Churchill Towers

Some rental buildings are looking pretty tired by the time a developer buys them for condominium conversion, and that was sure the case with Churchill Towers. Put up in 1962 the six-storey concrete rental building very much needed the improvements in 2005 when the builder did a multi-year renovation while phasing out renters. At this time (September, 2007) I believe a dozen or more suites may remain as rentals under the new owner, but at least the suites have been renovated. The hallways and lobby renovations were done in the spring of 2007.

Today the 62 suites are dazzling, and those on upper floors looking north toward downtown impress the most. Refinishing was high-end, including hardwood or laminate flooring, all new cabinetry and fixtures, granite countertops, stainless-steel appliances, jetted tubs and in-suite laundries. All exterior windows and patio slider doors were replaced. One-bedroom suites are from 533 to 624 sq. ft. and two-bedroom suites are between 811 and 875 sq. ft. Fifty of the suites are one-bedroom places, and only 12 are two-bedroom homes, occupying the north-east and north-west corners. The building has no basement, so mechanical services are housed on the main floor, in the south-east quarter of that floor. There's a single elevator.

There are two levels of assigned common-property parking at the back, where the slope of Mount Royal rises to Royal Avenue. The upper deck is accessed off that street, while the lower level has access off Tenth Street via an apparent right of way across the next-door Modella Condos property, indicating that in the past both rental buildings might have had the same owner. Those parking areas accommodate 57 vehicles, so unless there are five stalls hidden away somewhere that number of suites has only on-street parking.

Exterior windows and doors here remain common property for maintenance and future replacement.