Primrose Towers III, 1131 Steeles Ave W: Space at $405 a Sq Ft

Primrose Towers III is where the price per square foot in North York gets close to its floor. This 16-storey, 194-suite tower from 1990 is the newest of three Primrose buildings on Steeles near Bathurst, with suites from about 985 to 2,400 square feet and a fee that covers almost every utility. The fee is the reason the price is low, and you need to understand both. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Three towers, three corporations

Primrose Towers is a complex of three buildings on the south side of Steeles Avenue West, near Bathurst. Primrose Towers I at 1101 Steeles and Primrose Towers II at 1121 Steeles are 17-storey, 213-suite buildings from 1989; this one, at 1131, followed in 1990 at 16 storeys and 194 suites.

Each building has its own condominium corporation, so its own budget, reserve fund and board. Listings for the complex describe a 24-hour gatehouse, which suggests some shared arrangements across the site. If there is a shared-facilities agreement, the status certificate will set out how costs are split, and that split matters as much as this building’s own budget.

I could not confirm who developed the complex. The building’s record over 36 years is a better guide than the original developer’s name in any case.

Living in a complex rather than a single tower has practical effects. You share the grounds, the driveway and the gatehouse traffic with two other buildings, and you get a larger community of neighbours who have often been there for decades. Buyers who like a settled, quiet residential feel tend to see that as a plus.

Suites the size of a house

The smallest suite here is about 985 square feet and the largest about 2,400. There are no studios or compact one-bedrooms, and the suites listed when I checked were all two-bedroom or two-bedroom-plus-den plans.

That is the core of the appeal. A family or a downsizer can buy a suite with a proper dining room, a den and real storage for the price of a small one-bedroom in a new tower further south. In my experience, plans from this era also give you more wall space for furniture than most recent towers do.

Finish levels vary a lot after 36 years. Some suites have been fully renovated and some are close to original, so compare suites on condition first and size second. A dated suite priced accordingly can be the best value in the building if you are ready to renovate.

Why the fee is high and what it buys

The fee covers common elements, heat, hydro, air conditioning, cable TV, building insurance, parking and water, and a listing for the complex reports high-speed internet too.

That looks high, but it is close to the whole cost of living here apart from property tax. Add hydro, heat, cooling, internet, cable and parking to a lower-fee building and the gap narrows a lot. Large suites and a staffed gatehouse also carry costs that a small, lean building does not.

The risk is that the fee keeps rising. Buildings from 1990 are in the heaviest stretch of their repair cycle, and the fee is where that shows up. Ask how it has changed over the past five years and what the reserve fund study plans next. I also ask to see the bulk utility and cable contracts, because those are the lines most likely to move, and a corporation that has locked in good terms is protecting every owner’s monthly budget.

Living on Steeles at Bathurst

Steeles Avenue is the boundary between Toronto and Vaughan, so the building sits in the City of Toronto with York Region directly across the road. Listings describe shopping plazas, grocery stores, libraries, parks and Promenade Mall nearby, and bus links toward the subway and York University.

Steeles is a wide, busy arterial, so suites facing it get traffic noise, while those facing south over the complex are usually quieter. The data panel beside this review shows the nearest transit, schools, parks and food in detail.

This is a driving neighbourhood for most errands, and owners here usually keep a car. Parking in the fee helps with that, and the 401 and 407 are both within reach for commuters who work outside the core.

Pricing: among the lowest per square foot in North York

Primrose Towers III averages about $405 per square foot. Its sister buildings are lower still, Primrose Towers I at about $396 and Primrose Towers II at about $383, and The Courtlands at 1201 Steeles sits at about $421. That cluster of buildings on Steeles offers some of the cheapest space per foot I track in the city.

When I checked, four suites were listed for sale, asking between $499,000 and $593,999. For suites of at least 985 square feet, that is a low entry price. Monthly fees across those listings ran from about $1,007 to $1,216.

The low price and the high fee are linked. Buyers price in a fee that covers so much, and they price in the age of the building. Your job is to decide whether the fee is fair and stable for what it includes, not just whether the price is low.

Also expect a wide spread between renovated and original suites. In a building where every suite is large, a full renovation is a significant cost and can take months, so a suite that has already been done can justify a noticeably higher price. Ask for the age of the kitchen, bathrooms, flooring and windows in writing.

Building specifications

Amenities at Primrose Towers III

An outdoor pool, a tennis court, a gym and a sauna, with a security guard on site, is a resort-style package by the standard of newer buildings. It suits owners who will use it; if you will not, remember you are still paying your share of running it.

Jatin’s honest take on Primrose Towers III

Primrose Towers III — 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.