Published 30 October 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
My top five condos to buy in downtown Toronto are Maple Leaf Square (55 and 65 Bremner Blvd, Longo’s in the podium), Pinnacle Centre (16 Yonge St, large amenity club), Library District (170 Fort York Blvd, library next door), Massey Tower (197 Yonge St, restored 1905 bank) and One Bloor (1 Bloor St E, above Bloor-Yonge station). The order is my judgement, not an official ranking.
How I chose these five
I only considered completed buildings with a registered corporation and resale activity, so every pick can be judged on its record rather than a sales brochure. Downtown has hundreds of towers; these five each do one thing better than most of their neighbours.
- Rapid transit on foot. Each building is a short walk from a Line 1 station, Union Station or the 511 Bathurst streetcar.
- A clear reason to choose it. A grocery store in the podium, an unusually large amenity club, a library next door, a restored heritage bank, or a direct line to Bloor-Yonge.
- Builders with a downtown track record. Lanterra, Pinnacle International, Context, MOD Developments and Great Gulf.
- Suite mix. From compact studios at Library District to large plans at Maple Leaf Square and One Bloor.
I do not quote building prices or rents here. Downtown values swing by floor, view and exposure inside the same tower, so a single number would mislead more than it helps. Where sources disagree on storeys or suite counts, I say so, and the declaration is the document to trust.
1. Maple Leaf Square, 55 and 65 Bremner Boulevard
What it offers
Maple Leaf Square is the most self-contained address downtown. Lanterra Developments built it with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and Cadillac Fairview, with KPMB Architects as design architect, and it was completed around 2010.
The podium holds a Le Germain hotel, office space, more than 100,000 sq ft of retail and a Longo’s of about 40,000 sq ft, plus a daycare that KPMB lists in the podium. Union Station, with Line 1, GO trains and UP Express, is about 0.3 km away.
What it means for buyers
The two towers share one corporation, TSCC-2130, registered 24 December 2010, with 872 suites ranging from about 400 to 2,125 sq ft on condos.ca. Condos.ca lists heat, air conditioning, building insurance and water in the fees.
Amenities include a concierge, party room, meeting room, business centre and landscaped podium terraces. City open data showed 69 short-term rental registrations at the address in October 2026, so expect some turnover in the halls.
Practical notes
Game nights and concerts bring heavy crowds to Bremner and the plaza; higher and north-facing suites are calmer. Sources disagree on storey counts because of the podium, so rely on the declaration. See my Maple Leaf Square page.
2. Pinnacle Centre, 16 Yonge Street
What it offers
Pinnacle Centre is my pick for amenities. The Pinnacle Club list includes an indoor pool and whirlpool, fitness centre, saunas, squash and basketball courts, a tennis court, theatre room, yoga studio, running track, guest suites and an outdoor terrace with barbecues.
Pinnacle International completed 16 Yonge in 2006 as the first of four towers at Yonge and Harbour. The corporation is TSCC-1788, registered 15 August 2006.
What it means for buyers
Listing data shows 42 floors and 508 suites, while Wikipedia gives 40 storeys and 501 suites; I would go by the declaration. Suites run from about 382 to 1,405 sq ft, mostly one-bedroom, one-plus-den and two-bedroom plans.
The fee inclusions are broad: common elements, heat, hydro, air conditioning, parking, water and building insurance. That makes monthly costs predictable, but compare fees on an all-in basis when you weigh it against newer towers.
Practical notes
Union Station is about 0.4 km away and Longo’s about 0.3 km. North-facing suites look toward the Gardiner, and the former Toronto Star site directly east is being redeveloped as Pinnacle One Yonge, so expect construction nearby. I could not confirm which club facilities sit inside this tower and which are shared across the complex. More on my Pinnacle Centre page.
3. Library District, 170 Fort York Boulevard
What it offers
Library District is the CityPlace pick for first-time buyers who want thoughtful design on the west side of downtown. Context developed it in a joint venture with Toronto Community Housing, KPMB Architects designed it with Page + Steele / IBI Group, and it was completed in 2014.
