Meridian, 15 Greenview Ave: Tridel’s Oval Tower at Yonge and Finch

Meridian is one of the few towers at Yonge and Finch with a shape people remember: two oval towers sharing a podium, just west of Yonge. The south tower at 15 Greenview Avenue is a 2007 Tridel building with 416 suites, a big amenity club and some of the lowest fees per square foot I see in North York. That combination is why it prices above many of its neighbours. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Two oval towers and a shared podium

Tridel describes Meridian as an oval twin-building community on a quiet side street just west of Yonge, and it ranks the project among its notable communities. The south tower, at 15 Greenview, was the first phase, designed by Rafael + Bigauskas Architects, with construction from 2005 and completion in 2007.

The oval shape is more than a look. It avoids the long flat walls of a slab tower, so suites wrap around the curve and many get angled views rather than staring straight into the next building. The two towers are joined by a shared podium and lobby level.

The north tower, at 25 Greenview, is a separate condominium corporation (TSCC-1941, according to a local agent’s building guide). When you buy, make sure you know which corporation you are buying into, because the fees, reserve fund and board are separate even though the amenities are shared.

Club Meridian and the shared amenities

The amenity package is the main reason buyers pick Meridian over the plainer towers nearby. A local building guide describes Club Meridian as a two-level recreation centre with an indoor pool, whirlpool, saunas, fitness centre, a virtual golf simulator, billiards and a card room. Condos.ca adds a concierge, guest suites, party and meeting rooms and visitor parking.

Because the two towers share a podium, find out exactly how the club is shared. If both corporations use it, the strength is scale: two towers split the cost of a pool and staff that one tower could not easily afford. The risk is that the cost-sharing agreement decides who pays for what, and those agreements can become a source of friction when big repairs come due.

Ask for any shared facilities agreement along with the status certificate, and look at how the pool and club costs are split between 15 and 25 Greenview.

Layouts, from one-bedrooms to townhomes

Suites run from about 535 sq ft to about 1,927 sq ft. That covers efficient one-bedrooms, two-bedroom plans in the 800 to 1,000 sq ft range and three-bedroom suites at the top. The local guide notes split-bedroom plans and separate kitchens in some layouts, which is a mark of the era: you get more defined rooms and less open-plan compromise than in most new towers.

The corporation also includes street-facing townhomes on Duplex Avenue, which is why the building is sometimes listed with Duplex Avenue addresses. They suit buyers who want a front door at street level and access to the club.

On curved floor plates, the suite you pick matters more than usual, because the view and the shape of the rooms change as you move around the oval. Some suites look out over the low-rise streets to the west, while others face the sister tower across the podium. Stand at the window before you fall for a floor plan, and ask which way the balcony faces.

With 416 suites in this tower, there is usually choice. When I checked, four suites were for sale and six for lease, so you can compare floors and exposures before you commit.

Living at Yonge and Finch

Greenview Avenue is a short residential street, so the building is quieter at grade than the towers that front Yonge. Yonge Street’s Korean and Persian restaurants, groceries and services are a short walk east. Tridel’s description places Meridian near Finch Station; the panel beside this review shows the exact walk.

Yonge and Finch is changing. Work on the Yonge North subway extension, which runs north from Finch, and a steady stream of tower applications along Yonge will keep this intersection busy for years. Check the City of Toronto development applications map for the blocks nearest the suite you like.

What Meridian costs

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $852 per square foot, which is high for a 2007 building in North York. Buyers are paying for the Tridel name, the club and the low fees, and in my view that is a rational premium rather than a bubble, as long as the reserve fund supports it.

The fees are the other half of the story. Active listings showed fees around $0.84 per square foot when I checked, with heat, air conditioning, parking and water included. That is low for an amenity-rich tower, and it is a big reason the purchase price holds up.

When I checked, asking prices ranged from about $540,000 to about $960,000. Monthly fees on those listings ran from about $470 to about $1,110. For what has actually sold, see my building sold report.

When you compare Meridian with a newer tower at Yonge and Finch, put the two side by side on total monthly cost. A lower purchase price elsewhere can be cancelled out within a few years by a higher fee and a separate parking charge.

Building specifications

Amenities at Meridian Condos

Club Meridian is a genuine reason to choose this building: a pool, whirlpool, saunas and a full fitness centre mean you can drop a gym membership. If the club is shared with the north tower, as the common podium suggests, its upkeep is spread across two corporations, which helps explain the low fees.

Jatin’s honest take on Meridian Condos

Meridian Condos — frequently asked questions

Looking at Willowdale, Yonge & Sheppard, Bayview Village and North York Centre more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.