Britain’s Gate Residences, 150 George St: 12 Townhomes With Garages

Britain’s Gate Residences is what I show buyers who want a house-sized home downtown without buying a semi in need of work. It is 12 multi-level townhomes from 2001, tucked off George Street between Queen and Richmond, each with its own garage and roughly 1,900 to 2,100 square feet of space. The trade-off is that a dozen owners run the whole thing themselves, and you need to be comfortable with that. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Twelve townhomes, not a tower

The first thing to understand is the format. These are not apartments stacked around a corridor. Each of the 12 homes has its own front door at street level and a private garage, and they are laid out over several floors like a row of houses that happens to be registered as a condominium.

A recent listing described the complex as a private enclave of 12 townhomes set back on a quiet lane, which matches what you see on the ground: the homes sit off George Street rather than right on the sidewalk. That buffer matters on a downtown block, because it gives you a front step that feels like yours rather than a public one.

At roughly 1,880 to 2,077 square feet, these homes are about double the size of a typical downtown two-bedroom condo. For a family, or for anyone working from home who needs a real office, that is the whole point of the building.

How the homes are laid out

Listings here describe the same basic stack: an open living, dining and kitchen floor, a family room that walks out to a small yard, laundry on the second level, and a principal bedroom that takes up a floor of its own with an ensuite. Most are three-bedroom homes. At least one listing mentioned a gas fireplace in the family room and forced-air heating.

Outdoor space varies from home to home, and this is the detail I would look at most closely. One listing noted that only four of the 12 homes have a private courtyard, on top of balconies and a yard with a gas line for a barbecue. If outdoor space is high on your list, ask which homes have the courtyard and wait for one of those.

Stairs are the obvious catch. Multi-level townhomes mean climbing between floors every day, and that does not suit everyone. If you are buying for the long term or for a parent, walk the stairs from the garage to the top floor before you decide.

A self-managed corporation of 12 owners

condos.ca lists the building as self-managed. In practice that means the owners, through a volunteer board, hire the contractors, collect the fees, arrange insurance and plan for the roof, windows and garage doors without a management company in the middle.

Small, self-managed corporations can run very well, with low overhead and owners who care about the place. They can also struggle when one or two people do all the work and then move on. Neither outcome is visible from the street, which is why the paperwork matters more here than in a 300-suite tower.

With only 12 units, every large repair is split 12 ways. A project that would barely move the fee in a big building can mean a meaningful bill per owner here, so the reserve fund study and the last few years of budgets are the most important documents in your deal.

George Street between Queen and Richmond

This is a mixed block. George Street here has older worker housing, small commercial buildings and newer condos side by side, and Britain Street branches off nearby along the line of an old creek bank. Moss Park sits one block north of Queen, and King George Square and George Brown College’s St. James campus are just south toward King.

Walk south and you are at St. Lawrence Market and the King East furniture and design strip in under ten minutes. Walk west along Queen or Richmond and you reach the Financial District. The automatic panel on this page covers transit, schools and walkability.

The area is changing. The City’s George Street Revitalization project, announced in 2020, plans to rebuild a large site further north on George with long-term care, a new shelter and a community hub, and there is steady condo development throughout the Queen East and Moss Park blocks. Visit at different times of day before you commit, and ask the board what nearby construction is expected.

What Britain’s Gate costs, and what the fee covers

condos.ca puts the building average at about $664 per square foot. That is low for downtown, and it reflects two things: these are 2001 homes rather than new construction, and large freehold-style units always trade at a lower rate per foot than small tower suites. On a total-price basis you are still paying for close to 2,000 square feet.

Maintenance fees include common elements, building insurance and parking. Heat, hydro and water are not on that list, so budget for utilities the way you would in a house. Because each home has its own garage, you are not paying separately for a parking space in someone else’s garage.

There were no active listings at the time of writing, which is normal for a 12-home complex: a year can go by without a sale. If you want in, register for alerts and be ready to move when one appears. For aggregate recent sales, see my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Britain’s Gate Residences

There is no gym, concierge or party room, and that is by design: with 12 homes there is no lobby to staff. What you get instead is a front door, a garage and your own outdoor space, which is the amenity package of a house rather than a condo tower.

Jatin’s honest take on Britain’s Gate Residences

Britain’s Gate Residences — frequently asked questions

Looking at Church–Wellesley, Corktown, Moss Park and Cabbagetown more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.