King George Square, 168 King St E: Heat and Parking in the Fee

King George Square is the building I point to when a buyer wants St. Lawrence Market as their grocery store but does not want a 50-storey tower. It is a 15-storey brick-and-stone building from 2000 at King and George, with 156 suites, a rooftop terrace and a fee that already covers heat, cooling and parking. It is not new, and its price per square foot shows it. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A whole block face on George Street

King George Square takes up most of the west side of George Street between King and Richmond, with George Brown College’s St. James campus across the street. That gives the building a self-contained feel: it is not wedged between towers, and it reads from the street as a solid mid-rise rather than a glass needle.

Listings describe the exterior differently, some as brick and some as concrete and stone, which probably reflects a masonry facade over a concrete frame. Either way, it was built in the style of its older neighbours along King East rather than as a contrast to them, and it has aged better than many glass buildings from the same years.

At 15 storeys, the upper suites clear most of the low-rise blocks around them. South-facing suites look toward the market and the waterfront, and corner suites on the west side look across to the Cathedral Church of St. James and St. James Park.

Suites that are bigger than the downtown norm

The smallest suites here start at about 638 square feet, and the range runs up to about 1,392. There are no 400-square-foot studios, which tells you who the building was designed for in 2000: owner-occupiers rather than investors chasing the smallest possible unit.

Listings describe two-bedroom-plus-den plans of roughly 1,000 to 1,200 square feet, some with large terraces and principal bedrooms in their own wing with a walk-in closet and ensuite. Upper floors include sub-penthouse suites. One listing mentioned a fireplace, and the listings I reviewed had hardwood or engineered wood floors, though finishes now depend on how each owner has renovated.

Because the building is 26 years old, two suites with identical floor plans can feel completely different inside. One may still have original kitchens; the next may have custom cabinetry and stone counters. Price them as two different products.

Heat, cooling and parking in the fee

The fee inclusions are the strongest argument for this building. Maintenance covers common elements, heat, air conditioning, building insurance, parking and water. In most newer towers, heating and cooling are on your own meter and parking is a separate charge, so a headline fee comparison with a new building will make King George Square look more expensive than it really is.

Hydro for lights and appliances is not on the inclusion list, so budget for that. The listings I reviewed included underground parking, and one included a locker, but do not assume every suite has both. Confirm them in the status certificate before you firm up.

One listing described the building as owner-focused with healthy reserve funds. That is a seller’s description rather than an audit, and you should check it yourself in the reserve fund study and the latest financial statements.

There is a second question hidden in bundled heating and cooling: who owns the equipment. Listings here mention forced-air and heat-pump systems in the suites, and in some buildings the in-suite unit is the owner’s to repair while the central plant belongs to the corporation. Ask the manager where that line sits, because it decides whether a failed unit is your bill or a shared one.

King and George day to day

This is one of the most practical corners downtown for daily errands. St. Lawrence Market is a few minutes’ walk south-west, the King East design strip is at your door, and the Distillery District and Corktown are a short walk east. The Financial District is walkable for most commuters. The automatic panel on this page covers transit, schools and walkability.

St. James Park, with its formal gardens, sits just west, and the cathedral grounds give the area a calm the blocks further east do not always have. Queen Street East and Moss Park are a couple of blocks north.

Being next to a college campus brings foot traffic during the school year, and King Street East carries streetcars and steady traffic. If you are sensitive to noise, ask for a suite on the George Street side or higher up, and visit on a weekday morning.

What King George Square costs, and what the fee covers

condos.ca puts the building average at about $681 per square foot. That is well below the newer towers around St. Lawrence and King East, and it is the main reason to look here: you get a larger suite with a more inclusive fee for less per foot, in exchange for a building that is 26 years old.

Once you add heat, air conditioning and parking back onto the fee of a newer building, the per-square-foot gap in carrying costs narrows considerably. Do that arithmetic suite by suite rather than comparing the headline fee.

At the time of writing there was one suite listed for sale and one for rent, a one-bedroom-plus-den in the 600-square-foot range, which is typical of how thin the supply is. Turnover in a 156-suite owner-occupied building is slow. For aggregate recent sales, see my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at King George Square

The rooftop terrace is the amenity people use most, especially on summer evenings with the hot tub and barbecues. The rest of the package, with a concierge, gym, sauna, billiards room and library, is what you would expect in a well-run building of this age: practical rather than flashy, and sized for 156 suites rather than 600.

Jatin’s honest take on King George Square

King George Square — 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.