2 Withrow Avenue Townhouses: 22 Homes Facing Riverdale Park East

2 Withrow Avenue is one of the most overlooked addresses in North Riverdale: 22 condo townhomes at the corner of Broadview, across the street from Riverdale Park East and its view of the downtown skyline. Nothing was listed when I wrote this, which is normal here, and that scarcity is half the story. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A small 1977 corporation on a park corner

YCC-359 was registered in October 1977, which makes it one of the older condominium corporations in the former City of Toronto. With 22 homes, it is also one of the smallest. Condos.ca records it as a single storey, but that is how the database counts low-rise projects; a recent listing described a home over more than one level with two balconies.

I could not find a developer, an architect or any press coverage of the original project. Condos.ca leaves the developer blank. For a complex of this age and size that is common, and your lawyer will find the original declarant in the declaration.

What sets it apart is the corner. Withrow Avenue meets Broadview Avenue opposite Riverdale Park East, one of the best-known parks in the east end, with its slope down to the Don Valley and its sunset views of downtown. Homes facing west get that outlook from their own windows.

What the homes are like

One recent listing called the complex a boutique low-rise condo town and described a renovated two-bedroom, two-bathroom home of about 900 square feet, with an open main floor, two balconies and ensuite laundry. I would not assume every home is the same size or layout. Ask for a floor plan of the specific home and compare it with the declaration’s description.

At around 900 square feet, a two-bedroom here lives more like a large condo apartment than a family townhouse. It suits a couple, a single professional or a downsizer better than a family that needs three bedrooms and a yard.

Renovation quality will vary widely after nearly 50 years. Ask which updates were done, when, and whether any of them, such as changes to plumbing, flooring or water heaters, needed the corporation’s approval.

Outdoor space matters here, and the listing above had two balconies. Ask which direction each balcony faces, what condition the railings and membranes are in, and whether the corporation or the owner is responsible for them. Balcony repairs are a common capital item in buildings of this age, and you want to know whether any are planned.

Parking and the small-building fee

A recent listing described underground parking and bicycle storage. Confirm that the home you buy comes with a parking space, and whether it is owned or exclusive-use. In this part of Riverdale, a parking space is worth having; street parking near the park fills up on weekends.

The same listing described the fees as low. Condos.ca does not publish an inclusion list for YCC-359, so I cannot tell you what is covered. In small 1970s townhouse corporations, heat and hydro are often paid by each owner. Ask for the budget and the status certificate, and add any utilities you pay yourself before comparing with a tower that bundles them.

A low fee is good news only if the reserve fund is adequate. In a 22-home corporation, the cost of a roof, a garage membrane or a balcony repair is shared among very few owners. If the fee has been kept low by under-funding the reserve, a special assessment can follow.

Insurance is the other small-corporation issue. Deductibles on condo building policies have risen across the industry, and many declarations let the corporation charge the deductible back to the owner whose home caused the damage. Ask what the current deductibles are and make sure your own condo insurance covers that amount.

North Riverdale day to day

From this corner, the Danforth’s restaurants and shops are to the north, Gerrard Street East and its East Chinatown strip to the south, and Riverdale Park East and its open slopes across the road. Broadview’s streetcar and bus routes run past the door. The data panel on this page lists transit, schools and food with distances.

North Riverdale is a neighbourhood of Victorian and Edwardian semis on tree-lined streets. Condos are rare here, and condo townhouses rarer still, which is why a home in this complex tends to attract buyers who could not otherwise get into the area.

The other side of a park-front address is activity. Riverdale Park East draws crowds on summer evenings and for events, and Broadview is a busy road. Visit on a weekend evening as well as a weekday, and stand on the balcony of the home you are considering before you decide how much the view is worth to you.

Pricing a rare listing

Nothing was listed for sale or lease at 2 Withrow Avenue when I prepared this page, and condos.ca does not publish suite sizes or an average price per square foot. With 22 homes, a building average would rest on very few sales. Use the 12-month sold figures in the data panel above, and expect long gaps between listings.

I price homes here against two groups: low-rise condos and condo townhouses in Riverdale and Leslieville, and the cost of a small freehold home on nearby streets. The park-facing location deserves a premium over a similar home on a busier street; a dated interior or a weak reserve fund should take some of it back.

If you want to be ready when one comes up, set up an alert and ask me for the building sold report so you know what recent trades in the area looked like.

Building specifications

Amenities at 2 Withrow Avenue Townhouses

Condos.ca lists only barbecues as permitted; a recent listing adds underground parking and bike storage. Your amenity package is the park across the street, which does more for daily life than any party room would.

Jatin’s honest take on 2 Withrow Avenue Townhouses

2 Withrow Avenue Townhouses — frequently asked questions

Looking at Leslieville, Riverdale, the Beaches, Danforth and Leaside more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.