Dylan Giuliano – blogTO

2013 has been another busy year in the Toronto real estate market. With the ongoing debate over the stability of the condo market raging on, one thing remains true, economically and environmentally viable and sustainable housing must be built for our city to continue to grow and function. Although the market as a whole still leaves quite a bit to be desired, these are the projects that brought something a little different to the table over the past year. And, more importantly, these are the projects that got us talking (arguing?) the most.

Here are the top 10 new condo developments from 2013.

SQ Condos
SQ despite its Spadina-Queen designation happens to be located in Alexandra Park. And more importantly it signals the first phase of a long overdue facelift and modernization of one of the city’s oldest public housing complexes. This Habitat 67-esque mid-rise will give new residents the opportunity to invest in a neighbourhood sure to become quite a bit more livable post renovations. The enclave has suffered from poor planning for a long time, but so far this looks to be a step in the right direction for a neghbourhood so perfectly located for greatness.

Aqualina Bayside Condos
It may be too early to tell how this one will turn out, but this  underused section of Queens Quay East has been overdue for an injection of life. With work going on all around this area by Waterfront Toronto, the new George Brown Campus next door, and various other commercial and residential developments in full swing this area is posed for a new start. Aqualina with its modest 363 units (of the eventual 1,900) is the first residential phase in this specific development and touts its family friendly units, a plethora of amenities, and lots of outdoor space.

Smart House Condos
If you thought your apartment was cramped, this latest Queen West condo has taken things to the next level with its ergonomic twist on micro sized living. This minimalist tower just West of University will offer units starting around 289 square feet. And with options like a bed that transforms into a desk and folds into the wall, extendable countertops, and hidden storage throughout you are promised endless hours of fun trying to control it all with the companion smart phone app. All indicators point to living small and efficient as the way of the future.

Garrison Point Condos
Garrison Point is another score in the good looking category, but it mostly makes it on this list because of the sheer scale of the project and the effect it may have on this huge parcel of mostly vacant and inaccessible land. Like most new condo projects we review, there is always the chance things won’t turn out as predicted, especially with such a large area getting an overhaul. But the developers seem to be making a bit more effort off the bat than we’ve seen go into similar “master-planned” areas like Liberty Village or CityPlace.

Ten York Condos
This might be a controversial pick, but in the long run this high density neighbourhood south of Union Station will no doubt absorb the thousands of new residents in this building. There’s a good chance a great deal of the new residents in this 65 storey tower will work downtown, and walk to work or use the country’s biggest transit hub a few blocks north of here. The concerns about overcrowded aren’t entirely unfounded but in a neighbourhood that is sure to continue to grow, there could be way worse things to replace this tired parking lot.

Yonge + Rich Condos
Yonge + Rich, a new development at Yonge and Richmond, with the at-once awkward and unimaginative name, actually looks quite promising. Its 50 stories won’t be intrusive on the landscape in that part of the downtown, since it’s already all highrise. This building looks like it has top points in the quality of life department. The terraces look amazing, as do the views from said terraces. The location is a plus here, too. If you’re looking for hectic downtown living, this development is in an ideal location. Floor plans haven’t been released yet.

River City Phase 3
This building might look like it just survived a modernist earthquake or that someone forgot to push the dresser drawers back in, but this surprisingly interesting third phase in one the most popular east side developments stands to set a new tone for design in this developing area. The transformation of the West Don Lands along with a few other East side projects have so far shown some pretty standard architecture. So this uncouth building should hopefully send this neighbourhood in a better direction than some other less than appealing areas.

Duke Condos
Soon to hit the heart of the Junction, Duke is important for a few reasons. One, in a neighbourhood relatively new to condo development the first few projects tend to set the tone for the flood that inevitably follows. Duke in this case seems to be the right project to do it (much more appealing that the towers on Heintzman). Quite a few other neighbourhoods have taken the “bullet” in this learning process. But with Duke’s emphasis on a modest size, simple design, and varied units it’s not the worst way to get things going in this creative enclave.

383 Sorauren Condos
This may not be the most exciting or flashy project going, but that is really 383 Sorauren’s strength. Located in the west end neighbourhood of Roncesvalles, this building brings some much needed housing options for those who enjoy this area’s unique character, family friendly atmosphere and fairly decent transit and don’t want to buy an entire house (or can’t find anything for sale at the Robert Watson Lofts). This sort of smaller, reasonably-sized building is something that the city needs more of in many neighbourhoods.

1 Yorkville Condos
In a city plagued by half-hearted architecture, green glass and often overly trendy design, there’s a big reason to celebrate a good design. However you may feel about another luxury condo tower shoving its way into the crowded Yorkville area, it’s hard to complain about a design that seems to go way beyond that of most of its neighbours. The 58 storey condo tower with its promise of a constantly changing exterior should prove a welcome sight to those who frequent the area, and possibly anger a few window washers in the process.

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Contact Laurin Jeffrey for more information – 416-388-1960

Laurin Jeffrey is a Toronto Realtor with Century 21 Regal Realty. He did not
write these articles, he just reproduces them here for people who are
interested in Toronto real estate. He does not work for any builders.
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