Bloor West Mews, 262 St Helens Ave: Condo Townhouses Just Off Bloor

Bloor West Mews is what I show buyers who want a house but can only afford a condo. It is 28 two-storey townhouse suites tucked onto St Helens Avenue just south of Bloor, with a private terrace, a parking space in the fee and no elevator to wait for. It is also small, old enough to need attention, and rarely for sale. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A townhouse enclave, not a building

There is no lobby here. Bloor West Mews is a small group of condo townhouses built in 1998 by Canadian Equity and Development, with 28 suites in total. Condos.ca lists it at two floors, and listings describe the suites as two-storey townhouses with their own entrances.

That format is the whole appeal. You get stairs instead of elevators, a front door instead of a corridor, and a layout that separates living space from bedrooms the way a house does. A recent listing described a two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite with an open kitchen, living and dining level, a main-floor powder room and both bedrooms upstairs.

The trade-off is that a townhouse condo has more exterior to maintain per suite than a tower does: roofs, siding, windows, doors and walkways are all shared costs. In a 28-suite corporation, those costs are split among very few owners.

Outdoor space and parking

Most buyers come here for the outdoor space. Listings describe garden and barbecue terraces, and condos.ca lists barbecues as permitted, which is far from a given in Toronto condos. One listing also mentioned bike storage in a front patio area.

Parking is included in the fee, according to condos.ca, and listings describe one space with the suite. There is visitor parking as well. In a neighbourhood of narrow streets and permit parking, an included space is worth real money, so confirm it is exclusive-use and attached to the suite you are buying.

Condos.ca lists the building as pet-friendly. Several listings mention pet-friendly touches inside the suites, but I would still read the declaration and rules for any limits before you move in with a large dog.

Living on St Helens, just south of Bloor

St Helens Avenue is a quiet residential street of older houses, which is a big part of the charm. Bloor Street West is a few steps north, with its mix of cafés, restaurants and everyday shops. This stretch of Bloor between Lansdowne and Dufferin is less polished than the Annex, and for many buyers that is part of the appeal.

West of Lansdowne is the Junction Triangle, a former industrial area that has been converting factories into lofts and is home to the West Toronto Railpath, a multi-use trail. Bloorline Lofts, a few doors along St Helens, is the nearest comparable small building. The automatic panel on this page covers transit, schools and parks.

Condo townhouse or freehold: how to think about it

Most of the buyers who look at Bloor West Mews are also looking at semi-detached and row houses on the surrounding streets. The comparison is worth doing carefully, because the two are not the same product.

With a freehold you own the roof, the walls and the land, and every repair is your decision and your bill. With a condo townhouse you pay a monthly fee, and the corporation decides when the roof or windows are replaced and how the cost is funded. That is less control, but it also means the big exterior jobs are planned and saved for, provided the reserve fund is doing its job.

Here the fee also buys you a parking space, which most freeholds on these streets do not have. Against that, condos.ca shows suites of 930 to 1,050 square feet, which is smaller than most houses nearby, and there is no basement to finish or lot to extend. If you need room to grow, a freehold wins. If you want house-style living without the maintenance list, this format is hard to beat at this price point.

Compared with Bloorline Lofts down the street, a 2004 Plaza loft conversion with heat and air conditioning in its fee, Bloor West Mews gives you a front door and outdoor space instead of loft ceilings and industrial character. They suit different buyers, and it is worth seeing both.

Pricing: a rare listing, so prepare in advance

There were no suites listed for sale here when I wrote this, and with only 28 suites that is the normal state of affairs. When one comes up, it usually needs a quick decision, so it pays to understand the building before you see a listing.

Because every suite falls in a narrow 930 to 1,050 square foot band, pricing differences come down to condition, light, terrace size and position in the complex rather than size. I would compare these suites against freehold houses in the area and other condo townhouses, not against one-bedroom condos in towers, because the buyer pool is different.

Condos.ca lists common elements, building insurance, parking and water in the fee. Heat, hydro and air conditioning appear to be your own, which is typical for townhouses, so ask for a year of utility bills. The sold-data panel on this page shows recent trading, and for a full comparative analysis you can book a call.

Building specifications

Amenities at Bloor West Mews

The amenities are the suite itself: a private terrace where barbecues are allowed, a parking space and your own entrance. There is no gym or party room, which keeps the fee focused on the buildings and grounds.

Jatin’s honest take on Bloor West Mews

Bloor West Mews — frequently asked questions

Looking at Queen West, Trinity-Bellwoods, Kensington and Little Italy more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.