Bayview Mansions, 2 Clairtrell Rd: A 14-Storey Option Near Bayview Village

Bayview Mansions is a mid-rise building in a part of North York dominated by towers. It has 14 storeys and 137 suites on Clairtrell Road, near Bayview and Sheppard, and a surprising share of its listings are three-bedrooms. The fee covers heat, cooling and parking, and the price per square foot sits below most of its neighbours. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A mid-rise among towers

At 14 storeys and 137 suites, Bayview Mansions is about half the height of the typical tower around Yonge and Sheppard. That changes daily life: fewer neighbours sharing elevators, a smaller lobby, and a board that is easier to follow.

There is also a second building. Condos.ca lists 1 Clairtrell Road separately as Bayview Mansions II. The two are usually discussed together, but they are not the same corporation, so check the corporation number on any listing.

I could not confirm the developer or architect from any source I checked, and condos.ca leaves the developer field blank. If that matters to you, the original declaration in the status certificate package will name the declarant.

Three-bedroom suites, which are hard to find here

Condos.ca gives a suite range of about 481 to 1,675 square feet. Of the three suites for sale when I checked, two were three-bedrooms; the third was a one-bedroom in the 500s. New towers near Bayview and Sheppard rarely build three-bedroom plans, so this building fills a gap.

That makes it worth a look for families who want to stay near Bayview Village and the Sheppard subway without buying a house, and for downsizers who want a guest room and an office. Larger suites also tend to turn over less often, so when a good one comes up, it is worth moving quickly.

I could not find published ceiling heights. Ask for the floor plan and check the age of the kitchen, bathrooms and flooring, since many suites will still have their original 2003 finishes.

What a 2003 mid-rise needs from its owners

Mid-rise buildings are simpler than towers in some ways and harder in others. There are fewer elevators and less mechanical equipment to maintain, but the big items, such as the roof, the windows, the garage membrane and the central heating and cooling plant, still have to be paid for by 137 owners instead of 300 or 400.

At more than 20 years old, Bayview Mansions is in the period when original systems start to come due. A well-run building will have a recent reserve fund study, a plan for those replacements and contributions that keep pace with it. A less well-run one will have deferred work and a fee that looks low until the next special assessment. Neither is visible from the lobby, which is why I always read the status certificate before an offer is final.

Condos.ca lists Times Property Management as the manager. Ask how long they have managed the building, look at the last two years of board minutes, and check whether the annual budget has had to rise sharply. Steady, modest increases are usually a better sign than a fee that has been frozen for years.

Bayview and Sheppard, day to day

Clairtrell Road is a side street close to Bayview and Sheppard, which keeps the building away from the main traffic. Bayview Village Shopping Centre, which opened in 1963 at the northeast corner of Bayview and Sheppard, is the local shopping anchor, and Line 4 Sheppard runs under Sheppard Avenue with a station at Bayview.

The area is a mix. North of Sheppard, Bayview Village is a planned 1950s neighbourhood of single-family homes on curving streets. Along Sheppard and south of it towards the 401, high-rise condos have kept going up, and that will continue. Check what is proposed on nearby lots if a view or quiet matters to you.

For buyers coming from a house in Bayview Village, that contrast is the appeal. You can stay within reach of the same shopping centre, parks and streets you already know, trade the yard and the snow shovelling for a suite with heat and parking in the fee, and still be on the subway line. Walk from the building to Bayview Village Shopping Centre and to the station yourself before you decide.

The data panel on this page covers transit, schools, parks and food in more detail.

The lowest price per square foot on my list, with a broad fee

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $661 per square foot. That is lower than the 2003 and 2004 towers I cover around Yonge and the 401, which sit closer to $700 to $725. Part of that is size, because larger suites sell for less per square foot, and part is that a mid-rise without a large amenity package is priced as a practical building rather than a resort.

The fee is one of the more complete ones. Condos.ca lists air conditioning, common elements, heat, building insurance, parking and water, so hydro is the main cost on your own account. Compare that against a newer building that bills heating, cooling and parking separately before deciding which is cheaper to own.

Three suites were for sale when I checked, asking between $480,000 and $1,029,000, with fees between $665 and $1,593 a month. The higher figures are the three-bedrooms. For recent sale and lease figures, use the data panel on this page or my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Bayview Mansions

Condos.ca lists a security guard, a security system, a sauna, visitor parking, an underground garage and permission to barbecue. It is a modest list, which keeps the shared costs simpler, and the shopping centre and parks nearby do much of the rest.

Jatin’s honest take on Bayview Mansions

Bayview Mansions — frequently asked questions

Looking at Willowdale, Yonge & Sheppard, Bayview Village and North York Centre more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.