One Six Nine Lofts, 169 John St: Concrete Soft Lofts a Block From Queen

One Six Nine Lofts is what I show buyers who want a true concrete soft loft in the core and do not care about a gym or a concierge. It is a narrow building of about 45 suites on John Street, a block up from Queen West, finished in 2007. You buy it for the space and the address, and you accept what a small, no-frills building asks of you in return. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Who built it, and why the credits differ

Condos.ca lists Harhay Developments as the developer. UrbanToronto, looking back at the building in 2016, called it Lamb Development’s OneSixNine Lofts. Both are partly right. A 2003 Globe and Mail profile describes Walter Harhay buying a site at John and Queen for a 46-suite condo, with Brad Lamb marketing the project and holding a small financial interest in it.

Harhay is a civil engineer who spent years managing heavy construction projects before turning to boutique condos, and unusually, he acted as his own general contractor. That background shows in the building: it is concrete, straightforward and engineered rather than decorated.

Harhay told the Globe that his firm sells concrete, steel, wood and glass and leaves the creative design to the architects. Lamb, for his part, argued that good design shows up later in resale prices and in how long suites sit on the market. Two decades on, that is a fair test to apply to this building, and the aggregate data on this page lets you apply it.

UrbanToronto credits Core Architects with the design. The building had topped off by May 2006, and by 2007 it was complete. The suite count also differs by source, 45 on condos.ca and 46 in the press, so treat both figures as approximate and rely on the status certificate for the exact count.

Exposed concrete, big glass and higher ceilings

This is a new-build soft loft, not a converted warehouse, but it was built to feel like one. Suites have exposed concrete walls and ceilings, very large windows, sliding barn-style doors and hardwood or bamboo floors, with simple modern kitchens and bathrooms. Each suite has a balcony or terrace, and barbecues are permitted.

Ceiling height is a big part of the appeal. In that 2003 profile, Lamb described Harhay’s boutique buildings as having ceilings of at least 10 feet, at a time when eight feet was standard. Confirm the exact height for the suite you are buying, because penthouse and lower floors can differ.

Sizes run from about 499 to 1,962 square feet. Most suites are one- and two-bedroom plans, and the larger sizes sit at the top of the building. Open layouts with barn doors mean bedrooms are not always fully enclosed, which suits some buyers and not others, so check this before booking a showing.

Concrete has practical advantages too. It carries less sound between suites than wood framing, and it gives the building a solid feel. It also shows every scuff and patch, so look at the walls and ceilings closely during a showing.

A lean fee, and what it leaves out

Condos.ca lists only common elements, building insurance and water as included in the fee. Heat, hydro and parking are not on that list, so budget for each separately. With so few shared amenities, the fee buys mostly the basics of running the building.

The amenity list is short: an elevator, a parking garage, bike storage, a car wash bay and a security system. Condos.ca flags the building as pet-friendly, but read the rules in the status certificate before you rely on that.

Parking is worth a specific question. The site is narrow, and garages in buildings like this are often small. Ask how the parking works, whether the space is deeded with the suite and how many cars the garage holds before you pay for one.

John Street, a block above Queen

John Street north of Queen has kept a low, intimate scale while the blocks south of it filled with towers. From the front door you are a block from Queen West’s shops and restaurants, close to OCAD University and the Art Gallery of Ontario, and within an easy walk of Grange Park, Chinatown and Kensington Market.

The building has interesting neighbours. Next door at 165 John, a former restaurant building was turned into a striking concept store for Umbra, designed by Kohn Shnier Architects, according to UrbanToronto. It is a reminder that this block is a working creative street, not a quiet residential one.

This is the centre of the city, and it is not quiet. Queen West is busy into the night, and the entertainment district is a short walk south. The data panel on this page has the transit, school and walkability details.

What One Six Nine costs

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $840 per square foot. That is below other boutique loft buildings in this part of the city, such as Ideal Lofts at College and Markham at about $917 and Abacus Lofts on Dundas West at about $937, and well below newer design-led buildings like Motif on Ossington at about $1,138.

Part of that discount reflects age and the lean amenity list, and part reflects fees that leave heat and parking to the owner. Factor those costs in before you decide this is a bargain, but in my view the per-square-foot figure is reasonable for genuine concrete loft space a block from Queen.

There were no active listings when I wrote this, and with about 45 suites, sales are sporadic. The automatic data panel on this page shows recent aggregate results, and I can pull a building sold report for the plan you are considering.

Building specifications

Amenities at One Six Nine Lofts

There is no gym, party room or concierge here, and buyers who choose this building usually want it that way. Queen West and the core are your amenities; the building supplies the basics and a balcony.

Jatin’s honest take on One Six Nine Lofts

One Six Nine Lofts — 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.