Nero Condos, 205 Manning Ave: Black Brick Mid-Rise With Lofthouses

Nero is the building I point to when a buyer says they want Dundas West but not a glass tower. It is a seven-storey block of dark brick at the corner of Manning Avenue, with retail on Dundas, condo suites above and a row of two-storey lofthouses running up Manning. Its fee is lean because it covers very little, and that is the first thing I make buyers understand. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A dark brick building with three ways to live in it

Nero is clad in near-black brick with recessed windows and balconies, which gives it a heavier, more solid look than most new mid-rises on Dundas. RAW Design did the architecture and Union31 did the interiors. The same architect later did 109OZ on Ossington, and you can see the family resemblance in the dark masonry.

The project mixes three formats. There is ground-floor retail on Dundas, conventional condo suites on floors two to seven, and lofthouses with their own front doors on Manning. The developer described three two-storey lofthouses at the base of the building and a further row of ten lofthouses stretching north along Manning, which is why condos.ca lists a second address at 209 Manning.

That variety is unusual for a building of this size. A buyer can choose between a standard elevator suite, a top-floor unit with taller ceilings, or a ground-oriented home with a street entrance, all inside one corporation.

Ceilings, layouts and the suite count question

According to the developer’s description, floors two to six have nine-foot ceilings and the seventh floor has ten-foot ceilings. If ceiling height matters to you, the top floor is where to look, and it is also where you are least likely to have a neighbour overhead.

Condos.ca puts the range at about 405 to 2,624 square feet. The small end is a studio-sized suite; the large end is a lofthouse. UrbanToronto’s database describes layouts from studios up to three-bedroom-plus-den townhomes.

The suite count depends on which source you read. Condos.ca lists 75 units, UrbanToronto’s database lists 87, and the original 2011 announcement spoke of 103 homes including townhomes. The plan changed during approvals and sales, and the sources may count the lofthouses differently. Ask for the registered declaration if the exact number matters to you, for example when you are judging how many owners share the reserve fund.

The 2011 plan also called for 62 parking spaces on two underground levels. That is fewer spaces than suites, so do not assume a suite comes with parking. Confirm whether the suite you are looking at has an owned space and a locker.

What the lean fee leaves out

Condos.ca lists Nero’s fee as covering common elements and building insurance only. Heat, water and hydro appear to be separately metered, so your monthly cost of ownership is the fee plus your own utility bills.

That is common in newer mid-rises and not a problem in itself, but it changes how you compare buildings. A fee here will look low next to a building where heat and water are included. Add a realistic estimate of utilities before deciding which is cheaper.

A seven-storey building with a gym, party room and meeting room spreads those costs across relatively few owners. Read the budget in the status certificate to see how the fee is built and how it has moved since registration in 2017.

If you are buying a lofthouse, ask how its share of common expenses is set. Larger units normally carry a larger share, so a lofthouse fee will be higher in dollars than a one-bedroom’s, even if it looks similar per square foot.

Dundas West at Manning, day to day

This is the stretch of Dundas just west of Bathurst. Trinity Bellwoods Park is a short walk south, Ossington’s restaurant strip is to the west, and Kensington Market is to the east. The data panel on this page has the transit, school and park details.

The trade-off is noise. Dundas is a busy streetcar street, and suites facing it hear it. The lofthouses on Manning face a quieter residential street, which is part of their appeal.

Retail at grade is a plus for convenience, but it also means deliveries and late-closing tenants. Ask what the commercial unit is currently used for and whether the corporation’s rules say anything about commercial uses.

This stretch of Dundas has changed a lot since Nero was announced in 2011, and more mid-rise projects have followed along the avenues west of downtown. That brings more shops and neighbours, and it can also bring construction next door. Check what is proposed on nearby lots before you buy.

What Nero costs per square foot

Condos.ca puts Nero’s building average at about $855 per square foot. Within this pocket of Queen West, Trinity-Bellwoods, Kensington and Little Italy, that sits below 109OZ on Ossington at about $972 and IT Lofts on College at about $988, and close to The Carnaby at Queen and Gladstone at about $921.

Averages here are pulled around by suite mix. A lofthouse of 2,000-plus square feet usually trades at a lower price per square foot than a compact condo suite, so a building average blends two different products. Compare a lofthouse with other ground-oriented homes, and a condo suite with other condo suites.

There were no active listings at the time of writing, which is normal for a 75-suite building. For recent resale figures, see the data panel on this page, or ask me for a building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Nero Condos and Lofthouses

The amenity package is modest and practical: a gym, a party room and a meeting room. There is no pool or concierge, which helps keep the fee down, and in this neighbourhood the park and the streets do most of the work that amenities do in a tower.

Jatin’s honest take on Nero Condos and Lofthouses

Nero Condos and Lofthouses — 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.