The 29-storey tower and a three-storey glass amenity pavilion hold 364 suites. A Toronto Public Library branch sits next door, and Canoe Landing park is close by.
What it means for buyers
Suites are compact, about 381 to 828 sq ft, and the mix is mostly studios, one-bedrooms and one-plus-dens with a limited number of compact two-bedrooms. That is a narrow buyer pool for resale, but it is also the pool that is most active downtown.
Amenities include a concierge, gym, saunas, media room, party room with kitchen and bar, outdoor terrace, meeting room, guest suites and bike storage. Fees include heat, air conditioning, water, building insurance and parking.
Practical notes
The corporation is TSCC-2406, registered 23 September 2014. The 511 Bathurst streetcar stops steps away, Loblaws is about 0.2 km away, and Jean Lumb Public School is about 0.4 km away; confirm boundaries with the TDSB. See my Library District page.
4. Massey Tower, 197 Yonge Street
What it offers
Massey Tower is the character pick. MOD Developments built the 60-storey tower, designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects with ERA Architects on heritage, and it conserved the four-storey Canadian Bank of Commerce building designed by Darling & Pearson in 1905.
The restoration kept interior plaster mouldings and a circular mosaic floor. The tower also added backstage space to Massey Hall next door, and the base includes a ground-level glass retail pavilion with public open space.
What it means for buyers
UrbanToronto’s database lists 697 suites. Completion is dated 2018 by ERA and 2019 by Hariri Pontarini, which matters for rent control: Ontario exempts units first occupied after 15 November 2018 from the rent increase guideline, so check each unit’s history.
Parking is above ground and served by a vehicle elevator system. Ask how long retrieval takes at rush hour, and whether the corporation is responsible for maintaining the heritage fabric, which the declaration, budget and reserve fund study will show.
Practical notes
Queen station on Line 1 is a short walk south and CF Toronto Eaton Centre is across Yonge Street. The Elgin and Winter Garden theatres are nearby. Upper floors are angled to clear the helicopter flight path to St. Michael’s Hospital. My Massey Tower guide has the details.
5. One Bloor, 1 Bloor Street East
What it offers
One Bloor is the pick for a landmark address on top of the city’s busiest subway interchange. Bloor-Yonge station, where Lines 1 and 2 meet, is at the intersection.
Great Gulf developed it and Hariri Pontarini Architects designed it as a six-storey podium with a 70-storey residential tower above, 76 storeys and 257 metres in all. Construction began in August 2011, and completion is dated December 2017 by Wikipedia and 2018 by the architect.
What it means for buyers
Pre-construction marketing preserved on UrbanToronto described tower suites from about 530 to more than 1,700 sq ft. The suite count varies by source, from 700 to 789, so check the declaration.
The building shares a commercial podium of about 100,000 sq ft of retail. Ask whether there are reciprocal or cost-sharing agreements with the commercial owner, because I could not confirm them from public records.
Practical notes
It is often marketed as Yorkville, but the City places it in Church-Wellesley and TRREB places it in district C08. I did not confirm a full amenity list from a source I trust, so tour the amenity floors yourself. See my One Bloor guide.
The five at a glance
| Building | Builder, completed | Suites | Nearest rapid transit | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maple Leaf Square, 55 and 65 Bremner Blvd | Lanterra, around 2010 | 872 | Union Station, about 0.3 km | Groceries and transit in one building |
| Pinnacle Centre, 16 Yonge St | Pinnacle International, 2006 | 501 to 508 (sources differ) | Union Station, about 0.4 km | Amenity club, inclusive fees |
| Library District, 170 Fort York Blvd | Context, 2014 | 364 | 511 Bathurst streetcar, steps away | First-time buyers, design |
| Massey Tower, 197 Yonge St | MOD Developments, 2018 to 2019 | 697 | Queen station, short walk | Heritage character, theatres |
| One Bloor, 1 Bloor St E | Great Gulf, 2017 to 2018 | 700 to 789 (sources differ) | Bloor-Yonge (Lines 1 and 2) | Landmark tower, larger plans |
What this means if you’re buying or selling in Downtown Toronto
Downtown resale is a market of near-identical suites, so the building you choose sets your ceiling more than the neighbourhood does. A building with a clear advantage, such as a podium grocery store or a library next door, gives you something to point to when you sell.
