St. Lawrence on the Park, 65 Scadding Ave: Space at a St. Lawrence Price

St. Lawrence on the Park is one of the condominium pieces of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood, the planned community the city built on old industrial land east of the market in the 1970s and 1980s. It is a 1988 building with big suites, an unglamorous exterior and some of the lowest prices per square foot in the area. That combination is either a great opportunity or a trap, depending on the suite. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Part of a planned neighbourhood

The St. Lawrence neighbourhood was the city’s answer, in the early 1970s, to what should happen to about 18 hectares of derelict industrial land east of the old Town of York. Under Mayor David Crombie and the reform council, it was planned as a mixed-income community on the old street grid, with co-ops, non-profit housing, rentals and condominiums side by side.

The design deliberately avoided towers in a field. Buildings were kept to mid-rise heights, around eight to ten storeys, with brick townhouses, and the whole area was organised around a long linear park now named for Crombie. Urban planners still study it as a model.

St. Lawrence on the Park belongs to the later condominium phase. Its developer, Yorktown, also built Yorktown on the Park at 222 The Esplanade. Buying here means buying into a settled, mixed community, not a condo district, and most owners choose it precisely for that.

Large suites, older layouts

The listed size range runs from about 421 square feet to nearly 4,000 square feet. The top end almost certainly reflects penthouse or combined suites, so verify the size of any specific suite with the floor plan and the listing rather than the building range.

Most of what trades is one-bedrooms, one-plus-dens and two-plus-dens, in the 500 to 900 square foot range. Those are generous 1980s plans: separate kitchens, real dining areas and solid walls. Many suites will need updating, and the price you pay should reflect that.

At ten storeys, this is a building of moderate views. Upper floors facing the parks to the north get trees and the low skyline of the neighbourhood; lower floors face the street. Penthouse suites with terraces are the rare exception and price accordingly.

Because so many suites here are the original 1980s versions, condition varies more than size does. Two suites of the same plan can differ by tens of thousands of dollars in work needed: kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, windows inside the suite and electrical panels. I always price the renovation into the offer, and I recommend a home inspection even for a condo suite of this age.

What the fee covers, and what it does not

The fee includes common elements, water, building insurance and parking. Heat and hydro are not listed as included, which is unusual for a building of this age, so ask how each suite is heated and what the owner actually pays for utilities each month.

On a per-square-foot basis, active listings averaged about $1.26, with monthly fees ranging from roughly $700 to more than $1,200 for the larger two- and three-bedroom suites. That is high for a building without heat included, and it is the number that offsets the low purchase price.

High fees in an older building usually reflect real costs: an ageing garage, mechanical systems and envelope work. Read the reserve fund study, the latest updates and recent board minutes to see whether the fee is building a healthy reserve or catching up on deferred work.

Living near the market and the Distillery

The location is the building’s strongest asset. St. Lawrence Market is a short walk west, the Distillery District is a short walk east, and the shops and restaurants along Front Street and The Esplanade cover daily needs. The financial district is within walking distance for most people.

David Crombie Park, the green spine of the neighbourhood along The Esplanade, has been the subject of a City of Toronto revitalisation plan finalised in 2021, which calls for more greenery, a new central plaza and refreshed paths and play areas. Construction phasing can disrupt parts of the park for a time, but the end result should improve the area.

The neighbourhood is quiet for downtown, with families, retirees and long-term residents. If you want nightlife and new towers, King West or the waterfront will suit you better. If you want a downtown address where neighbours know each other and the parks are used every day, this is one of the few places that delivers it.

One of the lowest prices per square foot near the market

condos.ca puts the building average at about $631 per square foot. That is below Yorktown on the Park at about $682 and The Esplanade at 25 The Esplanade at about $740, and well below newer towers in the area.

At the time of writing, seven suites were listed for sale, asking from about $499,900 to about $570,000. Remarkably, that band covered one-bedrooms through two- and three-bedroom-plus-den suites, which tells you the larger suites are priced well below their size and, in some cases, below their renovation needs.

That is where the opportunity and the risk sit together. A well-kept larger suite here can be a genuine bargain against new construction, but the fee and any work the building needs come with it. For aggregate sold figures, see my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at St. Lawrence on the Park

The amenity list is practical: concierge and security, a sauna, visitor parking and a garage. It is not an amenity building, which suits owners who would rather have space inside the suite and parks across the street than a pool to pay for.

Jatin’s honest take on St. Lawrence on the Park

St. Lawrence on the Park — frequently asked questions

Looking at St. Lawrence, the Financial District and Downtown Yonge more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.