April 2020 was a pretty dark time in Toronto, but somehow, in the midst of everything shutting down, people losing jobs, and fears spiralling out of control at the onset of a devastating pandemic, some ultra-rich buyer was shelling out a whopping $16 million on a luxury condo unit in one of the city's hottest developments.

Developers Westbank Corp and Allied Properties REIT (behind the mountain range-shaped KING Toronto condo complex now taking shape on King Street West), are claiming that this is the highest price for a condo sold in Toronto during 2020 and 2021, one in a collection of penthouse suites atop what is set to be a new architectural showpiece for the area.

Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, the mountainous mass of a building will be topped by a collection of exclusive penthouses, a few of which are still up for grabs for those willing to shell out some very big bucks.

The condo complex's mountainous shape, glass block exterior, preserved heritage buildings, and ample greenery will set it apart from the rest. 

The $16 million suite was sold to a family looking for a special home in the city, learning of the KING Toronto project through the online preconstruction brokerage platform, Hauskey. The undisclosed buyer worked with RAD Marketing, the firm managing sales and marketing for the project, to conceive a custom offering from the developer and architect.

The resulting castle in the sky will span two storeys and measure an impressive 5,865 square feet, a size that rivals even large, suburban single-family homes.

And that doesn't even factor in the 1,217 square feet of outdoor space, spread across six terraces. Yes, this single unit has six separate terraces, which kind of seems like overkill but I ain’t here to judge.

One of the handful of terraces that will be built into this massive penthouse unit.

The buyer's fully-customized mega-condo will also include features like a double-height living room, large dining area and wine room, custom built-ins, indoor pool, exterior hot tub and entertainment lounge, and a kitchen with modern brass finishes.

Rendering of a kitchen in a different penthouse suite offers a hint at what awaits the buyer of the $16 million unit.

"When you buy real estate that is designed at the calibre of KING Toronto, it is like owning a piece of art. Let alone having a custom home designed by BIG, it's pretty much unheard of," says Riz Dhanji, President of RAD Marketing.

"This buyer not only wanted a piece of real estate that could be a feather in their cap, but also wanted to be part of King West's evolution as the city's cultural centre for art, design and entertainment," added Dhanji.