City
New in Toronto real estate: Canary District Condos
Earlier this month, the West Don Lands got a little non-Pan Am attention with the official launch of the Canary District Condominiums project. (Well no, that's not entirely true — it was mentioned that athletes will settle there during the Games, but nevermind.) Stretching from Front to Mill streets, the project is alleged to be the "largest urban village in Toronto," composed of four buildings that hug a raised interior courtyard. A joint venture between Dundee Kilmer and Waterfront Toronto, the 369-suite community will be a stone's throw from the Don River Park and a massive new YMCA facility.
On the heels of the recent launch, I decided to take a more in-depth look at the good and bad of the Canary District condos. No, I don't have my real estate license, but I do have a few qualities that perhaps render me more adept for some critical assessment: I'm twenty-something, an experienced and disgruntled renter, and I've been known to wistfully peruse MLS listings for hours, dreaming of a sudden condo-bubble crash (sorry, current owners). Here's a closer look at the Canary District Condos, but first, some details:
SPECS
Number of units: 369
Number of floors: 11
Unit sizes (in square feet): 405 to 1148
Starting price: $230k+
Parking: $35k (Reserved for 2 Bedroom and 1 Bedroom + Den suites)
Storage locker: $3,500
Maintenance: $0.51/sf (Additional maintenance fees for locker and parking)
Hydro included?: No
Amenities: Barbeque area, party and billiards room, private courtyard
Expected occupancy: March 2016
THE GOOD
No doubt about it, the West Don Lands has supreme up-and-coming potential. With the Pan Am Games set to arrive in 2015, the overhaul is already underway with construction of the 18 acre Don River Park, a massive new YMCA facility, and a new George Brown student residence.
But those are just the big projects. I suspect plenty of shops and cafes will start to gravitate toward the area with the influx of activity, and developers have already confirmed the revitalization of the beloved Canary Restaurant. The condos will also be a short walk from the Distillery District, but far enough away from the more hectic downtown buzz.
THE BAD
Despite the prospective boons of a spot at Front and Cherry, TTC access right now is abysmal. We have, however, been promised a shiny new streetcar line and construction is already underway. Lest the words "disaster" or "insufficient funds" derail the project, the access shortfalls of the community may be relieved by move-in day. We'll see...
And dismiss it as a personal pet peeve, but I loathe the open-concept kitchens that seem to plague most new Toronto condos. I understand that a wall of appliances is intended to optimize space, but I'll take a bona fide kitchen (with actual counter space!) every time. Unfortunately, the Canary District Condos are among those touting said pseudo-kitchens. Sigh.
THE VERDICT
Seeing as the majority of Canary District Condos dwellers will be reliant on the TTC (especially with parking spots limited to certain suites), this one really boils down to the Cherry Street streetcar. Sadly, if you want to snap up a one-bedroom (primarily those under 500 sf) at a preview price of under $300k, you'll have to act before you know whether the tracks will be ready for use.
The area looks like it really will become a multi-use destination (as opposed to, say, Liberty Village, which is plush primarily just with nine-to-fivers, in addition to its condo residents), but that all depends on access. I'm not optimistic, but the TTC is long, long overdue for an efficiency surprise, right?
What do you think? Would you live here? Add your comments to the thread below.
Discussion
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Lose the Jeep and Volvo dealerships, the storage building, and a few other things to make that stretch somewhat more pedestrian friendly.
Just don't encroach on my loft at Eastern & Broadview, and we'll be good :)
But thanks.
Transit - Its sort of commuters mecca, many roads intertwine all throughout this neighbourhood. Transit is easy, there are several routes running along king and queen. No resident will be more than 5 mins from transit. If you drive the on-ramps to the dvp and Gardner expressway are literally right here. Even The Bayview extension now spills into the park. Or… We’re so close you walk to the financial district in less than 20mins.
It's the only way they can justify charging you over $300k for 500 square feet. PLUS $35k for Parking, PLUS $3500 for Storage.
It's ludicrous!! WOW
You can't even browse their website unless you register.
And since when did canaries 'soar'?
With condos, the shared amenities are the first to be cut when the board is wrestling with rising costs.
Most of the buildings look like glass boxes)
Most of the buildings look like glass boxes)"
It is popular because it is inexpensive to build and because the expanses of glass make buyers forget that these condos are tiny.
The relatively short life and poor energy efficiency of glass walls are problems that the owners will deal with down the road.
All buildings no matter how far back you go is a box, it is the decorative elements that change over time. Personalty I find when you try a reproduction is looks cheap and tacky. Some European citys will not allow an addition or new building that is reproduction, new designs are to complement the old.
First someone would have to invent a way to insulate glass.
The centre park area makes no sense either. The vast majority of it is paved, so it looks like it's designed for strolling through rather than having a picnic or sunbathing, etc. But it is in the middle of the condo, so there is nothing there for anyone to stroll to. Won't it just end up empty all the time?
I think I would pass on this development. The condos seem way overpriced, and the common areas just come off as cold and empty in the pictures (why does one girl have silver hair? She is a young girl, with shiny silver hair?).
I think the reasoning behind the "glass boxes" has to do with the fact that glass is transparent, allowing you to view the outside world. Also, it's generally hard to find spherically shaped furniture.