Fallingbrook Lofts, 160 Fallingbrook Rd: 44 Suites by the Bluffs

Fallingbrook Lofts is the building I mention when a buyer wants the Beach lifestyle without the Beach’s crowds and price per foot. It is a 44-suite boutique condo from 2009, a short walk from the lake on the Scarborough side of Victoria Park, with high ceilings, two-storey suites and almost no shared overhead. The catch is supply: in a building this small, you wait for the right suite. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A boutique new build, not a conversion

The name suggests an old factory, but this is not a loft conversion. It is a purpose-built condominium completed in 2009, and the loft part refers to the suites: tall ceilings, open plans and a number of two-storey layouts. If you want brick and timber beams, look elsewhere. If you want a newer building with a loft feel, this is one of very few options east of Victoria Park.

With 44 suites, it is about the size of a large townhouse complex. That shapes everything: a small board, a small budget, few neighbours sharing each elevator and hallway, and very few listings in a given year. Condos.ca counts five storeys, while press coverage of past sales described it as six; the difference is probably how the upper penthouse level is counted, so confirm it on the floor plans if it matters to you.

The builder is listed as Bob Mitchell rather than a large branded developer. That is common for small infill projects and is not a negative in itself, but it means there is no long public track record to research. The building’s own history, through the status certificate and reserve fund study, is what you should judge.

Two-storey suites and real floor area

The suite mix is the reason to look here. Press coverage of past sales described single-level suites of roughly 900 to 1,500 square feet and two-storey suites, including penthouse lofts of around 2,000 square feet with double-height windows and large terraces. Condos.ca has recorded only one size from its listings, about 923 square feet, so ask for the full plan set before you shop.

Finishes described in those listings include hardwood floors, gas fireplaces and granite counters, and agents have pointed to high ceilings as a selling point. Some plans put the bedroom on an interior wall with frosted glass doors to borrow light, which works for some buyers and not for others. Stand in that bedroom at midday before you commit.

North-facing suites look over Blantyre Park, so the view there is trees rather than another building. In a small building the orientation of each suite matters more than usual, because there are so few alternatives if you pick wrong.

Green roof, on-demand hot water and a lean fee

The building was marketed as a green building, with a living roof, efficient lighting and an on-demand hot water system. Those features were part of why agents described the fees as low. A green roof also needs its own maintenance and, eventually, membrane work beneath it, so look for it in the reserve fund study.

The fee covers common elements, building insurance, water and parking. Heat and hydro are not on the inclusion list, so budget for them separately and ask how the gas fireplace and hot water are metered and billed. Fees vary by suite size, and with no suites for sale when I checked, I can’t give a reliable current range.

The amenity list is short: a party room, a meeting room, barbecues permitted, a security system, an underground garage and visitor parking. No concierge, gym or pool means a smaller operating budget, which is the trade-off this building has made from the start.

Living in Fallingbrook

Fallingbrook is the westernmost pocket of Birch Cliff, south of Kingston Road and west of the Toronto Hunt Club, and it is closely tied to the Beaches next door. It feels more like a residential side street than a condo district, which is the appeal.

Birch Cliff began as a streetcar suburb along Kingston Road in the 1920s, earlier than most of Scarborough, so the housing stock around the building is older and established. The Art Deco R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant sits on the waterfront to the southwest, and the lake and the western end of the Bluffs are within reach on foot or by bike.

Blantyre Park, next to the building off Fallingbrook Road and Clonmore Drive, is a real neighbourhood park: a pool, a playground, sports fields, a winter toboggan slope and a regular dog-walking crowd. The City held a public meeting in 2019 to gather ideas for improving it, and residents asked for pool upgrades, a splash pad and more shade, among other things.

Day to day, Kingston Road is your main street for errands, and most buyers here will want a car for big grocery runs. The panel on this page shows the transit routes, parks and food options around the address.

Pricing when almost nothing is for sale

There were no suites for sale here when I checked, only one for lease, and condos.ca did not show a building average price per square foot. With 44 suites, that is normal, and it means I won’t quote a figure that a single sale could swing.

The practical approach is to price a suite here against the Beaches condo market just west of Victoria Park and against the newer mid-rises along Kingston Road, then adjust for size, terrace space and the two-storey format. Large suites and terraces are hard to find in either comparison set, which supports value here.

My building sold report shows the aggregate sales record for 160 Fallingbrook. If you want this building specifically, set up an alert and be ready to act when a suite appears.

Building specifications

Amenities at Fallingbrook Lofts

This is a building for people who don’t want to pay for amenities they won’t use. You get a party room and a meeting room for gatherings, barbecues are allowed, and the rest of your recreation is the lake, the park and the Beach.

Jatin’s honest take on Fallingbrook Lofts

Fallingbrook Lofts — frequently asked questions

Looking at Scarborough Bluffs, West Hill, Guildwood, Woburn, Malvern and Rouge more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.