Hemisphere II, 131 Torresdale Ave: Big Suites, Every Utility in the Fee

Hemisphere II is the building I show to buyers who need three bedrooms’ worth of space on a two-bedroom budget. It is a 22-storey tower from 1982 with 172 suites, none smaller than about 810 square feet, and condos.ca lists hydro, heat, cooling, cable and parking in the fee. The price per foot is low for a reason, and the reason is the building’s age, so that is where I want your attention. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A twin tower with its own corporation

Hemisphere II stands beside The Hemisphere at 133 Torresdale Avenue. Condos.ca lists the first tower as a 25-storey, 195-suite building from 1981, registered as MTCC-551, and this one as a 22-storey, 172-suite building completed a year later. They were clearly planned as a pair.

They are not one condominium. Each has its own corporation, board, budget and reserve fund, and condos.ca lists different managers: Whitehill Residential here and St George Property Management at number 133. When you compare the two, compare the status certificates and reserve fund studies, not just the suites.

Torresdale Avenue has a few other condominiums along it, including The Savoy at 10 Torresdale. Condos.ca lists both Hemisphere towers from the early 1980s, and the street as a whole reads as an older residential pocket rather than a new-build district. That has a real upside: established buildings, mature trees and comparables with long sales histories.

Suites from about 810 to 1,620 square feet

Condos.ca puts the suite range here at about 810 to 1,620 square feet. That is a lot of floor area by today’s standards. A new tower would rarely offer a plan of 1,200 square feet or more at anything close to this price.

In my experience, plans from early-1980s towers tend to have separate dining rooms, galley or enclosed kitchens and generous closets. Owners either love that layout or open it up. Either way, ask what has been done to the suite you are viewing and whether the corporation approved any wall, plumbing or electrical changes.

Upper floors on a 22-storey building in a low-rise area get long views. Ask which way the suite faces, since the twin tower next door will block some sightlines on one side.

Large suites also bring large renovation decisions. If you are buying an original suite to update, get a contractor’s estimate before you firm up your offer, and read the corporation’s renovation rules. Many older buildings require board approval, insurance certificates and set working hours, and those steps add time to any project.

A fee that covers everything, and what that means

Condos.ca lists common elements, heat, hydro, air conditioning, cable TV, building insurance, parking and water as included. That is as complete a fee as you will find. Apart from internet and contents insurance, there is very little left to pay each month.

The trade-off is that the fee looks large. Across the two current listings, fees ran from about $1,095 to $1,456 a month. Before you compare that with a newer building, add back the hydro, cooling, heat and parking you would pay separately there. On a suite of this size, those bills add up quickly.

It also means the corporation carries the energy risk. When hydro and gas rates rise, every owner’s fee absorbs it. Ask how the budget has moved over the past few years and what the board has done to manage energy use.

Daily life on Torresdale Avenue

This is a residential pocket of towers and houses, with Bathurst Street to the east for shopping, groceries and services. It is quieter than the Yonge corridor and much more affordable. The panel beside this review shows the nearest transit, schools and parks.

Condos.ca lists a security guard, a party room, a meeting room, a sauna, visitor parking and a parking garage. For families and multi-generational households, which this building’s suite sizes naturally attract, a party room and visitor parking matter more than they sound. Family gatherings are simply easier here than in a small downtown suite, and having guests park on site removes one of the usual headaches.

Resale is the other practical point. With 172 suites and a twin next door, there is usually something comparable on the market, which keeps pricing transparent but also means you will be competing with your neighbours when you sell.

Pricing: one of the lowest per-foot numbers in Toronto

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $405 per square foot. That is very low for any Toronto condominium, and the twin tower at 133 Torresdale is lower still at about $375. Large suites in older towers outside the core often trade at these levels because buyers price in the fee and the age.

Active asking prices ranged from $559,900 to $559,995 across the two current listings. Set against suites that start around 810 square feet, that is a very different number from what you would pay per foot in a newer building nearby.

For actual trades, look at the 12-month data in the panel, and ask me for a building sold report that includes both Hemisphere towers. In a pair like this, the comparison between the two buildings is often where the best value shows up.

Building specifications

Amenities at Hemisphere II

The amenity list is practical rather than flashy: a guard, a sauna and rooms for gatherings. For the families who buy these large suites, that is usually enough, and it keeps the operating budget focused on the building itself.

Jatin’s honest take on Hemisphere II

Hemisphere II — frequently asked questions

Looking at York Mills, Don Mills, Lawrence Park, Bathurst Manor and midtown-north Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.