Azura Condos, 15 Holmes Ave: A 2022 IBI Tower Beside Its Own New Park

Azura is one of the newest towers in the Yonge and Finch cluster, and it is built for the buyer who wants a small, efficient suite close to the subway rather than a big floor plan. Its rippling balconies make it easy to spot, and about three quarters of the suites face south toward the downtown skyline. The question here is less about the building and more about how much competition you face when you sell. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A tower designed around its balconies

Azura’s look comes from the balcony edges. IBI Group gave the tower a flowing, undulating profile in which the slab edges ripple floor to floor, and the architects placed privacy screens between neighbouring balconies. The developer’s marketing called it cloud-inspired; what it means in practice is that the outdoor space feels less like a row of identical glass shelves.

The tower grew during approvals. UrbanToronto reported that the first application was for 29 storeys and the resubmitted plans went to 32, which is what was built. Arrival is through a forecourt with a drop-off, and the lobby picks up the curved forms of the exterior with natural finishes.

Orientation is the practical selling point. Capital said about 75% of suites face south, toward the skyline. At Yonge and Finch, where many towers stand close together, a south exposure with a long view is the thing I would pay for, and it is worth asking which way the specific suite faces before you look at anything else.

Small suites, and what that means for you

This is a building of compact suites. The launch range was about 430 to 1,170 sq ft; condos.ca shows 430 to 1,150. When I checked, every active sale listing was a one-bedroom or one-bedroom-plus-den under 700 sq ft, and most were under 500. That tells you who the building was sold to: investors and first-time buyers.

The finish package at launch included single-plank engineered flooring, quartz counters, integrated appliances, five-inch baseboards, swing interior doors rather than sliders, and suite-controlled heating and cooling. Those are solid mid-market specifications for 2022. Expect a galley or linear kitchen in the smaller plans, and check whether the den in a one-plus-den has a door and a window before you count it as a bedroom.

A sub-500 sq ft one-bedroom is a fine first home or rental, but it is a harder resale when the next tower down the street is selling the same product. If you are buying to live in for years, I would push toward the larger one-plus-dens or the two-bedrooms, which are rarer here.

The park next door and the amenity floors

The development came with a new public park of about 12,000 sq ft beside the tower. In a district where most of the open space is plazas and sidewalks, a small park on your doorstep is a genuine daily benefit, especially for dog owners and anyone with a young child.

Inside, UrbanToronto put the indoor amenity space at about 5,690 sq ft and the outdoor terrace at about 6,446 sq ft. Capital marketed a gym, a yoga studio, a golf simulator, a glass-walled children’s playroom, a library, a party room with a chef’s kitchen and an outdoor lounge. Condos.ca records only concierge, gym and party room, so confirm with management which rooms are open and how they are booked.

Capital Developments has kept building in this pocket; RENX covered its Olive Residences project topping off. A developer staying active in the same area is a mild positive, since its name rides on the neighbourhood’s reputation.

Yonge and Finch, day to day

Holmes Avenue runs east off Yonge just south of Finch, so the subway terminal and the regional bus hub sit at the top of the street. The panel on this page covers transit, schools and the Walk Score; what I would add is that this stretch of Yonge is lined with restaurants, grocers and late-night spots, so you will rarely need a car for errands.

The flip side is density and change. North York Centre is one of the fastest-growing areas in the province, and Holmes and the streets around it are lined with towers that are completed, under construction or proposed. Expect cranes, and expect your view corridor to depend on what gets built on neighbouring lots, so ask about nearby applications before you choose a low or mid floor.

Price per square foot and fees

Condos.ca put the building average at about $899 per square foot when I checked, which is a typical figure for a newer tower at Yonge and Finch. Small suites always look expensive per square foot, so compare Azura against other buildings of the same age and suite size, not against older towers with large plans.

There were eight active one-bedroom and one-bedroom-plus-den listings with fees shown, asking between about $430,000 and $599,000. Their monthly fees ranged from about $320 to $612. By my rough math on their size bands, that works out to roughly $0.70 to $0.95 per sq ft, while condos.ca’s own active-listing average is higher at $1.11, so I would verify the fee on any suite against the status certificate.

Condos.ca did not list what the fee includes. With suite-controlled heating and cooling, assume you pay your own hydro and possibly metered utilities until the status certificate tells you otherwise. Parking and locker arrangements also vary by suite, so confirm whether they are owned, leased or not included. For a closer read of actual trades, ask me for a building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Azura Condos

For a tower of mostly small suites, the amenity floors matter: the party room, library and terrace act as the living and dining space you do not have at home. The new park beside the building does the same job outdoors.

Jatin’s honest take on Azura Condos

Azura 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.