2221 Yonge Condos: The Pei-Designed Concrete Tower at Yonge and Eglinton

2221 Yonge is the tower I point to when buyers tell me every Yonge and Eglinton condo looks the same. It was designed by the firm run by I.M. Pei’s sons, it is clad in white precast concrete instead of glass, and the tower sits at an angle on its podium. The suites are mostly compact one- and two-bedrooms, so the design is the draw, not the square footage. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A concrete tower by a famous name

Tower Hill Development is a family company, run by Russell and Randy Masters, best known for the Tower Hill apartments at Spadina and St. Clair. For 2221 Yonge, they hired Pei Partnership Architects, the New York firm founded by the sons of I.M. Pei, the architect of the Louvre pyramid. Quadrangle was architect of record, and Toddglen was the construction manager.

The architects set out to reference Toronto’s concrete towers and the precast apartment buildings I.M. Pei designed in the 1960s, rather than add another glass box. The result is white precast concrete balconies that wrap the tower, alternating with glass on the north and south faces and slotted grilles on the east and west, which give suites a degree of privacy from the towers next door.

The tower is set slightly askew on its six-storey podium, angled so suites look past the Minto Midtown towers to the south, and the base is clad in travertine. It replaced a six-storey office building that was demolished in 2015 and 2016.

Sources disagree on the size

Published figures for the building vary. Condos.ca lists 58 storeys and 604 suites. UrbanToronto reported 58 storeys, about 193 metres and 623 suites during construction, and said it would become the area’s second-tallest building after E Condos, while a construction trade report gave 605 suites. Dezeen, writing about the finished building, described 56 storeys and about 180 metres.

These differences usually come from counting mechanical floors and from suite combinations during sales. They do not change how you live here, but if you need an exact figure, the condominium declaration is the authority.

The project also includes retail at grade and office space in the podium, about 1,994 square metres and 3,314 square metres respectively according to UrbanToronto. Vehicle access is from Cowbell Lane at the back, with a porte-cochère and bicycle storage there rather than on Yonge.

The amenity level is the selling point

The main amenity floor sits on the podium roof at the seventh floor, where the twist of the tower creates outdoor terraces. Construction-era descriptions list a fitness studio, a spa, a bar and lounge, a private dining room with a show kitchen, a craft room and two media and gaming lounges, with outdoor cabanas, barbecues and dining areas.

When it was launched, the spa was marketed with three plunge pools at different temperatures, plus a sauna and steam rooms. I would confirm what is operating today, and the booking rules, on a tour before you buy.

Condos.ca lists a rooftop deck, concierge, party room, visitor parking, barbecues, bike storage and a business centre. Amenities of this scale are why fees here are not the lowest at Yonge and Eglinton; you are paying for a club floor, not just a lobby.

Compact suites in a busy hub

Suites run from studios and one-bedrooms to three-bedrooms, but the listings I saw were mostly one-bedrooms under 700 square feet and two-bedrooms of 700 to 800 square feet. Expect efficient plans with floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony, and check the kitchen and storage closely, since those are where compact suites lose function.

The facade affects the suites too. On the east and west sides, the slotted concrete grilles in front of the balconies trade some open view for privacy, while the north and south faces mix concrete and glass. Stand on the balcony of the suite you are considering and decide whether the screening feels sheltering or closed in, because that is personal, and it is the one design feature you live with every day.

Outside, you are in the middle of the Yonge and Eglinton hub, with shops, restaurants, cinemas and services all around. It is busy and dense, which is what most buyers here want. The transit and walkability details are in the data panel on this page.

Retail at grade and offices in the podium mean the base of the building is active during the day. Car access is from Cowbell Lane at the back rather than from Yonge, which keeps drop-offs and moving trucks off the main street.

What 2221 Yonge costs

There were eight suites listed for sale and eight for rent when I checked. One-bedroom suites were asking between about $439,000 and $488,000, and two-bedrooms of 700 to 800 square feet between about $580,000 and $649,000.

That much choice gives a buyer leverage. When several similar suites compete in one building, the differences come down to floor, view, parking and layout, and you can negotiate on those.

Fees on current listings ran from about $400 to $750 a month, or roughly $0.92 per square foot on average. The fee includes heat and air conditioning, which is helpful, but hydro is not listed, so budget for it. Parking, where a suite has it, is not listed in the fee either, so confirm how it is charged.

For a building this new, I would compare it with other Yonge and Eglinton towers of the same age on price per square foot and fee per square foot together. My building sold report shows the aggregate sold figures from the MLS system.

Building specifications

Amenities at 2221 Yonge Condos

The seventh-floor amenity level, with its terraces, spa and lounges, works like a private club for residents of compact suites. If you will use it, it is part of your living space; if you will not, you are still paying for it.

Jatin’s honest take on 2221 Yonge Condos

2221 Yonge Condos — frequently asked questions

Looking at Yonge & Eglinton, Davisville and North Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.