Former church up for sale after unbelievable private home transformation
A former church in one of Brisbane’s most active suburbs is up for sale for the first time, 32 years after it was redesigned into a private house.
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home at 37 Ross St, Woolloongabba, was once a Ukranian Orthodox Church made in 1972.
Twenty years after it was constructed, the 809 sqm property was purchased by current owner Laurence Somerset, who worked to transform it from a communal space into a private abode.
37 Ross Street, Woolloongabba, can be hard to see from the street…
…but was once an old Ukranian Orthodox Church, which was bought and turned into a contemporary private house.
Contemporary features were added by Ms Somerset, with designs from renowned architect David Gole: who aimed to update the space while keeping some of its iconic features.
The dome of the old Church is still visible on the exterior of the house, with the interior having kept some of the altar and religious iconography.
Today, the home is being advertised for its open living plan, stained glass windows and swimming pool, along with a balcony and covered patio to admire the outside.
The home was fitted with modern amenities and owned for 32 years, twenty years after it was built to be a place of prayer.
Its designer made a point to keep certain features of the original building in the new redesign, including the top dome and parts of the altar.
Ms Somerset, who was born in Paris, said she felt the once-public Church had the European style of natural lighting she was seeking in a home.
“When I came to Brisbane everyone wanted a Queenslander, but that wasn’t what I was looking for,” she said. “When I first walked inside the church, I saw this incredible white space with height and light. I could immediately imagine what it could become.”
The Church was purchased by Ms Somerset in 1994 for $175,000; but further work was required to make it liveable as a house: with renovations introducing the kitchen and bathrooms after it was bought.
“It doesn’t feel like a church,” she said. “It feels a home … I’ve been blessed to live here. It’s been a very happy house.”
Some stained glass windows and religious iconography from the original building remained in the new design.
Property prices have skyrocketed since the Church was bought for $175,000 in 1994.
The home is seeking best offers from potential buyers by March 31, being sold with Place Kangaroo Point.
The home is being sold with Place Kangaroo Point, seeking top offers by March 31.
Agent Courtney Caulfield said with Ms Somerset preparing to downsize, the sale represented a rare opportunity for a unique home that still featured modern amenities.
“This is a home that has been thoughtfully created over time,” she said. “The scale of the ceilings, the natural light and the sense of openness give it a very special atmosphere.
“What has been created here is a space that feels incredibly contemporary while still respecting the building’s origins.”
