JUNE 2026 involves the stained glass windows – the building code requires clear glass for residential occupancy, so the original stained glass must be removed. Rather than discard it, the design calls for incorporating the windows into the building’s interior hallways as art – preserving the heritage character of the building in a new form. According to Henry, that project represented a significant challenge – but that’s why he enjoyed it so much. “I love doing these more complex buildings because they really test our creativity,” he says. “With a custom home, you have a blank piece of land and you can design whatever you want. With a conversion, you’re married to the shell, and you have to come up with solutions to fit it – solutions that meet the building code, the engineering requirements, and the zoning. It challenges me, and I enjoy it every day.” The Bradford church conversion is one of several challenging projects currently underway, including a project in Guelph where they are converting a 15-unit building to a 31-unit building. They are also doing a brand new 10-plex development in Barrie. In Tillbury, they are turning an existing 10-plex into a 20-plex within the same building envelope – the kind of work Henry describes as a personal favourite. “We’re reusing the same downtown building and just making it better inside,” he says. “More units, more housing, and it makes sense for the investor’s budget.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTYzNTg=