets is taking shape. The West End development by Bosa Properties and Henriquez Partners Architects will introduce 168 market rental units snugly contained within a 22-storey building, with Central occupying a portion of the three-storey podium, alongside commercial retail space, community facilities, and a daycare centre.
The revenue from the rentals will go towards the funding of 45 social housing units for seniors, to be managed by the church through a non-profit housing society. The arrangement hopes to battle the gradual chipping away of stable housing in the neighbourhood, particularly walkup apartment buildings, which were targets of widespread "renovictions." Snagged by developers who would renovate the building and then raise the rent, seniors who had expected to age in place were increasingly priced out of their homes.
The new building targets LEED Gold certification. The exterior design of the building calls attention to the church's space by installing translucent fritted glass on the podium, delineating the place of worship from the residential levels above. The glazing strategy allows the church entryway to be permeable and visible from the street, with wood interior finishes adding warmth to the vestibule.
Recent photos from the site show the project advancing to tower construction, with the lower levels largely filled out. Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved or get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.
