70 Erskine Ave: A 32-Suite Boutique Condo Among Midtown’s New Towers

70 Erskine Avenue is one of the smallest condo buildings in the Yonge and Eglinton area, and one of the few where the cheapest suite is still close to 1,000 square feet. It has 32 suites, six storeys, and a fee that covers heat, hydro, cable and parking. There is no gym, no pool and no party room, and for the right buyer that is exactly the appeal. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A small building on a street of towers

Erskine Avenue sits just north of Eglinton, east of Yonge, and over the past decade it has filled with high-rises such as Tridel’s 32-storey 101 Erskine. 70 Erskine is the opposite: a six-storey building with 32 suites, registered in 1978, that predates the condo boom around it by decades.

That contrast is the main thing to understand before you buy. You get a quiet, low building where you will know most of your neighbours, on a street where new density keeps arriving. UrbanToronto lists a proposed 42-storey condominium and rental-replacement tower by Fora Developments at 77 Erskine, on the south side of the street. Check where that and any other application stands, because a new tower near a six-storey building can change light, views and years of street life.

With only 32 owners, decisions are made by a small group, and every major repair is shared among few people. That can work very well in a well-run building and very badly in a poorly run one, which is why the paperwork matters more here than usual.

Suites that start where most condos stop

Condos.ca lists suite sizes from about 949 to 1,641 square feet. In a neighbourhood where many new one-bedrooms are under 600 square feet, that makes this building a quiet alternative for anyone who needs real space: couples who work from home, downsizers bringing furniture from a house, or a small family.

I could not find published floor plans or ceiling heights. Expect layouts from the late 1970s: separate kitchens, defined dining areas and more closet space than a new build, unless an owner has renovated. Ask for the plan and the measured size, and check what has been changed inside the suite.

Six storeys means views are limited. Exposure, light and what you face are the questions to ask, not the floor number. Top-floor suites and those facing away from the busiest frontages will usually be the most sought after.

What the fee covers, and what it does not

Condos.ca lists the fee as covering common elements, heat, hydro, cable TV, building insurance, parking and water. That is close to an all-in housing cost. Air conditioning is not on that list, so ask how the suite is cooled and who pays for it.

The amenity list is short: a parking garage, visitor parking and a security system. There is no concierge listed. In practical terms, you are paying for the building envelope, the utilities and the garage, not for staff or recreation rooms. For buyers who never used the gym in their last building, that is money saved.

Because the corporation pays the utilities, its budget is exposed to energy prices. In a small building, a jump in heating or hydro costs is spread across only 32 suites, so look at how that line has moved over the past few years.

Daily life at Yonge and Eglinton

You are a short walk from the shops, restaurants, cinemas and services around Yonge and Eglinton, and from the quieter residential streets of North Toronto to the east. For most errands, you will not need the car, even though parking comes with the fee.

The trade-off is that the area around the intersection has been one long construction zone for years as towers and transit work have gone in. Visit at different times of day to see how the street feels. The transit, school and walkability details are in the data panel on this page.

What 70 Erskine costs

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $712 per square foot. That is well below what new midtown towers trade at, and the reasons are clear: age, no amenities, and a building that people choose for space rather than for status.

There were no suites listed for sale or for rent when I checked. In a 32-suite building that is normal, and it means you may wait months for the right suite. When one comes up, the comparables are thin, so recent sales in the building and in similar older midtown mid-rises matter more than the building average.

For context, new towers on the same street such as 101 Erskine were sold on studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms with 9-foot ceilings and a rooftop pool. They compete for a different buyer. At 70 Erskine, the price per square foot is lower because you are buying space and a utility-inclusive fee rather than finishes and amenities, and on a large suite that difference adds up to a lot of money.

To compare fees fairly, add back the hydro, heating, cable and parking you would pay separately in most newer buildings. A higher fee here can still mean a lower total monthly cost.

Small-building averages move on very few sales. If you want to see the aggregate sold figures, my building sold report pulls them from the MLS system.

Building specifications

Amenities at 70 Erskine Avenue Condos

There is very little here beyond the garage, visitor parking and a security system. For daily life, the neighbourhood does the work an amenity floor would do in a newer tower, and your fee is not paying for rooms you might not use.

Jatin’s honest take on 70 Erskine Avenue Condos

70 Erskine Avenue Condos — frequently asked questions

Looking at Yonge & Eglinton, Davisville and North Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.