The Creed Building, 295 Davenport Rd: 19 Lofts in a 1937 Fur Vault

The Creed Building is one of the few true character lofts between the Annex and Yorkville, and you can spot it from a block away by its curved corner of yellow brick and glass. It was built in the 1930s to store furs, and it now holds just 19 large suites with underground parking at Davenport and Bedford. It is a building for people who want history and space, and who accept the upkeep that comes with both. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

From Creed’s storage vaults to lofts

The building’s alternate name in the ACO database is Creed’s Storage Vaults, and blogTO and Toronto Life both describe it as a former fur storage building. According to blogTO, furs were stored here until the late 1980s. The curved corner facade of yellow brick and glass, which condos.ca and blogTO both single out, is the part of that 1930s design everyone remembers.

The date of the residential conversion is where sources disagree. The condominium corporation was registered in February 1999, and condos.ca gives 1999 as the build year. The ACO database records a renovation in 1985 and 1986, and says the conversion to residential use came after 2000, with a third floor added. Condos.ca lists the building as two storeys. My reading is that the corporation dates from 1999 and the building has three levels including a later addition, but confirm the details in the status certificate.

The ACO also lists the building’s heritage status as listed. If you are planning exterior changes, window replacements or a new terrace, check with the City of Toronto whether heritage review applies before you budget for it.

Large suites, skylights and private entrances

Suites run roughly 1,006 to 2,320 sq ft by condos.ca’s range; blogTO put the largest at about 2,100 sq ft, so the very top of that range is unconfirmed. With 19 suites in a low-rise footprint, almost every layout is different. blogTO described soaring ceilings, skylights, hardwood floors, fireplaces and a south-facing terrace in the suites it looked at.

Some suites have their own street entrance, separate from the shared lobby; Toronto Life’s profile of one unit noted exactly that. A front door onto the street makes a loft feel more like a townhouse, and it is worth paying attention to when you compare suites here. It also matters for daily life: deliveries, guests and bikes come straight in without passing through a lobby or elevator, which in a building this small is half the appeal.

Storage-building heritage cuts both ways inside. You can get wonderful volume, but in a converted storage building the windows sit where the original structure allowed, not always where a modern architect would put them. Ground and lower suites in particular should be seen in daylight.

Parking and a very short amenity list

Underground parking and lockers are part of the building, according to blogTO, and condos.ca lists a parking garage, visitor parking and a security system. At the edge of Yorkville, where street parking is scarce, a deeded space is a real asset. Check which parking and locker units belong to the suite you are buying.

Beyond that, there is very little: barbecues are permitted and condos.ca flags pet restrictions, so read the declaration if you have a dog. There is no gym, pool or concierge. That keeps the fee focused on the building itself rather than shared facilities.

A small corporation also means a small board. In a 19-suite building, a handful of owners make the decisions on repairs, contractors and rules, and every owner’s share of a big project is large. That can work very well when the owners are engaged and the reserve fund is healthy. Read the last few years of board minutes to see how decisions get made and whether major work has been planned or put off.

Davenport and Bedford, between two neighbourhoods

The corner of Davenport and Bedford sits where the Annex meets Yorkville. Walk east and you are in the Yorkville galleries, restaurants and Bloor Street shops; walk west or north and you are among Annex houses and the Dupont strip. The data panel on this page shows transit and Walk Score.

Davenport is a busy road, and the building fronts it directly. Suites facing Davenport will hear traffic; suites facing Bedford or the back are quieter. Small boutique buildings surround it, including 113 Dupont Lofts and the Residences of Designers Walk; check the City of Toronto development applications map for anything proposed close to the building.

What the Creed Building costs

Condos.ca shows a building average of about $843 per square foot. That is modest for an address this close to Yorkville, and below the roughly $1,162 average condos.ca shows for 113 Dupont Lofts a short walk away. The discount reflects the building’s age, the unusual layouts and the lack of amenities, and for the right buyer it is the opportunity.

Only one suite was listed for sale when I wrote this, and none for lease, so I cannot quote an active asking range. With 19 suites, a year can pass with one sale or none, which means the building average rests on very few trades. Fees cover common elements, building insurance and water per condos.ca; heat and hydro are likely separate, so ask for the suite’s utility costs as well as the fee.

To value a suite here properly, I compare it against recent sales in this building, other Annex and Yorkville character lofts, and nearby houses, adjusting for outdoor space, a private entrance and parking. You can request that through my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Creed Building

There is no amenity package here in the modern sense; you are paying for the building, the parking and the address. If you want a gym or a front desk, this is the wrong building.

Jatin’s honest take on The Creed Building

The Creed Building — frequently asked questions

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