Vu South Tower, 112 George St: Aspen Ridge’s Courtyard Pair Near the Market

Vu is one development with two addresses: a 24-storey south tower at 112 George Street and a 15-storey north tower at 116 George, wrapped around a landscaped courtyard. The south tower is the taller half and the one most of my buyers ask about. It sits a few blocks east of the St. Lawrence Market on a street that is still changing, and that combination shapes both the price and the opportunity. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Two towers around a courtyard

Aspen Ridge built Vu as a pair: the 24-storey south tower here at 112 George and a 15-storey north tower at 116 George, each with its own condominium corporation. The towers frame a landscaped central courtyard, and the amenity program is spread across the development rather than packed into one floor.

UrbanToronto recorded the old Goodwill site at Adelaide and George being cleared in April 2007 to make way for the project. A building profile dates the north tower to March 2010, and the south tower’s corporation was registered that June.

Because the two towers are separate corporations, check which one your suite belongs to before you read any documents. Fees, reserve funds, rules and board decisions can differ, and a status certificate from the wrong corporation tells you nothing about your suite.

Layouts from studios to townhouse suites

The south tower’s suites run from about 516 square feet up to about 2,582. That covers studios, one-bedrooms and one-plus-dens in the 500 to 700 square foot range, two-bedrooms in the 800s and 900s, and larger two-plus-den and penthouse plans. There are also townhouse-style suites at the base of the building.

One building profile reports 9-foot ceilings as standard and 10-foot ceilings in the penthouses. Confirm the height in the suite you are viewing, because bulkheads over kitchens and hallways often bring the usable ceiling down in places.

The townhouse-style suites at the base deserve their own look. They can feel more like a house than a condo, with ground-level access, but they also sit closest to street noise, garbage pickup and courtyard activity. Visit at different times of day before you commit to one.

Views are where suites differ most. The upper floors on the south and west sides look toward the core and the lake; courtyard-facing suites trade the skyline for a quieter, greener outlook. I would not pay a view premium until I had seen what is planned on neighbouring lots.

The fee is lower than it looks for this area

Fees on active listings average about $0.84 per square foot, which is noticeably below many neighbours in this part of downtown. They include common elements, heat, water, air conditioning and building insurance. Parking and hydro are not listed as included, so budget for both if you need a space.

That lower fee is one reason Vu works for investors and first-time buyers. The trade-off is a large community: with two towers and several hundred suites between them, elevators, amenities and the courtyard are shared by a lot of people.

If you are comparing this fee with a smaller boutique building, remember that a large corporation spreads fixed costs like concierge staffing and insurance across more suites. That usually keeps fees steadier, but it also means decisions take longer and depend on an engaged board.

Life on George Street

George Street runs north from Front Street through the eastern edge of the old Town of York, and Vu sits at the point where the St. Lawrence neighbourhood meets Moss Park. Walk south and west and you reach the market, St. James Park and the restaurants of King Street East. Walk north and the streetscape becomes more mixed, with older housing and community services.

That edge is part of the price. Some buyers love being a few minutes from the market at a lower cost per square foot than the Front Street towers; others prefer to pay more to be on the market’s doorstep. Walk the blocks at night and on a weekday morning before you decide. The automatic panel on this page covers transit, schools and walkability.

The surrounding blocks keep filling in with new towers, which will add residents and retail over time, along with construction disruption. Check what is approved or under way on neighbouring sites, especially if you are buying a suite for its view.

Pricing against the Front Street towers

Vu South averages about $878 per square foot on condos.ca. That is almost identical to L Tower at about $876, below London on the Esplanade at about $923, and well above the 1980s buildings on the same street, such as New Town of York at 135 George, at about $625.

So you are paying newer-building money, not a discount, for the location. What you save is on carrying costs: at about $0.84 per square foot, the fee is lower than L Tower’s roughly $0.99 or London on the Esplanade’s roughly $1.04, although those buildings include more in their fees, so compare total costs.

At the time of writing, seven suites were listed for sale. Across the listings I reviewed, asking prices ran from about $400,000 to about $990,000, with fees from about $400 to just over $1,000 a month. For aggregate sold figures, see my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Vu South Tower

The south tower lists a gym, party and meeting rooms, guest suites, a concierge and Beanfield fibre. A building profile for the development describes two fitness centres, a yoga studio, saunas and an outdoor lounge with barbecues and cabanas around the courtyard; confirm which spaces each tower’s owners can use.

Jatin’s honest take on Vu South Tower

Vu South Tower — 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.