The Logan Residences, 899 Queen St E: Daniels’ Boutique Leslieville Build

The Logan Residences is what Leslieville buyers mean when they say they want a condo that does not look like a condo. It is a six-storey brick building at Queen and Logan from The Daniels Corporation, built in 2019 to sit quietly among the storefronts, with a rooftop garden and only about 60 suites. You pay for that, and I will show you where. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Built to disappear into Queen Street East

The point of this building is that it fits. It rises six storeys, about 26 metres, which keeps it close to the scale of the two- and three-storey commercial blocks along this part of Queen East. The street face is brick with horizontal bands of windows, and the retail at grade sits under lit canopies, so from the sidewalk it reads as part of the strip rather than a tower base.

The street-level details were designed for the neighbourhood as much as for residents: a historical plaque about the area, public bike racks, benches painted in Leslieville colours and planters. On the laneway side, the architects added canvas panels meant for street art, which is a very Leslieville touch.

At the back, the building steps down in terraces toward the residential streets. Rear suites get private patios and tenant gardens, and the upper terraces have views south toward the lake. If you want outdoor space, the rear and upper floors are where to look.

Who designed it, and why the records differ

UrbanToronto credits the design to Giovanni A. Tassone Architects, with Wilk Associates as landscape architect. The firm Lemay also lists The Logan Residences among its architecture projects for Daniels. I would treat both as accurate records of the same design team rather than a contradiction, but if the architect matters to you, ask the board or the property manager for the original drawings.

The suite count is the other number that moves. Pre-construction marketing described about 69 suites and a 2022 completion. The registered building, as listed by Condos.ca and UrbanToronto, has 59 suites and a 2019 registration date. Boutique projects often merge units during sales, and fewer, larger suites is generally good news for resale.

Daniels is one of Toronto’s longest-running builders, with a track record its own marketing puts at more than 26,000 homes over roughly 50 years. A small infill building like this is a different exercise from their master-planned work, and it shows in the attention paid to the street rather than to an amenity floor.

Layouts: Juliet balconies, garden suites and two-storey plans

Condos.ca shows suites from about 611 to 1,648 square feet, which is a larger range than most Leslieville condos. Marketing listed one-bedrooms, one-plus-dens, three-bedrooms and three-bedroom-plus-den suites, including two-storey plans. A 1,600-square-foot three-bedroom in a mid-rise is rare in this neighbourhood and is the suite type most likely to hold its value.

Street-facing suites on Queen use Juliet balconies rather than full balconies, which keeps the facade clean but means you cannot sit outside. That matters at a 611-square-foot one-bedroom. If outdoor space is on your list, focus on the stepped rear suites or the terraces, and use the rooftop as your backup.

Queen East is a busy streetcar street with restaurants and bars. North-facing suites over Queen will hear it. The rear suites trade the street view for quiet and a southern outlook, and for most owner-occupiers that is the better trade.

The bigger change nearby is the Ontario Line. Metrolinx is building Leslieville station at Queen and De Grassi, a few blocks west, and the work is at the piling stage. Expect construction disruption on Queen for some time, and expect a new rapid-transit stop within walking distance once it opens; Metrolinx has not published an opening date on its station page.

The rooftop and the garden plots

The shared rooftop, marketed as the Logan Oasis, is the building’s main amenity. It has a green roof, lounge space, barbecues and garden plots where residents can grow their own food, with skyline views west toward downtown.

Garden plots in a 59-suite building create a small, real community, and buyers who want that tend to love it. Ask how plots are allocated, whether there is a waiting list, and what the corporation spends each year on rooftop landscaping and water, because green roofs need maintenance.

Also ask how the rooftop is booked. In a small building, one private party on a summer Saturday can take the only outdoor amenity for the whole day, so the booking rules in the corporation’s bylaws matter more than they would in a tower with several terraces.

Paying for the boutique premium

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $1,083 per square foot. That is high for Leslieville resale and well above many larger Queen East and Carlaw buildings. You are paying for a small, recent Daniels building with brick architecture, a quiet rear side and a main-street address.

The fee covers common elements, building insurance and water. Heat, hydro and parking are not listed as included, so add those to your monthly budget when you compare it with an older loft that bundles utilities. Ask for the current fee per square foot on the suite you are considering, because small buildings spread fixed costs, such as the elevator contract and the property manager, across fewer owners.

Only one suite was listed for sale when I checked, so I will not quote a single price or fee. With 59 suites, sales here are infrequent, and each one moves the average. Use the data panel above for the recent picture, and ask me for the building sold report before you set an offer.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Logan Residences

There is no pool, concierge or big amenity floor. Daily life here is the rooftop, a small gym and the restaurants of Queen East, which is exactly what keeps the fee in check.

Jatin’s honest take on The Logan Residences

The Logan Residences — 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.