Brownstones on Bloor, 1-21 Ruttan St: Rooftop-Terrace Towns by the Railpath

Brownstones on Bloor is the kind of complex I recommend to buyers who have outgrown a condo but are not ready for a house. Lorbeth built 85 condo townhomes here in 2011 on a short street north of Bloor, and the best of them have three levels and a private rooftop terrace. You get house-style living with parking in the fee, in a neighbourhood that has changed a lot in the last decade. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Townhomes, not a tower

Brownstones on Bloor is a townhouse condominium: 85 suites across a low-rise complex on Ruttan Street, built by Lorbeth Development Corporation and registered in 2011. Condos.ca lists it at two floors, but that undersells some plans. A recent listing described a suite with a main living level, a bedroom level and a full third-floor room opening onto a rooftop terrace.

That stacked, house-like format is why buyers come here. You get separate floors for living and sleeping, a powder room on the main level in many plans, and in some suites a third room that works as an office, family room or guest space.

End and corner suites have windows on more than one side, and listings make a point of it. In any townhouse complex, interior suites can feel darker, so walk both kinds before you decide.

Live with the stairs before you commit. Three levels plus a rooftop is wonderful at 35 and harder at 75, and it makes moving furniture, carrying groceries from the garage and working from home on the top floor part of daily life. For most of the couples and young families who buy here, that is a fair trade for the space; for a downsizer, a single-level suite may be the better choice.

The rooftop terraces

The private rooftop terrace is the feature that sets these suites apart. Listings describe fully decked terraces with room for lounging and dining, and a barbecue on a dedicated gas line. Condos.ca lists barbecues as permitted and a rooftop deck among the amenities.

A terrace like this is a real asset, but it comes with responsibilities. Find out who maintains the decking and the roof membrane beneath it, how repairs are handled when the membrane needs work, and whether there are rules on planters, hot tubs or structures. These questions are answered in the declaration and the status certificate, not in the listing.

Some owners have also upgraded their own mechanical equipment. One listing mentioned an owned tankless water heater and a new air conditioner, which tells you that at least some of these systems sit with the owner rather than the corporation. Ask what you are inheriting and how old it is.

The Junction Triangle around you

Ruttan Street sits in the Junction Triangle, a neighbourhood bounded by rail lines on three sides, west of Lansdowne. It was industrial for most of the last century, making paint, ceramics and chemicals, and many of its factories have since been converted to lofts or cleared for new housing. The Nestlé plant on Sterling Road still operates, and on some days the area smells faintly of chocolate.

The neighbourhood’s best-known recent change is the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, which now occupies a repurposed aluminum factory originally built in 1919, and the West Toronto Railpath, a multi-use trail along the rail corridor. Bloor Street West is steps away for daily errands, and the panel on this page covers transit, including the GO and UP Express service in the area.

Pricing: townhouse space at condo cost

The nearest comparable is Bloor West Mews on St Helens Avenue, an older and much smaller townhouse complex from 1998 with 28 suites. Brownstones on Bloor is newer, larger and has more shared amenities, including guest suites and a party room, while Bloor West Mews offers ground-level terraces in a quieter, smaller community. Both include parking in the fee.

Condos.ca puts the complex’s average at about $800 per square foot. For a townhouse format with outdoor space and parking in the fee, that is below what many new mid-rise condos in the west end ask for a smaller suite with a balcony.

There was one suite listed for sale when I wrote this, so I won’t quote its price or fee; a single listing is not a fair picture of 85 suites. Prices here vary mainly with the plan: suites run from about 829 to 1,306 square feet, and a three-level corner unit with a rooftop terrace is a different product from a smaller interior suite.

The fee covers common elements, building insurance, parking and water, according to condos.ca. Heat, hydro and air conditioning appear to be your own. When you compare Brownstones on Bloor with a tower suite, add those utility costs back in, and when you compare it with a freehold, remember that the corporation handles the exterior. For the recent sold record, see the panel on this page, or book a call.

Building specifications

Amenities at Brownstones on Bloor

For a townhouse complex the shared package is generous: condos.ca lists a party room, a meeting room, guest suites, visitor parking and an underground garage. Guest suites are especially useful in townhomes, where the third room is often an office rather than a spare bedroom. Ask how they are booked and what they cost per night.

Jatin’s honest take on Brownstones on Bloor

Brownstones on Bloor — frequently asked questions

Looking at Queen West, Trinity-Bellwoods, Kensington and Little Italy more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.