{"id":805784,"date":"2026-07-16T14:12:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T14:12:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/805784\/"},"modified":"2026-07-16T14:12:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T14:12:08","slug":"a-historic-toronto-loft-lets-in-the-light-one-difficult-change-at-a-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/805784\/","title":{"rendered":"A historic Toronto loft lets in the light, one difficult change at a time"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The penthouse loft needed more light, which was partially obscured by a duct in front of the windows.Scott Norsworthy\/Scott Norsworthy<\/p>\n

When architect Kyra Clarkson redesigned the Toronto loft owned by Christa and John Amodeo, she didn\u2019t exactly move heaven and earth. But she did the next best thing: relocating or replacing elements that are notoriously untouchable in a condo, including ventilation ducts, exterior windows and a structural column.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were nervous when we presented our idea to the condo board,\u201d says Mr. Amodeo. \u201cThe board can be very particular about changes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fair enough. The Amodeos live in the historic Candy Factory Lofts. Originally built in 1907, the building was first a garment factory and then, from 1963 to 1988, home to Ce De Candy, maker of Rockets, the popular pastel-coloured candy. (A bowl of the sweets sits in the lobby every Halloween.)<\/p>\n

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Candy Factory Lofts on Queen Street West in Toronto in 2003, less than five years after its conversion to residences.Fred Lum\/The Globe and Mail<\/p>\n

In 1999, the building was converted into 121 character-rich lofts, complete with post-and-beam construction, exposed brick walls and arched windows. Since then, it has become a sought-after address. When the Amodeos noticed a penthouse for sale 13 years ago, it was the first one to come on the market in nearly a decade.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe bought it within an hour,\u201d says Mr. Amodeo.<\/p>\n

A back-to-the-bricks overhaul creates a brilliant canvas for art<\/a><\/p>\n

Beyond the loft\u2019s history, the couple was drawn to its size. The 1,800-square-foot space has three bedrooms: two on the main floor and a primary suite on the second level. Off the primary bedroom, a 1,000-square-foot terrace offers sweeping views of the city skyline, the CN Tower and Lake Ontario.<\/p>\n

At the time, the Amodeos were both working full time \u2013 Christa in veterinary medicine and John in finance. Perhaps because they were focused on their careers, they overlooked some of the condo\u2019s shortcomings. As they reached retirement, that changed.<\/p>\n

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Part of the appeal for the Amodeos when they bought the loft was its bounty of space: 1,800 square feet over two levels.Scott Norsworthy\/Scott Norsworthy<\/p>\n

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The Amodeos and their half-cat are happy in their renovated loft.Scott Norsworthy\/Scott Norsworthy<\/p>\n

\u201cThe entryway was very narrow,\u201d says Mrs. Amodeo. \u201cPeople would come in with a stroller or bags and struggle because there wasn\u2019t enough space.\u201d<\/p>\n

The entry was also dark, as were the two guest rooms, neither of which had an exterior window. \u201cAll the light had to filter from the south-facing windows to the foyer at the back,\u201d says Ms. Clarkson. \u201cThat\u2019s a distance of about 80 feet. In between, there was a staircase partly blocking the light.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd there was a duct running in front of the windows,\u201d says Mr. Amodeo.<\/p>\n

The primary bedroom, despite having two sets of patio doors, had its own problem: a structural column cutting through the middle of the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe column was a constant, awkward obstacle,\u201d says Ms. Clarkson. \u201cIt was hard to manoeuvre around, and it made it difficult to place the bed in a good location.\u201d<\/p>\n

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By pulling off the uncommon feat of removing a column in the condo\u2019s bedroom, Ms. Clarkson created more space and flexibility.Scott Norsworthy\/Scott Norsworthy<\/p>\n

Ms. Clarkson redesigned almost every inch of the condo to better suit the couple. <\/p>\n

The Amodeos entertain often, including hosting their six adult children and 14 grandchildren. Overnight guests, however, are rare. (\u201cWe have an uncomfortable IKEA pullout couch to discourage people from staying too long,\u201d jokes Mr. Amodeo.)<\/p>\n

The guest rooms were converted into a gym and an office, both reduced in size so the entryway could be expanded. Custom millwork near the front door, built by Catfish Design\/Build, helps visitors get organized as they come and go.<\/p>\n