Age shapes the risk. The 2006 and 2010 towers have long records you can read in reserve fund studies and fee histories. The towers completed around 2018 are still early in their lives, so look at whether the budget has caught up with real costs.
Tenancy is the other variable. Many downtown buildings are mostly leased, and short-term rental registrations vary widely by address. If you plan to live in the suite, check the rules on short-term rentals and how they are enforced. Toronto only allows short-term rentals in a principal residence, for up to 180 nights a year, but a condo’s own rules can be stricter.
Parking deserves its own line in your budget. Fees at Pinnacle Centre and Library District include parking, while Maple Leaf Square’s listed inclusions do not, and Massey Tower uses a vehicle elevator. Confirm the exact parking and locker units on title before you firm up.
Always read the status certificate with a lawyer before your condition date. If you already own downtown, my downtown condo value guide explains how I price a suite against its own building and its neighbours.
Free tool — AI condo value estimator
Condo Valuation
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Three quick steps. Condos don’t price like houses — your floor, your view, and whether you own parking move the number more than anything else. This weighs all of them.
Reading recent condo sales…
Estimated market value
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Most likely $0 · about $0 per square foot
What moved the number
Starting from what comparable units in your area sell for, here’s what your specifics added or subtracted.
Market context
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Two units, same floor plan,
$90,000 apart.
That happens constantly in condos — one has the parking, the right exposure, or a board that keeps the reserve fund healthy. A model can’t see your status certificate. I can.
Frequently asked questions
Which downtown Toronto condo is closest to Union Station?
Of these five, Maple Leaf Square at 55 and 65 Bremner Boulevard is closest, about 0.3 km in a straight line from Union Station, which serves Line 1, GO trains and UP Express. Pinnacle Centre at 16 Yonge Street is about 0.4 km away.
Which downtown condo on this list has the most amenities?
Pinnacle Centre at 16 Yonge Street. The Pinnacle Club list includes an indoor pool, whirlpool, fitness centre, saunas, squash and basketball courts, a tennis court, theatre, yoga studio, running track and guest suites. Some facilities may be shared across the four-tower complex, so confirm what this tower’s owners can use.
Is Library District a good first condo downtown?
It suits many first-time buyers. Suites are about 381 to 828 sq ft, mostly studios, one-bedrooms and one-plus-dens, and fees include heat, air conditioning, water, insurance and parking. The 511 Bathurst streetcar stops steps away and a public library branch is next door.
Is Massey Tower subject to rent control?
It depends on the unit. Ontario exempts units first occupied after 15 November 2018 from the rent increase guideline, and Massey Tower’s completion is dated 2018 by one architect and 2019 by another. Check the specific unit’s first occupancy date before you rely on either answer.
Is One Bloor in Yorkville?
It is often marketed that way, but the City of Toronto’s current map places it in Church-Wellesley, and TRREB includes it in district C08. It sits at the southeast corner of Yonge and Bloor, above Bloor-Yonge station where Lines 1 and 2 meet.
What should I check before buying a downtown Toronto condo?
Read the status certificate with a lawyer: reserve fund health, special assessments, legal claims, fee trend and rules on pets, leasing and short-term rentals. For mixed-use buildings like One Bloor and Maple Leaf Square, also ask about cost-sharing with the commercial or hotel owners.
Sources
- Maple Leaf Square, 55 and 65 Bremner Blvd — Jatin Dua
- Pinnacle Centre, 16 Yonge St — Jatin Dua
- Library District Condos, 170 Fort York Blvd — Jatin Dua
- Massey Tower, 197 Yonge Street guide — Jatin Dua
- One Bloor, 1 Bloor Street East guide — Jatin Dua
Related reading
- Top 5 Condos to Buy in Vaughan (Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, 2026)
- Top 5 Condos to Buy in Oakville (2026)
- Top 5 Condos to Buy in Markham (2026)
- Top 5 Condos to Buy in Etobicoke
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume. Every figure here comes from a published table, regulator or statute linked in the sources, so you can check all of it without asking me.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.