'A sustainable project': Former Winnipeg church converted into apartments

The outside of the former St. Philips Church and the new apartment. (Source: 240tache.ca)

A Winnipeg couple is breathing new life into an old St. Boniface church.

St. Philips Church and Memorial Hall, located at 240 Tache Ave., has been restored and renovated into six private rental apartments.

Stephen Borys, director and CEO of the Winnipeg Art Gallery- Qaumajuq, and his wife are the brains behind the project and the new owners of the church.

Borys said when the church went up for sale due to a dwindling congregation, there were rumours that it was going to be bought and torn down – something he didn’t want to see happen.

“We decided to save the church, restore it and the hall,” he said.

“Maintain the footprint and the facades of the building and create six rental apartments, including one for ourselves. And that’s what we’ve done.”

An architectural rendering of unit 6. (Source: 240tache.ca)

The church was built in 1904, and the memorial hall was added in 1959.

Borys said the two buildings were designed by “outstanding architects,” including Darling and Pearson, and Pratt Lindgren and Associates

He noted that the renovation maintained the original architecture, including the preservation of the stained glass windows, interior woodwork, and the red brick and Tyndall stone facade.

“So while we saved all of the stained glass windows, we installed new, high-performance, triple-glazing, windows, all new heating and cooling, all updated mechanical, electrical,” he said.

“[We] restored the gardens and made it, I think, just celebrating what has been part of that community for over a century.

An architectural rendering of unit 2. (Source: 240tache.ca)

The project is nearly finished and they are waiting on some final occupancy permits. Borys expects the first tenants to be able to move into the building in October.

As of now, not all units have been taken.

“We have a bit of a waiting list. So we’re reviewing the different applications, wanting to get a nice group of people,” Borys said.

Borys noted this is a great example of saving two of the city’s historic buildings in a way that’s sustainable and benefits the community.

“Why not come up with ways to save, restore and adopt these buildings?” he said.

“Now we’re going to have six different couples or families living here and we haven’t had to change the footprint of the buildings. We haven’t had to add parking. I think it’s a sustainable project that we’ll get back in many ways.”