The Domain, 319 Merton St: Twin Towers, a Pool and a Quiet Merton Address

The Domain is the Merton Street building I describe to buyers who want midtown without a 40-storey tower. It is two mid-rise towers joined at the base, 15 storeys and about 240 suites, with an indoor pool, a sauna and a courtyard, on a quiet street between Yonge and Mount Pleasant. It is nearly 20 years old, which shapes both its value and what you need to check. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Two towers, one lobby

The Domain is built as twin towers rather than one slab. The manager’s building page describes the two towers as joined by an upper and a lower corridor, which lead to the shared lobby, the elevators and the parking garage. In practice that means one front desk and one set of amenities, but two separate stacks of suites.

That layout matters when you choose a suite. Ask which tower the suite is in, how far it is from the elevators you will use every day, and which way it faces. One listing I reviewed described a balcony overlooking Mount Pleasant Cemetery and the building’s own courtyard, which is about as quiet and green an outlook as you will find this close to Yonge Street.

At 15 storeys the building is mid-rise by midtown standards. You will not get skyline views from most floors, but you also avoid the crowded elevators and long waits that come with the larger towers nearer Yonge and Eglinton.

Bigger suites than the newer Merton buildings

Condos.ca lists suites from about 557 to 2,133 square feet. That top end is far larger than most of what has been built in midtown since, and it is why the building attracts people leaving a house as well as first-time buyers.

The listings I looked at describe high ceilings, open living and dining areas, granite counters with a breakfast bar, and walk-in closets in the bedrooms. Listings also mention a parking space and a locker with the suite, which you should confirm for any specific suite rather than assume, because condos.ca does not list parking in the fee inclusions.

Finishes vary widely after almost two decades. Some suites are close to original and others have been fully redone, so compare suites on condition first and size second.

For the larger suites, ask for the floor plan and walk it against how you actually live. A two-bedroom-plus-den of 1,200 square feet or more in a 2007 building usually has a real dining area and proper storage, which is exactly what downsizers miss in newer midtown suites. Budget for a kitchen or bathroom update if the suite is original, and price that into your offer.

A building with an owner community

One thing I rarely see in a listing is a social calendar, and this building has one. A listing for a suite here described summer and holiday potlucks, a monthly coffee hour, a monthly classic movie night, a weekly craft and knitting afternoon and a planned book club.

That tells you a lot about who lives here. A building where owners run events is usually a building with long-term residents who pay attention to how it is run, and that tends to show in the common areas and in board decisions. It also means a quieter building than the rental-heavy towers on Yonge.

If you want a building where you will get to know your neighbours, that is a plus. If you want anonymity, it is worth knowing in advance.

What is changing on Merton Street

Merton Street is no longer the quiet low-rise strip it was when The Domain went up. Several new condominiums have arrived along the street, and more are proposed. On UrbanToronto, a proposal at 276 to 290 Merton by Wallman Architects has been shown at 13 storeys, while an earlier City application described 16 storeys and about 100 suites, so the final height is not settled.

For an owner here, that means more neighbours, more construction for a few years and more shops and services over time. Ask the manager whether any work next door is expected to affect the building, and check the board minutes for any comments on nearby applications.

Day to day, the location works well. Yonge Street’s shops, restaurants and pubs are a short walk west, and the data panel on this page shows the transit and walkability details.

What The Domain costs

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $986 per square foot. That is high for a 2007 resale building, and it reflects the street, the size of the larger suites and the amenity package. There were no active sale listings when I checked, so I would not anchor on any single asking price.

The fee covers air conditioning, heat, common elements, building insurance and water. Having both heat and cooling in the fee is worth real money compared with newer buildings on Merton, where each suite usually has its own meter. Hydro is not on the condos.ca list, and the manager’s page names Enercare as the provider for electricity and water, so confirm exactly how each utility is billed before you compare fees.

Because suites range so widely in size, compare the fee per square foot rather than the total, and check whether parking and the locker are owned, leased or part of the unit. For the most recent results in this building, see the sold data on this page or ask me for a building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Domain

An indoor pool, hot tub and sauna in a 15-storey building is uncommon, and most of the newer buildings on Merton do not have one. The courtyard off the pool area gives you outdoor space at ground level, and the guest suites and visitor parking matter when family visits.

Jatin’s honest take on The Domain

The Domain — 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.