The last place you ever wanted to be as a child is now the kind of dreamy hard loft featured in design magazines... unless you were one of those kids who really liked going to school, in which case, even better.

A rare unit just went on sale within Hamilton's historic Allenby Lofts at 357 Hunter Street West: aka the old Allenby School.

Located within the city's Kirkendall neighbourhood, roughly one block from what realtors call "bustling Locke Street South," the Allenby is a historic condo conversion with three floors of soaring, red brick-lined interiors.

The building itself was constructed as a school in 1919, according to Hamilton's heritage property inventory, by noted Canadian architect and politician Frederick Wilson Warren.

You can still see faint lettering for the institution above the loft complex's entrance.

Revamped by Hamilton's award-winning Valvasori brothers (the same team behind the more-recent Dundas District High School conversion), the Allenby reopened as a residential building in 2002.

Now more than 100 years old, it contains units of varying sizes. The one that just hit the market at $579,900 is roughly 1,283 square feet.

The unit is totally open concept, with kitchen, living room and dining room all sharing one large space.

While listed as a one-bedroom plus den, a cozy loft space above the bathroom accommodates a second bed. The actual bedroom is set back and raised from the main living space, accessible by a few wooden stairs next to small office space.The room is cozy, but bright with large north-facing windows.It does lack a proper door, though, if that's something you'd be concerned about.

Next to the bedroom and den is a modern, four-piece bathroom with an oversized shower.

According to the listing, the suite also contains a walk-in closet, ample storage space and en-suite laundry. See also 12-foot ceilings and classroom-sized windows.

The red brick and hardwood floors are absolutely gorgeous, and are no doubt on their own a draw for many.

The fact that the space was once a classroom makes it all the more charming for those who value "character."

In terms of outdoor space, the building has its own gorgeous green roof for residents to enjoy.

This is, however, a condo building, meaning that unit owners still need to pay maintenance fees (in this case, just over $585 per month.)

This particular unit comes with a parking space, which is important for people who'd be commuting back and forth from Toronto.

That said, carless folks who fall in love with the Hammer can walk to anything they might need from the loft — or so say realtors, who tout this place's "amazing walkability."