1701-1705 McCowan Rd: A 1982 Mid-Rise Near the Future Subway

1701, 1703 and 1705 McCowan Road is a building I watch because of what is being built down the street. It is a modest 1982 mid-rise of 152 suites near Sheppard and McCowan, which is where the City’s Line 2 subway extension will have its new terminus. Today it is one of the more affordable ways to own a two- or three-bedroom condo in Scarborough; the question is how much of the future you are paying for. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Three addresses, one corporation

The building carries three street numbers, 1701, 1703 and 1705 McCowan Road, but it is a single condominium, MTCC-581, registered in June 1982. That matters when you search: listings can appear under any of the three addresses, and they all share one budget, one reserve fund and one board.

At five storeys and 152 suites, it is a long, low building rather than a tower. That generally means more suites per floor, longer corridors and more exterior wall and roof to maintain per suite than a tower of the same size. It also means a calmer, lower-density feel than the high-rises that are now rising around Scarborough’s main corridors.

Condos.ca does not name a developer, and I could not confirm one or an architect from another source. Comfort Property Management currently manages the building, according to condos.ca.

The subway terminus down the road

This is the real story. The City of Toronto’s Line 2 East extension will run 7.8 km from Kennedy Station to a new terminus station at Sheppard Avenue East and McCowan Road, with stops at Lawrence and McCowan and at Scarborough Centre along the way. Construction is underway, though the City’s page does not give an opening date.

For a building near Sheppard and McCowan, a subway terminus is about as significant a change as Toronto transit offers. Terminus stations draw buses from across the area and tend to attract new development around them. Expect years of construction nearby, and expect the planning conversation around this intersection to keep changing.

For buyers, the honest framing is this: the subway is a long-term positive for demand, but it is not open yet and the timeline is not fixed. Buy here because the suite works for you today, and treat the subway as upside rather than the whole case. The panel on this page shows today’s transit options.

Suites and what to verify

Condos.ca records a suite range topping out at about 1,097 sq ft. Its lower figure, 109 sq ft, is obviously a data error, so do not rely on the range. Current listings include two-bedroom, two-bedroom-plus-den and three-bedroom plans, which tells you this is a family-sized building.

Ask for a floor plan or a measurement of any suite you are considering, and price your offer on its actual area. Expect 1980s finishes in suites that have not been updated, and check the age of the windows and balcony doors in the suite itself.

Condos.ca lists a gym, party room, meeting room, recreation room, a security system and visitor parking, and BBQs are permitted. For a five-storey building of this age, that is a reasonable package.

In a long, low building, location within the building matters more than in a tower. Ask which of the three entrances serves the suite, how far it is from the elevator and the parking, and whether it faces McCowan Road or the quieter side. Those details shape daily life and resale more than the floor number does.

The fee: read the inclusions carefully

Condos.ca lists only heat and water as included in the fee. It does not list building insurance, common elements or parking, which is unusual, since every corporation pays for its common elements and insurance out of the fee. That is almost certainly incomplete data, but it means you should confirm the full inclusion list, and especially parking, in the status certificate.

Fees on the three current listings were all close to $660 a month. Hydro is not listed as included, so budget for your own electricity, and ask whether air conditioning is through an in-suite unit you pay to run. Cable and internet are also yours unless the corporation has a bulk agreement.

A fee of about $660 a month with only heat and water confirmed is hard to judge in isolation. Once you have the full inclusion list and the current budget, compare the fee per square foot against other 1980s mid-rises in Agincourt on a like-for-like basis, and look at how the fee has moved over the last few years.

What 1701-1705 McCowan costs

When I checked, three suites were for sale, asking between $399,900 and $419,900, and three were for lease. That is a tight range, and a low one for suites of this size in Toronto.

Condos.ca does not publish a building average per square foot here, and with an unreliable size range I would not calculate one from the listings. For what suites have actually sold for, use the sold data in the panel on this page, or ask me for a building sold report.

When you compare this building with a newer one near the future station, compare total monthly cost. A newer suite will usually be smaller, cost more per square foot, and carry its own utility bills, while this building gives you more space for less money and older finishes.

Building specifications

Amenities at 1701, 1703, 1705 McCowan Condos

The package is practical: a gym, a party room and a recreation room for everyday use, with BBQs allowed. It will not compete with the amenity floors of new towers nearby, but it also does not load the fee with a pool or concierge.

Jatin’s honest take on 1701, 1703, 1705 McCowan Condos

1701, 1703, 1705 McCowan Condos — frequently asked questions

Looking at Agincourt, L’Amoreaux, Milliken, Dorset Park and Wexford in Scarborough more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.