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Visitors are greeted near the front entrance by custom millwork and an area for getting ready as they arrive or leave.Scott Norsworthy\/Scott Norsworthy<\/p>\n

To improve the flow of light, Ms. Clarkson relocated the staircase from the middle of the space, creating a more open connection between the front door and the windows in the main living area. She then raised the floor, creating space to reroute the ductwork and reduce clutter on the ceiling and around the glazing.<\/p>\n

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Relocating the staircase from the centre of the loft to one side brought in more light and space.Scott Norsworthy\/Scott Norsworthy<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also enclosed the gym and office with etched-glass walls to bring more light into those spaces,\u201d says Ms. Clarkson.<\/p>\n

Upstairs, Ms. Clarkson relocated the structural column, integrating it into the mullions between the patio doors while increasing the amount of glass. \u201cThe primary bedroom isn\u2019t terribly large,\u201d says Ms. Clarkson. \u201cI wanted it to feel as open as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The gym and office, both former guest bedrooms, were outfitted with etched glass to improve brightness.Scott Norsworthy\/Scott Norsworthy<\/p>\n

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Scott Norsworthy\/Scott Norsworthy<\/p>\n

The renovation came with technical challenges. The etched-glass panels for the gym and office were nearly seven feet wide and more than nine feet tall \u2013 too large to fit in the freight elevator or through the front entrance. The same was true of the kitchen island, a massive slab of Tuscan marble measuring more than eight feet long and nearly four feet wide. Both had to be craned in from the street.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe needed six cranes in all,\u201d says Mr. Amodeo. \u201cIt was complicated because the cranes were only allowed to occupy the street for set periods of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toronto architects bring warmth and light into this early 20th-century home<\/a><\/p>\n

Throughout, the condo board was supportive. To Ms. Clarkson, the key to a successful collaboration was providing strong reassurance. <\/p>\n

\u201cEverything we did was signed off by experts,\u201d she says. \u201cWe worked with a structural engineer to relocate the column and an HVAC engineer on the ductwork. We drew out and detailed everything possible, leaving few questions unanswered.\u201d<\/p>\n

The renovation took nearly three years. The Amodeos rented a nearby condo during construction and visited frequently to check on the progress.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an old building, nothing is 90 degrees,\u201d says Mr. Amodeo. \u201cThe ceiling has a slight slope. The electrician spent about a day on each light fixture to make sure it hung perfectly straight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Given the scope of the work, it might have been easier to move. The Amodeos never seriously considered it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe love the neighbourhood too much,\u201d says Mrs. Amodeo.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it\u2019s a very special building,\u201d says Mr. Amodeo. \u201cIt\u2019s more than 100 years old and always evolving. I hope we\u2019ve renewed this space so it will last for another generation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: The penthouse loft needed more light, which was partially obscured by a duct…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":805785,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[901,76,354,888,355,902,879,877,903,49,48,876,895,896,891,878,875,356,46,549,75,295,894,887,914,880,881,893,889,890,884,904,885,909,910,912,907,911,905,908,882,898,899,714,897,906,865,61,900,892,886,883,913],"class_list":["post-805784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-alberta","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-arts-news","tag-artsanddesign","tag-bc","tag-breaking-news","tag-breaking-news-video","tag-british-columbia","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-canada-news","tag-canada-sports","tag-canada-sports-news","tag-canada-trafficcanada-weather","tag-canadian-breaking-news","tag-canadian-news","tag-design","tag-economy","tag-education","tag-entertainment","tag-environment","tag-federal-government","tag-foreign-news","tag-globe-and-mail","tag-globe-and-mail-breaking-news","tag-globe-and-mail-canada-news","tag-government","tag-life-news","tag-lifestyle","tag-local-news","tag-manitoba","tag-national-news","tag-new-brunswick","tag-newfoundland-and-labrador","tag-northwest-territories","tag-nova-scotia","tag-nunavut","tag-ontario","tag-pei","tag-photos","tag-political-news","tag-political-opinion","tag-politics","tag-politics-news","tag-quebec","tag-sports-news","tag-technology","tag-travel","tag-trudeau","tag-us-news","tag-world-news","tag-yukon"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/805784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=805784"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/805784\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/805785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=805784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=805784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=805784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}