The Brock Lofts, 27 Brock Ave: A Phonograph Factory With Very Tall Ceilings

The Brock Lofts is a building I bring up when a buyer says the ceilings in most Toronto lofts are not high enough. It is a low, plain brick factory just north of Queen Street West, only two storeys tall, but some suites inside reach close to 20 feet, with mezzanines and skylights. It has 24 suites, very few listings, and a fee that covers more than most. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Refrigerators, then phonographs, then lofts

Most loft buildings come with a vague “former factory” line. This one has a documented paper trail. A history of Canadian phonograph makers records that the Canadian Symphonola Company moved into its own factory at 31 Brock Avenue in mid-1917, taking over a former Eureka Refrigerator Company plant: an L-shaped building of about 35,000 square feet with frontage on both Brock Avenue and Noble Street.

The same history notes that the company enlarged the factory in 1919 and took out a permit for an extra storey that December, and that the Hydrola Phonograph Company was reported to have taken over the plant in 1920. Press coverage of the lofts also mentions a bakery among the building’s later uses.

The conversion completed in 2003. From the street it is understated red brick and you could walk past it. The character is inside: exposed brick walls, heavy wood beams, wood ceiling panels, exposed ductwork and big factory windows.

Ceilings and multi-level suites

This is the reason to buy here, and it is also where sources disagree. One building profile gives 12 to 18 feet depending on layout, press coverage gives roughly 14 to 21 feet, and another profile says up to 21 feet. What they agree on is that the volume is unusual for a two-storey building, because many suites are built on more than one level, with mezzanines and in some cases floating staircases. Second-floor suites get skylights.

The suite mix is broader than in many small lofts. One profile breaks it down as about 10 per cent studios, close to half one-bedrooms, roughly a fifth one-bedroom-plus-den and the rest two-bedrooms, with sizes from about 360 sq ft for the smallest studios to around 1,400 sq ft for the largest two-bedrooms. Another source gives a slightly wider range of about 346 to 1,603 sq ft.

Multi-level lofts are not for everyone. A sleeping mezzanine over an open living room means sound and light travel, stairs become part of every day, and furniture has to go up open stairs. Walk through the specific layout before you fall for the ceiling height.

If you are comparing suites inside the building, ask which floor each one is on. Ground-floor suites tend to trade skylights for street-level windows, while second-floor suites get the roof light but also sit under the roof, which matters for heat in summer.

A fee that covers more than most

Condos.ca lists the fee as covering common elements, heat, hydro, air conditioning, building insurance and water. Hydro included is uncommon in Toronto condos, and in a building with ceilings this high, bundled heating and cooling is a real benefit. One building profile puts the average fee at about $0.84 per square foot against a local average of about $0.75.

That premium looks reasonable once you take the utilities out of your own budget. The caveat is that bundled utilities in a small building mean everyone shares the cost of the least efficient suite, and any increase in energy prices goes straight into the budget for 24 owners. Ask for the last two years of utility costs in the corporation’s financials.

The street and the rooftop

Brock Avenue is a quiet residential street of houses. Queen Street West is a short walk south, with Parkdale to the east and Roncesvalles and Brockton Village around you. You get a side street address with the Queen West strip close by, which is the right way round for most people.

There is almost no private outdoor space in the building, so the shared rooftop terrace does a lot of work. Owners have barbecues up there in the warmer months, and press coverage mentions a view toward the CN Tower. Underground parking is reported, and the building has bike storage.

The trade-off of a side street in a mixed old neighbourhood is that the blocks around you change slowly and unevenly. You will see well-kept houses, older rentals and small industrial leftovers on the same walk. If you want polished and uniform, this is the wrong pocket; if you want a real neighbourhood a few minutes from Queen West, it is the right one.

Pricing: high per foot for a small building

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $1,035 per square foot, and another profile shows a similar $1,039, against a neighbourhood average of about $1,008. That profile also ranks it as the highest per-foot building among the condos it tracks in the Parkdale area. Sales have tended to happen close to the list price.

There were no active listings on condos.ca when I checked, so I cannot give you a current asking range. With 24 suites and long ownership periods, buyers here wait for a suite rather than choose from several. One unusually tall suite selling can move the average noticeably.

On cost per month, remember that the fee includes hydro and heat. When comparing with a newer building at a lower fee per foot, add the utilities back to that building before you decide which is cheaper. For the building’s recorded trades, see my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Brock Lofts

The amenity list is short: a shared rooftop terrace, security and bike storage. In practice the roof is your outdoor space, because very few suites have their own.

Jatin’s honest take on The Brock Lofts

The Brock Lofts — frequently asked questions

Looking at Roncesvalles more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.