A converted church has been listed in Berkeley for $1.4 million. (Photos courtesy Chris Allen)
Call it a chouse. Or a chome.
An early-20th-century church in Berkeley that’s housed a number of faith groups through the years has been transformed into a single-family home and is for sale for $1.4 million.
Chris Allen, whose investment firm is Steele Park Properties, purchased the 4,000-square-foot church for $500,000 from the Church of the Resurrection in 2017. Allen said the church has operated as a Baptist, Catholic, and most recently an Eastern Orthodox church.
Allen said the Eastern Orthodox bishop decided the church was too run-down to host services.
“At that point he put it up for sale,” Allen said. “We put in $85,000 just in structural (work).”
Allen said it was his first church renovation project. He considered rezoning the property to multifamily, but decided to keep it as a single-family structure.
“We just didn’t have the budget,” he said. “In truth, community-wise, I think we did the smarter thing … The neighborhood has absolutely embraced us,” he said.
The home opens up into a wide-open living area, with custom Gothic windows and an angled wood backdrop with a fireplace. Part of the renovation included adding an upstairs with a balcony, master bedroom and bathroom. Downstairs, the new kitchen includes a large island and separate wet bar. Allen kept some of the original stained-glass leaded windows as an art piece that comes with the home purchase.
The home includes custom Gothic windows and an angled wood backdrop with a fireplace.
Huge glass doors open out to an entertaining area and yard. Outside, Allen tore down the old structure that housed the church administration offices and erected a three-car garage.
Allen said the renovations cost $750,000.
Address: 4190 Xavier St.
Listing price: $1.425 million
Stats: 4,000-square-foot home with four bedrooms and three bathrooms
Listing broker (and seller): Chris Allen, who markets his properties as Allen & Associates Properties
The finer things: Gothic windows, wood floors, custom kitchen with wet bar and detached three-car garage
A converted church has been listed in Berkeley for $1.4 million. (Photos courtesy Chris Allen)
Call it a chouse. Or a chome.
An early-20th-century church in Berkeley that’s housed a number of faith groups through the years has been transformed into a single-family home and is for sale for $1.4 million.
Chris Allen, whose investment firm is Steele Park Properties, purchased the 4,000-square-foot church for $500,000 from the Church of the Resurrection in 2017. Allen said the church has operated as a Baptist, Catholic, and most recently an Eastern Orthodox church.
Allen said the Eastern Orthodox bishop decided the church was too run-down to host services.
“At that point he put it up for sale,” Allen said. “We put in $85,000 just in structural (work).”
Allen said it was his first church renovation project. He considered rezoning the property to multifamily, but decided to keep it as a single-family structure.
“We just didn’t have the budget,” he said. “In truth, community-wise, I think we did the smarter thing … The neighborhood has absolutely embraced us,” he said.
The home opens up into a wide-open living area, with custom Gothic windows and an angled wood backdrop with a fireplace. Part of the renovation included adding an upstairs with a balcony, master bedroom and bathroom. Downstairs, the new kitchen includes a large island and separate wet bar. Allen kept some of the original stained-glass leaded windows as an art piece that comes with the home purchase.
The home includes custom Gothic windows and an angled wood backdrop with a fireplace.
Huge glass doors open out to an entertaining area and yard. Outside, Allen tore down the old structure that housed the church administration offices and erected a three-car garage.
Allen said the renovations cost $750,000.
Address: 4190 Xavier St.
Listing price: $1.425 million
Stats: 4,000-square-foot home with four bedrooms and three bathrooms
Listing broker (and seller): Chris Allen, who markets his properties as Allen & Associates Properties
The finer things: Gothic windows, wood floors, custom kitchen with wet bar and detached three-car garage
They started at $1.6M, now reduced to $1.45M.
How low will it go?