155 Cumberland St: 15 Sky Homes Built on Top of a 1960s Bloor Office Tower

155 Cumberland is not a condo tower in the usual sense. It is a small set of very large homes built on the roof of a 1960s office building on Bloor Street West, with a separate entrance on Cumberland. Only 15 residences share the address, and that, more than any amenity, is what you are buying. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Homes on the roof of an office building

The building underneath is 130 Bloor Street West, an office building from the 1960s designed by Bregman + Hamann Architects. At the top of it sat the Torno penthouse, a private residence influenced by the work of Philip Johnson.

When KingSett Capital, the building’s owner, added new residences around 2010, Quadrangle Architects took the Torno penthouse as the starting point. The original penthouse was renovated and folded into the project, and the new suites were built above and around it.

The result reads as a separate building sitting on top of the office floors, finished in Indiana limestone with large glass walls facing north and south. The residential entrance is on Cumberland Street, so you do not come home through an office lobby.

Projects like this are rare in Toronto. Most luxury condos in Yorkville are purpose-built; this one is an addition to a working commercial building, which shapes both its appeal and the questions a buyer should ask.

Stepped terraces and two suites per floor at most

The suites step back like a staircase as the building rises, so each one gets its own private terrace. Reported terrace sizes run from about 800 to 5,000 square feet, which is extraordinary outdoor space for a location this central.

There are never more than two residences per floor, and many are full-floor homes. Reported interior sizes were roughly 3,500 to 6,000 square feet, with 11-foot ceilings, radiant in-floor heating and living and dining areas up to about 24 by 30 feet. Some suites were built with private gyms or wine cellars.

Because the floor plates are shared by so few owners, every residence has its own exposure and its own view. The north side looks over Yorkville; the south side looks toward the downtown core. Visit at different times of day before deciding which side suits you.

Many residences will have been customized by their first owners, so finishes and room layouts vary. Ask for the original plan and any permits or approvals for later renovations, especially where plumbing, terraces or heating were altered.

Living with an office building below

The building provides 24-hour concierge, secure underground parking and a discreet entrance. There is no gym, pool or party room listed for the residents, and in a building of 15 homes that is a deliberate choice rather than a shortcoming.

The more important point is how the residential corporation shares the structure with the office building below. Roof, structure, mechanical systems, parking and access are likely governed by shared facilities and cost-sharing agreements. Those agreements decide who maintains what, who pays and how disputes are settled, and they matter far more here than in a stand-alone condo.

Weekday office traffic on Bloor is part of the setting, but the Cumberland entrance keeps it at arm’s length. Bloor Street’s shops, the Royal Ontario Museum and Yorkville’s restaurants are all a short walk away.

Who is really competing for these homes

Buyers at this level are usually choosing between three things: a house in Rosedale or Forest Hill, a full-service tower in Yorkville, or a small boutique building like this one. 155 Cumberland sits closest to the house option. You get house-sized rooms and a private outdoor space, but someone else handles the snow, the roof and the security.

Against a new full-service tower, you give up the pool, spa and staffed amenity floors, and you gain a far smaller group of neighbours and floor plates that were not designed around maximizing suite count. Against a house, you give up land and the right to change the exterior, and you gain a lock-and-leave home on Bloor Street.

The architecture is the other reason people choose it. The Globe and Mail reported that other architects praised the addition as genuine architecture rather than standard condo design, and the limestone and glass treatment has aged into the street rather than standing out from it.

Pricing at the very top of Yorkville

The building has averaged about $1,910 per square foot, which places it among the most expensive condominiums in Toronto on that measure. When the residences were first offered, reported prices ran from roughly $3.5 million to $6 million.

With only 15 homes, sales are infrequent and each one can move the average sharply. Treat any building-level figure as a rough guide and expect pricing to rest on the specific residence: its floor, terrace, renovation and view.

Fees include common elements, building insurance, parking and water. Heat and hydro are not listed as included, so ask for actual utility costs for the suite you are considering. In a building with so few owners, each residence carries a large share of the common costs, and fees will be correspondingly high in dollar terms. Ask for the corporation’s budget and the percentage share assigned to your suite, since that determines your fee directly.

No suites were listed for sale or lease when this review was written. If you want to be told when one comes up, or want a view of what similar Yorkville residences have traded for, book a call.

Building specifications

Amenities at 155 Cumberland

The building offers service and security rather than shared facilities. Your terrace is the amenity, and some residences have their own gym or wine cellar inside the suite.

Jatin’s honest take on 155 Cumberland

155 Cumberland — frequently asked questions

Looking at Yorkville, the Annex and Midtown more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.