Broadview Place in Riverdale might not look like much, but it turned more than a few heads when it was listed for only a dollar online.

The weatherworn church on Broadview Avenue near Gerrard Street East garnered enough attention to sell for just under $4 million, according to realtor Jeremiah Shamess, but the deal isn't finalized quite yet.

Broadview Place was designed by E.J. Lennox, the architect famous for Old City Hall and Casa Loma. (Robert Krbavac/CBC)

Shamess says part of the reason the church was listed for next to nothing was to scope the marketplace to see what value property buyers placed on the property.

"It's a way to bring in different types of buyers who may or may not have a set value range on what that property is," he told CBC Toronto.

"A place of worship user is going to look at the property as a different value than say an investor who wants to change the property into condos or something of the sort."

The building is a heritage property, which means many of its original features have to be preserved. (Robert Krbavac/CBC)

The history of the church may have also been a draw for some buyers. And if you look closely, there are several telltale signs of its rich history.

A brick dated 1894, the year the church was built, has been so worn down that it's barely visible.

Broadview Place was a community hub when Riverdale was a new and growing suburb on the other side of the Don River from Toronto. (Robert Krbavac/CBC)

You might not be able to tell it from looking at it now, but the church was designed by E.J. Lennox, the same Toronto architect who designed Old City Hall and Casa Loma, and Camille Begin of Heritage Toronto says Broadview Place was also a burgeoning community hub many years ago.

"It was part of the growing community, especially in the newly annexed suburb on the other side of the river," she said.

Under Alex Alexandrov's ownership, the church hosted two congregations on Sundays and was also used as a concert venue and rehearsal space. (Robert Krbavac/CBC)

"Even though you were part of the city of Toronto, you also had more of village life."

Today, the building is a heritage property, which means its many features, like its stained glass windows, beams and facade, have to be preserved.

Broadview Place's stained-glass windows are one feature that has to be maintained under the city's heritage building designation. (Robert Krbavac/CBC)

Artistic director Alex Alexandrov says his business partner had to sell the property for financial reasons, much like the congregation she bought it from only a few years ago.

Under her ownership, the church hosted two congregations on Sundays and was also used as a concert venue and rehearsal space.

Current owner Alex Alexandrov hopes the new owners maintain the church's role as a community hub. (Robert Krbavac/CBC)

He says he hopes Broadview Place's community element remains once its keys officially land in the hands of its new owner.

"I'll do whatever is in my power to continue the legacy of this place as a public space," Alexandrov said.