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Shut down in 1981, the former factory sat mostly unused for years.

Wonderful natural light makes unit in former factory at Lansdowne Avenue and Davenport Road stand out from the crowd

Listing: 1100 Lansdowne Ave., Unit 314, Toronto

Asking price: $1,075,000

Taxes: $4,365.29 (2017)

Monthly maintenance fees: $837.78

Agent: Brad Douglas (Chestnut Park Real Estate Ltd.)The building

During construction, the huge window openings were fitted with new glass.

Daniel Jovkovic was driving down Lansdowne Avenue in Toronto one day when he saw a bustle of activity in front of a shuttered factory.

Workers were erecting signs to announce the redevelopment of the site, which once formed part of Canadian General Electric's industrial complex at the corner of Lansdowne Avenue and Davenport Road.

Curious, Mr. Jovkovic stopped by to see what the developer was planning to do with the local landmark.

The sturdy brick building, with a distinctive monitor (a protrusion to let light in) running the length of the roof, had been a neighbourhood fixture since 1903. At that time, it was home to Canada Foundry Co. Ltd., which fabricated components ranging from railway cars to ornamental gates to fire hydrants inside the cavernous space.

The unit has two bathrooms with walk-in showers, as well as a powder room.

CGE took over in the 1920s and made electrical components and transformers inside the plant it renamed Davenport Works. In 1981, operations closed down and the building sat mostly unused for years, with occasional service as a film set.

When Mr. Jovkovic popped into the newly launched sales centre in 2004, he wasn't thinking about purchasing a unit, but he was immediately drawn to the project.

The plan was to build 104 lofts, organized around a central atrium.

Most of the lofts were one and two stories, but Mr. Jovkovic was interested in the rare three-storey units.

He purchased a two-bedroom unit spread over three levels towards the south end of the heritage building.

The loft-style bedroom on the second floor opens to the living room below.

During construction, the grime was cleaned from the brick walls, huge window openings were fitted with new glass and the roof monitor was restored.

Today, residents arrive to a low-key lobby and reach their units via walkways that run along the interior of the four-storey atrium.

Mr. Jovkovic says the 16,000-square-foot space provides a gathering spot for the residents. There are several young families in the building, he says, and the kids have a large space to run around in no matter the weather outside.

"It's a great place for moms to get together and socialize," he says. "There's a sense of community in the building."

The unit

The main floor is open-concept, with the kitchen facing the living and dining area.

Mr. Jovkovic says he had the help of a designer and lighting designer to lay out the space in his 1,905-square-foot unit. The kitchen is open to a combined living and dining area. An industrial lighting fixture hangs on the brick wall between two tall windows and the building's original pipes and ducts are still in place.

"It has so much character," he says.

A powder room is tucked in beside the kitchen and the space under the open staircase provides a nook for a home office.

Upstairs, the second floor has a loft-style bedroom open to the living room below. The bathroom has a walk-in shower.

The best feature

The master suite on the third floor features a skylight and original steel supports.

The third-floor master bedroom suite is open to a skylight high above. A yellow brick wall adds layers of texture and history, and the building's original steel supports are still in place – sealed in a coat of white paint. A separate sitting area provides a place for lounging or reading in the light-filled space.

There's a walk-in closet and a private bathroom with walk-in shower.