Spring at Minto Gardens, 23 Sheppard Ave E: LEED Gold Tower and Townhomes

Spring at Minto Gardens is the building I point to when a buyer wants Yonge and Sheppard with more than a gym and a party room. It is Minto’s second tower here, finished in 2010 and certified LEED Gold, with three-storey townhomes around a landscaped water garden and a pool and spa reached from the third floor. The catch is that some of the best amenities are shared with the building next door, and that arrangement deserves as much attention as the suite. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Phase two of a Minto cluster

Minto’s first tower here was MintoGardens at 33 Sheppard Avenue East, completed in 2004. Spring is the second phase, set slightly back and offset from the first tower and facing the Anndale Drive extension, as the SkyriseCities forum described it when the project was announced.

The project grew during approvals. The Architectural Conservancy Ontario record says it was first proposed at 20 storeys, then revised to a 32-storey tower with a 12-storey component along the future Anndale Drive. It credits the design to Page + Steele and IBI Group.

The height is reported two ways. Condos.ca lists 32 storeys, and Minto’s own project page says 33. Both agree on 342 suites. The difference is probably how the mechanical penthouse or the podium is counted, but use 342 suites as the firm number.

LEED Gold and suite meters

Minto says the building was certified LEED Gold. The features it lists include a heat recovery ventilator, low-VOC materials, ENERGY STAR appliances, water-efficient fixtures, multi-chute recycling and high-efficiency mechanical equipment.

The feature that matters most to your budget is individual suite meters for electricity and water. That is why hydro and water are not on condos.ca’s fee list here. You pay for what you use, which rewards careful owners and keeps a heavy user next door from raising your fee.

When you compare buildings at Yonge and Sheppard, this cuts both ways. Spring’s fee per square foot looks similar to older buildings nearby that include hydro and water. Here you pay those bills on top, so ask the seller for a year of utility statements and add them to the fee before you compare.

Townhomes, a water garden and a shared pool

Spring is not just a tower. Minto describes three-storey townhomes with waterside patios, and condos.ca describes them wrapped around a landscaped pond and courtyard. For buyers who want ground-level living with a front door and stairs, but still want the concierge and the amenities, that is rare at this intersection.

The amenity floors are the other draw. Minto lists party, games and media rooms on the ground floor, an expanded cardio and weight room and a southwest-facing terrace with barbecue niches on the second floor, and workout and aerobics space on the third, with change rooms leading to a pool and spa.

Condos.ca’s description says the second- and third-floor areas, including the pool and spa, are shared with the neighbouring Minto building. A shared facility usually comes with a cost-sharing agreement. Read it in the status certificate to see how costs are split, who decides on repairs and what happens when the pool needs major work.

Condos.ca puts suites at about 517 to 1,937 square feet, so the range runs from compact one-bedrooms to very large suites that are likely the townhomes or upper-floor plans. I could not confirm suite ceiling heights; Minto mentions extended ceiling heights only for the lobby.

Living at Yonge and Sheppard

The address puts you right by Yonge and Sheppard, where Line 1 meets Line 4 and North York Centre’s shops, offices and services are within walking distance. The panel on this page shows the exact stations, schools, parks and restaurants.

Expect change around you for years. The City is advancing the Beecroft Road and Doris Avenue extensions ahead of a larger rebuild of Yonge between Sheppard and Finch, and the 2020 Transform Yonge design is being reassessed, with findings expected in early 2027. Construction near the intersection is likely to continue.

Inside the cluster, the townhomes and courtyard face away from the busiest traffic, and the SkyriseCities forum noted early that east views would look out over the low-rise neighbourhood. If quiet matters, favour higher floors and exposures away from Yonge and Sheppard.

Where Spring prices sit

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $800 per square foot. That is a premium over the older 1990s and early-2000s buildings around Yonge and Sheppard, and it reflects the 2010 build, the amenity package and the LEED features.

Four suites were for sale when I checked, asking between $449,000 and $958,000, and four were for rent. Fees on those listings ran from about $618 to $1,232 a month, or about $1.06 per square foot on condos.ca’s calculation, covering air conditioning, common elements, heat, insurance and parking.

Remember that hydro and water are billed to the suite on top of that. A fee near $1.06 per foot with separate utilities is not cheaper than an older building at $1.10 that includes them. The recent sales in the data panel above are the best guide to what suites actually trade for.

Building specifications

Amenities at Spring at Minto Gardens

This is a full resort-style package by North York standards, spread over three floors, with a pool and spa that most towers at this intersection lack. Because part of it is shared with the neighbouring Minto building, you get more facility than 342 suites could fund alone, but you also take on a shared-costs agreement you should read carefully.

Jatin’s honest take on Spring at Minto Gardens

Spring at Minto Gardens — 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.