The Hemingway, 1597-1599 Bathurst St: Ernest Hemingway’s Old Building

The Hemingway is the only condo building in Toronto I know of where the selling story is on a plaque by the door. Ernest Hemingway rented an apartment here in 1923 and 1924 while he was a reporter at the Toronto Star. Today it is a 20-suite condominium of generously sized apartments, and the history is the least important reason to buy one. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Hemingway’s Toronto address

Hemingway came back to Toronto in the autumn of 1923 to work for the Toronto Star, and he and his wife Hadley were in the city for the birth of their son John that October. According to the Toronto Historical Board, they took an apartment in this building and reportedly signed a year-long lease, but left for Paris after only a few months.

A plaque at the building records the stay. It notes his friendships with the novelist Morley Callaghan and the writer and broadcaster Gordon Sinclair, and says he went back to Paris to begin his career as a novelist, the career that produced The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms.

The apartment he rented has been renovated and looks nothing like it did a century ago. Owners here live with the occasional literary visitor at the door, which is part of the charm.

One practical point: a commemorative plaque is not the same as heritage designation. Ask whether the property is listed or designated on the City of Toronto’s heritage register, because designation can affect what the corporation may change on the exterior, including windows and masonry, and how much those repairs cost. I could not confirm its status, so treat it as an open question for your lawyer.

An old apartment house, not a new condo

Condos.ca lists the building as built in 2002, but that is the year it became a condominium. The building itself was already standing when Hemingway arrived in 1923, and it was known as the Cedarvale Mansions before it took its current name.

That history shapes everything. You are buying in a walk-up of the kind built across Toronto before the Second World War: low, at a human scale and built around a stairwell rather than an elevator. If you are buying for the long term, or for anyone with mobility concerns, check the floor carefully and climb it a few times.

Conversions of older apartment buildings vary widely in how much was replaced. Some get new windows, wiring, plumbing and heating; others keep much of the original systems. Ask what was done at conversion and what has been done since, and read the engineering report rather than relying on how the lobby looks.

Large suites in a very small building

The suite range here is narrow and generous: condos.ca lists sizes from about 1,075 to 1,172 sq ft. That is the floor area of a family-sized two-bedroom, and some suites are described as two-bedroom-plus-den layouts. For a midtown condo, that space per suite is rare outside luxury buildings.

Older apartment houses also tend to have room layouts that new buildings do not: separate living and dining rooms, a kitchen that is its own room and space you can use as a study. If you want a home that feels like an apartment from an older city rather than a glass box, this is the format.

With only 20 suites, the corporation is very small. Every repair is shared among 20 owners, so the reserve fund and the willingness of owners to fund it matter more than in a large building. Small buildings also tend to have long-term owners and a board you can actually talk to.

Bathurst between St. Clair and Cedarvale

The building sits on Bathurst Street north of St. Clair West, in a stretch where Forest Hill, Humewood and Cedarvale meet. The shops and restaurants of St. Clair West are a short walk south, and the Cedarvale Ravine, one of the best green walking routes in the west-central city, is close by.

Bathurst is a busy road, so ask which side of the building a suite faces. A suite at the back will be quieter than one over the street, and if a suite relies on open windows or window units in summer, a Bathurst exposure is a noisier season than a rear one. Ask how each suite is cooled. The transit, school and walkability details are in the data panel on this page.

What The Hemingway costs

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $604 per square foot, which is well below what newer condos in Forest Hill and along St. Clair West ask. That is the classic trade-off with converted walk-ups: you get a large suite, character and a good location for less per square foot, and you give up an elevator, a concierge and modern building systems.

There were no active listings when I checked, and with only 20 suites, sales are infrequent. The best guide is the most recent sales of comparable suites in this building and in other converted walk-ups nearby, adjusted for renovation, floor and parking.

The fee covers more than most: common elements, heat, hydro, building insurance, parking and water. With hydro included, you do not pay a separate electricity bill, which is uncommon. Get the current fee and the budget from the status certificate and compare the all-in monthly cost, not the fee alone, with the alternatives.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Hemingway

Condos.ca lists an entry phone, a security system, a gym and parking, which is a thin package. The amenity here is the suite itself and the neighbourhood around it; if you want a concierge, a pool or a party room, this is the wrong building.

Jatin’s honest take on The Hemingway

The Hemingway — 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.