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It's hard not to be impressed by the imposing stone structure on the South Side Slopes along Pius Street, formerly St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church. The Hensons moved to the condominiums last July from Florida. When complete, the building will house 24 residential units and three office or studio units, boasting sweeping views of the city.

"For us, it just fit with Jeff being an artist and me being attracted to religious art," says Tricia Henson, who grew up on Ebensburg and attended the University of Pittsburgh. "It's just special and very unique. The neighborhood's kind of cool. It's not a cookie-cutter existence where all the houses are the same."

The Hensons' place is 1,700 square feet, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. One of the bathrooms is part of the original church altar, with preserved Italian mosaic tile. The Hensons paid $230,000 for the unit and added extras, including flooring and fixtures. The total could be close to $300,000.

Owner and developer Tom Tripoli has made each unit different.

Five units are completed and owned and a sixth one is under agreement. Tripoli was the first resident to move into the complex about 18 months ago. Construction started in 2002. All the units are scheduled to be complete within two years.

The average size of the condos range from 1,000 to 3,000 square feet and there are no one-bedroom units left, only two-bedroom units. Tripoli's two-bedroom unit is 2,400 square feet.

Recently, Tripoli took visitors through the structure and into the cavernous main hall and showed them an unholy mess. Wooden planks were strewn on the floor along with Christmas trees, drywall, construction dust and who-knows-what.

"This room is in the demolition phase," he says with a laugh.

In Tripoli's condo, one of his rooms was formerly a chapel. Original woodwork adorns the walls.

"All this woodwork was restored -- it was a labor of love," he says.

Tripoli has tried to preserve the look of the church, which once was part of the fabric of the South Side faithful.

The parish was founded in 1848 as the first Roman Catholic parish in Pittsburgh south of the Mon River, says local architectural historian Carol J. Peterson. The current structure was completed in 1861.

Architect Charles S. Bartberger, a German immigrant, designed St. Michael's in the Romanesque style. The rectory was built in 1890 and designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by architect Frederick Sauer.

At its peak, St. Michael's had about 6,000 members. The church staged "Veronica's Veil," a passion play or religious drama, annually during Lent.

The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh closed St. Michael's in 1992 as part of a reorganization. The Diocese "desanctified" the church, removing religious items from inside.

Tripoli says that there was a good chance the church and its three huge buildings would have been torn down had he not bought the property.

"It probably would have been more profitable to put new buildings up," he says. "But it's such a great structure with great curb appeal."

After Tripoli bought the property, Hanson Design Group, an architectural firm on the South Side, went about designing the condos.

"I thought it would be a wonderful place to live," he says. "It's just a few minutes walk to the South Side, and there's a fabulous view. It's quieter than the Carson Street area."

Realtor Harry O'Brien, with Carlson & McGinley Real Estate Services, is marketing the condominiums. "I've been selling real estate for 22 years and this is one of the best projects I've ever been associated with," he says.

One of the first residents to move in was Darla Lewandowski, last March. The physical therapist saw the condominiums on the Web site and called to come and see them. She was hooked right away. Lewandowski paid $140,000 base price for the unit but had to put in the extras such as floorwork and tiles, which drives the price up.

"I have an excellent view and the neighbors are very nice," she says. "One of my patients is a nun and she used to live here. One of my friend's dad was a priest here and lived here. But it doesn't seem like a church anymore. I have more of a modern look."

Realtor Joedda McClain and her partner, Jay Latterman, moved into their 2,300-square-foot, two-bedroom unit last March and have been pleased with it, even though they're only in town about once a month. She owns the Woods Inn in the Adirondacks in New York and lives there most of the time.

"I felt that Angel's Arms was an extremely unique architectural option," McClain says. "It's a great investment. The view is spectacular, and it's so convenient to the South Side.

"It's a different architectural feel than any other condo in Pittsburgh," she adds. "It's the perfect urban environment."

Jeff and Tricia Henson couldn't be happier with their home.

"We have a beautiful view of the city. I can see the Cathedral of Learning," she says. "It fits, especially with our lifestyle. We feel blessed to be here."

Other conversions

Many houses of worship in the Pittsburgh area have been renovated for other uses. Some examples:

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