Dundas Square Gardens will soar above the corner of Dundas and Jarvis Street by 2017. The 47-storey main tower will eclipse the rest of the neighbourhood with a glass and white stone faรงade that will top up on a lantern-type crown. A secondary 18-storey "garden" tower will offer a more modest and private boutique-style option with separate elevators. Yay for scale.

The project's most noteworthy feature is its 16,000 sq.ft. outdoor space scattered across five rooftop patios on the garden tower. Unit-wise, Dundas Square Gardens offers a selection of 66 floor plans with terraces of up to 575 sq.ft -- that is, if you go for the two or three bedroom offerings. The rest are destined for standard balconies. The horror.

SPECS

• Address: 200 Dundas St. East
• Storeys: 47-storey main tower + 18-storey garden tower.
• Number of Units: 968 units
• Types of Units: Studio, 1, 1+den, 2, 2+den, 3 bedrooms.
• Units Sizes: From 305 to 773 sq. ft.
• Walkscore: 95 out of 100
• Price: Starting at $199,998
• Parking: $45,000
• Lockers: $5,000 (free for the first 300 buyers).
• Maintenance Fee: $0.54/Sq.ft. (hydro metered separately).
• Architect: Page+Steele | IBI Group Architects
• Interior Designer: Munge Leung
• Developer: Easton's Group

FEATURES

• 24/7 concierge service
• Underground parking and storage lockers
• 8.5 ft. high ceiling units
• Laminate wood flooring throughout
• Integrated stainless steel appliances and stackable washer/dryer
• European-style bathroom sinks, laminate wood cabinetry and porcelain floor tiles

THE VERDICT

Even though Dundas Square Gardens offers lots of unit-variety in this very demanding market, when it comes to size, you'll have to lower your expectations. Studios start at 305 sq.ft. expanding to two to three bedrooms that stuff into 773 sq.ft. (or less). You better have an IKEA designer's penchant for organization and fancy shelving units. With more than three quarters of the development dedicated to studios and one bedroom units, this will be a "young" building. And, hey, kids are annoying in elevators, always pushing the buttons for each floor.

What sets this development apart is the outdoor integration with its five rooftops gardens. Mind you, calling them "gardens" is a bit of an overstatement, since there's in fact little pure green space. It's tough to argue with the location, though. Hence the mediocrity elsewhere? Hmmm.

Read other posts in this series via our Toronto Condos and Lofts Pinterest board.

Writing by Cathy Esaa