Clear Spirit, 70 Distillery Ln: The Zig-Zag Tower in the Distillery

Clear Spirit is the building for people who want to live inside the Distillery District rather than near it. You step out of the lobby onto Victorian brick lanes, and the tower’s zig-zag balconies are one of the easiest buildings in the east end to pick out from a distance. The fee covers more than most, but you are buying into one of the busiest tourist spots in the city, and that is not for everyone. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

The zig-zag balconies

The feature everyone notices is the balcony pattern. UrbanToronto explained how it works: architectsAlliance alternated clear and fritted glass on every second floor, and the glass type changes at crimps in the balcony slab edges, which creates the zig-zag. It shows best against a blue sky, and it is why people can name this tower from across the harbour.

The wraparound balconies and terraces were designed to catch light at different angles. In practical terms, that means many suites have outdoor space on more than one side, which is a real plus. It also means more glass and more balcony edge to maintain over time.

A modern tower that bows to the brick

The Distillery District is the best-preserved collection of Victorian industrial buildings in the city. Clear Spirit does not compete with it at street level. Tall, slender columns come down to meet a red brick podium that references the old industrial buildings, so on the lane the building reads as part of the district rather than an intrusion.

Clear Spirit is part of a cluster built by Cityscape and Dundee Realty. Pure Spirit at 33 Mill Street came first, and The Gooderham at 390 Cherry Street followed with a variation on the same balcony theme. If you are shopping the Distillery, view all three; they share a developer, but the fees, layouts and age differ.

Living in a tourist district

This is the honest part. The lanes are pedestrian-focused, the restaurants and galleries are at your door, and on weekends and during big events such as the winter Christmas market, the district fills with visitors. Some residents love that; others find it wearing. Visit on a Saturday in December before you commit.

Driving takes more planning than in a normal street-front building, because access is through the district’s lanes. That makes the parking included in the fee more valuable than it would be elsewhere.

Beyond the district, the West Don Lands, Corktown Common and the Canary District are a short walk east, and the St. Lawrence Market is a walk west. The area has changed a great deal since 2013, and more development is coming to the east, so check what is planned around your view.

Layouts and outdoor space

Suites run from about 524 to 1,871 sq ft. Most of what comes to market are one-bedrooms just over 500 sq ft and two-bedrooms in the 800s, with a smaller number of larger suites on the upper floors. Those larger suites, with balconies wrapping more than one side, are the ones I would look at first if you plan to live here for a while.

The one-bedrooms are compact. They work well for a single professional or as a rental, but there is not much room for a home office. If you work from home, look at a two-bedroom or a larger one-plus-den, and check which way the balcony faces, because a south or west outlook over the district and the lake is very different from a north view over the rail lands.

Because the tower sits within a heritage district, you are unlikely to see a tall building rise right beside the base. But the district’s edges are a different story. New development to the north and east will change some views over time, so ask what has been approved near your side of the tower.

Two internet providers are listed in the building, Beanfield and FibreStream. That is a small thing, but competition on internet service is useful in a building this size, especially if you work from home.

Pricing and the all-in fee

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $891 per square foot. For a 2013 tower in a unique heritage setting with parking in the fee, I think that is a fair number.

Across current listings the fee works out to about $1.01 per square foot, and the one-bedrooms carry fees of roughly $525 to $690 a month. That is higher than some neighbours, but the inclusion list is long: heat, air conditioning, water and parking are all covered. Once you add a parking spot and utility bills to a building that charges separately, the gap closes.

There is good choice right now. One-bedroom suites in the 500 to 599 sq ft range are asking from about $430,000 to $579,000, and two-bedroom suites from about $760,000 to $1.06 million. The data panel beside this review shows what has actually sold and leased.

Supply is healthy for a building of 344 suites, which is good for buyers: you can compare several one-bedrooms side by side and negotiate. For sellers, it means the asking price has to be right on the first day. Price-sensitive buyers should also look at the other Cityscape buildings nearby, since their fee structures differ and that can change the monthly cost of a similar-sized suite by a meaningful amount. Ask for each building’s current fee per square foot and what it includes before you decide.

Building specifications

Amenities at Clear Spirit

The amenity package is modest: a concierge, guest suites, a party room and an outdoor patio, with two fibre providers in the building. The district outside is the real amenity, so do not choose Clear Spirit for its gym.

Jatin’s honest take on Clear Spirit

Clear Spirit — frequently asked questions

Looking at St. Lawrence, the Financial District and Downtown Yonge more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.