Infinity 1, 30 Grand Trunk Cres: South Core With Hydro in the Fee

Infinity 1 is the building in South Core whose fee looks too high until you read what it includes. Hydro, heat, water, air conditioning and parking are all in, so the monthly number is close to the whole cost of living there. The suites are mid-size, the location is a short walk from Union, and the architecture is plain. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

The first of the Infinity towers

Infinity started as a two-building project by The Conservatory Group, designed by E.I. Richmond Architects: the 35-storey tower at 30 Grand Trunk Crescent and a 16-storey building at 51 Lower Simcoe Street. Later phases, Infinity 3 across the street and the final Infinity IV, followed as the land south of the rail corridor between York and Lower Simcoe filled in.

The tower faces Grand Trunk Crescent, with the lower building on the Lower Simcoe side. The site plan left the Bremner Boulevard frontage open for retail and public uses, which is why the street level feels less closed in than some of the newer South Core blocks.

When Infinity was in planning, a Condo Critic review quoted on UrbanToronto’s forum called it dull and predictable, built from pre-cast concrete, glass and brown metal panels. That is a fair description of the exterior. Nobody buys here for the architecture; they buy for the location and the cost structure, and both have held up well since 2007.

Why hydro in the fee matters

Most downtown condos meter hydro to each suite. At Infinity 1, listing data shows hydro included in the maintenance fee along with heat, water, air conditioning and parking. That is unusual for a tower of this size and age.

For an owner, it means one predictable monthly cost and no separate electricity bill. For an investor, it means you can offer a rental with utilities included, which is easier to lease. The trade-off is that you share the cost of everyone else’s usage, and when energy rates rise, the corporation’s budget absorbs it and the fee follows.

Ask the property manager whether the board has studied sub-metering. Some older buildings with bulk hydro move to individual meters to control costs, and that changes the fee and your own bills. It is a question to ask before you buy, not after.

Suites built for people who work downtown

Suites here run from about 575 to 966 sq ft, a narrower range than most towers of this size. There are no tiny studios and no large family suites: this building is one-bedrooms, one-plus-dens and two-bedrooms.

That consistency is useful. Comparable suites sell and lease regularly, so pricing is easier to read than in a building with a few unusual plans. It also means the buyer pool is predictable: professionals who want to walk to work, and investors renting to them.

If you need more than about 950 sq ft, this is not your building. If you want a well-sized one-bedroom or a two-bedroom without paying for a newer tower, it is one of the more practical options in South Core.

Living south of the tracks

The site sits between the rail corridor and the Gardiner and Lake Shore, with the Scotiabank Arena and Union Station area a short walk east and the Rogers Centre and CN Tower to the west. When Infinity 1 was built, much of the land around it was parking lots; since then the ÏCE towers, the later Infinity phases and South Core’s office buildings have filled it in.

That growth cuts both ways. The neighbourhood now has grocery, restaurants and services it did not have in 2007, but many views that were open are now into neighbouring towers. Check exactly what a suite looks at today. Transit, walkability and nearby amenities are in the data panel on this page.

Noise is the other practical question. The Gardiner, Lake Shore and the rail corridor all run close by, and the event crowds for the arena and the stadium pass through the area on game nights. Suites facing the expressway hear it; suites facing into the block are quieter. Visit at rush hour and on an event night before you decide.

The upside of this location is time. Owners who work in the Financial District or South Core can walk to the office, and that is the single biggest reason the building leases well. If you are buying to live here, think about how much a short commute is worth to you, because that is most of what you are paying for.

Fees, price per square foot and current asking prices

The building average is around $824 per square foot. For a tower this close to Union Station, that is modest, and it reflects the building’s age, its exterior and the fee rate buyers see on listings.

Fees on current listings average about $1.22 per square foot, which is high on its face. Take hydro, heat, air conditioning and a parking space out of a typical South Core budget and compare again. Depending on how much electricity you use, the difference can be most of the gap.

Four suites are listed for sale as I write this, asking between $550,000 and $819,000, from one-plus-dens in the 600s and 700s to a two-bedroom in the 800s. The fact that similar-sized suites ask quite different prices tells me condition and view are doing a lot of work here, so compare them in person.

Building specifications

Amenities at Infinity 1

The listed amenities are practical rather than impressive: concierge, guest suites, party and meeting rooms, and a choice of fibre internet providers. For a building whose residents mostly work downtown, the concierge and the internet options probably matter more than a large gym would.

Jatin’s honest take on Infinity 1

Infinity 1 — frequently asked questions

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