Green House Lofts, 2012 Queen St E: 12 Soft Lofts Facing Kew Gardens

Green House Lofts has the kind of address people in the Beach wait years for: Queen Street East, across from Kew Gardens, a short walk to the boardwalk. It is a three-storey building with only 12 suites, and the owners run it themselves. That makes it one of the most personal buildings I review, and one where the paperwork matters as much as the view. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A soft-loft building on the best block of Queen East

Green House Lofts is new construction from 2005, not a conversion. Condos.ca describes the suites as soft lofts arranged over three storeys of living space, which in practice means open, loft-style interiors in a building designed for residential use from the start.

The location is the point. The building faces Kew Gardens, the 8.4-hectare park that runs from Queen Street East down to the lake at Kew Beach. Joseph Williams opened it as a private pleasure ground in 1879, the City bought it in 1907, and today it holds tennis courts, a ball diamond, a winter rink, the Beaches branch of the Toronto Public Library and the main stage of the Beaches International Jazz Festival.

From the Queen Street side, the first thing you see is the cenotaph on its wide apron facing the street, with mature oaks and maples and walking paths dropping toward the water. The stone house that Williams’s son built in 1901 still stands on the park’s east edge, and the Leuty Lifeguard Station and the boardwalk mark the lake end. Sources disagree slightly on when Williams first acquired the land, the 1850s or the mid-1860s, but agree on the 1879 opening and the 1907 sale to the City.

For a buyer, this means the view out of the front windows is protected parkland, not a future development site. That kind of permanence is rarely guaranteed on a Toronto main street, and it is worth something real.

That last detail is worth knowing. For a few days each July, this part of Queen Street is one of the busiest places in the east end. Some owners love it; others plan a week away.

Twelve suites, three floors and an elevator

With 12 suites over three storeys, this is a small building, but condos.ca lists an elevator, which is not a given at this size. For downsizers and anyone with mobility concerns, that one feature can decide the purchase.

Condos.ca only records one suite size here, about 1,303 square feet, so I cannot give you a reliable range. That size is generous for the Beach, roughly what you would expect from a two-bedroom-plus-den or a small three-bedroom. Ask for the floor plans of the specific suite and, if possible, the original plans for the building, because in a 12-suite building each plan tends to be different.

Condos.ca also notes that pets are allowed and barbecues are permitted. Confirm both against the declaration and rules before you rely on them, since the exact limits matter more than the tag.

What self-management means here

There is no management company listed for Green House Lofts; the owners run the corporation. In a 12-suite building, that usually means a small board handling insurance renewals, contractors, budgets and the reserve fund study, often with a bookkeeper or a part-time administrator.

Self-managed buildings can be very well run, and they are often cheaper to operate. They also depend on a few people being willing to do the work. Ask who prepares the financial statements, whether the reserve fund study is current, and when the board last held an annual general meeting.

The building is now about 20 years old, which is the age when roofing, windows, the garage membrane and mechanical systems start to come up in reserve fund studies. Those are normal costs, but in a small building there are fewer owners to share them.

How it compares with nearby Beach lofts

Along Queen Street East, the buildings people usually compare with Green House Lofts are the other small loft-style condos, such as Waterworks Lofts farther east near the R.C. Harris plant and Upper Beaches Lofts on Main Street to the north.

Waterworks is smaller again at 10 suites, has more included in its fee, and trades higher per square foot. Upper Beaches Lofts is a conversion of a former fish market off Gerrard, further from the lake. Green House sits in the middle: the strongest park-and-lake location of the three, with a fee that covers parking but not heat or hydro.

Green House Lofts on price

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $831 per square foot. That is the lowest of the Beach-area boutique buildings I have reviewed in this group, below Upper Beaches Lofts at about $852, Waterworks Lofts at about $943 and Modern Beach Lofts at about $969.

Take that with care. With 12 suites, sales are rare, and an average based on a handful of trades can lag the market or reflect one unusual unit. The location across from Kew Gardens is as good as it gets on Queen East, so I would not read the lower average as a sign the building is less desirable.

The fee covers common elements, building insurance, water and parking. Heat and hydro are not listed, so budget for your own utilities. There were no active listings when I checked. For recorded sale figures, see the data panel on this page or ask me for a building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Green House Lofts

The amenity that matters here is across the street: Kew Gardens, the boardwalk and the beach. Inside, an elevator and included parking are the practical features that set this building apart from many small Beach lofts.

Jatin’s honest take on Green House Lofts

Green House Lofts — 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.