670 Richmond St. W., unit 205, Toronto
Asking Price: $1,499,000
Taxes: $7,646.44 (2025)
Monthly Maintenance Fee: $940
Agents: Jenny Simon and Shane Little, Sage Real Estate Ltd.
The backstory
Nearly a decade ago, Adam Black and Steven Sage had planned a day of touring detached houses with space for a backyard pool when they decided to take a quick look at a hard loft for sale in the Queen Street West neighbourhood in Toronto.
The 1950s-era warehouse for Britain-based Decca Records had been converted to live and work lofts in the 1990s. For some time in between, the red-brick building housed a garment factory.
“This loft was last on our list. I don’t think either of us were particularly excited about it,” says Mr. Black.
At the time, the two were living in a townhouse near High Park and planning a move outside the city.
“My dad was in the swimming pool business, and I had always had a pool as a kid,” says Mr. Black.
The couple changed their minds after visiting the neighbourhood surrounding the building on Richmond Street West near Bathurst Street. They imagined stepping out the door for a short stroll to Terroni, Trinity Bellwoods Park and plentiful cafés and patisseries nearby.
But the pair were less inspired by the interior of the three-storey apartment.
“It was tired,” Mr. Sage says of the 1990s loft aesthetic of exposed yellow brick, industrial ductwork and dark wood.
Still, they liked the fact that each of the 12 units in the building, Industrial Revolution II Lofts, was unique. They could also envision a light and airy space with an expanse of white walls to hold their collection of Canadian art.
“We’ve travelled to Paris before and loved the idea of the Paris loft look,” says Mr. Black.
They purchased the unit nine years ago and began to plan the transformation.
The house today
The homeowners appreciate the building’s mid-century heritage and understated vibe.Raffi Tutundjian/Raffi Tutundjian/Jagged Lens
The couple spent about four months renovating the unit with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and one powder room in 1,559 square feet of living space.
In the main living and dining area, they covered the metal ductwork and added dimension to the walls with trim and mouldings.
They changed the layout of some walls to update the electrical system and reposition a fireplace.
They brightened the kitchen by painting the exposed brick, tearing out the dark cabinets and adding sleek white cabinets that rise to the ceiling. There’s also an island with a breakfast bar.
Throughout the unit, they tore out dated elements.
“There were custom built-ins for your VCR tapes – not necessary any more,” says Mr. Black.
The dark floors throughout the unit needed to be replaced.
“To make it look good for staging, they had taken a can of black paint to the floor,” says Mr. Black.
The couple chose quartersawn white oak laid in a chevron pattern.
The third-floor loft is open to the family room below. The couple uses the top level as an extra bedroom when visitors arrive and a gym when the Murphy bed is tucked into the wall. A switch can turn the partial glass wall from translucent to opaque.
The homeowners at 670 Richmond appreciate the building’s mid-century heritage and understated vibe, says Mr. Sage, a marketing executive who served on the condo board for many years.
“It’s a pretty close community because we’re so small,” he says.
Mr. Black, a lawyer with a practice in family law, has talked with owners in the other units who have found remnants from the garment factory under their floorboards during renovations.
“I think there’s a real pride of ownership in the building,” he says. “It has such a history.”
The best feature
Skylights brighten the interior of the unit.Raffi Tutundjian/Raffi Tutundjian/Jagged Lens
The second level is the main area for lounging, with a primary bedroom at one end and an ensuite bathroom with a walk-in shower.
The family room at the centre has a cathedral ceiling with a large skylight, brightening the interior.
Doors slide open to a private terrace.