Clock Tower Lofts, 700 King St W: High Ceilings at King and Bathurst

Clock Tower Lofts is the building every cab driver at King and Bathurst can point to, and that clock is not just decoration: the penthouses sit right behind it. Inside, you get ceilings of about 11.5 feet, oversized windows and hallways wider than any new tower would build. What you do not get is a balcony, and that one fact decides who should buy here. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A corner with a long history, and two names

You will see this building marketed as both Clock Tower Lofts and Westside Lofts. They are the same address. The clock tower itself has history: according to the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario, it was first added in 1907 by architect George Martel Miller, who also designed the Gladstone Hotel, and the site was home to the Toronto Lithographing Company and later a piano factory before it became residential lofts.

Sources do not fully agree on the details. One local loft specialist describes the building as a former office building converted in 2000, while the interior design write-up describes the industrial history. Sources also conflict on the developer: condos.ca lists Urban Group, and another source names Peregrine Hunter. The storey and suite counts vary too, with condos.ca listing 14 storeys and 216 suites and another source listing 13 storeys and 210 lofts.

None of that changes how the building lives, but it does matter for what you are buying. If you want a true brick-and-beam hard loft, ask to see the structure in the specific suite. This is a large conversion with a mix of finishes, not a single uniform warehouse floor plate.

Ceilings, windows and the missing balcony

The reason to buy here is volume. Ceilings of about 11.5 feet are described across the building, with taller ceilings in some suites, and the windows are oversized. Combined with the wide corridors, the building feels more generous than a modern tower at the same square footage.

The suite range is wide, roughly 674 to 2,717 sq ft, from one-bedrooms up to large penthouses. The penthouses behind the clock are the building’s signature suites, and the ones I would ask about first if budget allows.

Because the range is so wide, the building has two quite different buyer pools. The smaller suites compete with every one-bedroom in King West, while the large suites compete with houses and hard lofts. Know which pool your suite sits in before you price an offer or plan a resale.

The catch is outdoor space. Suites here do not have balconies. A rooftop deck partly makes up for that, and some buyers do not mind at all, but if you have a dog, a barbecue habit or a strong need for fresh air from your own door, this is the wrong building for you. I would rather tell you that now than after you have bought.

A redesigned front door

The building’s lobby and entrance were redone by the Toronto design firm Bortolotto, and the project was featured as an ARIDO award in 2022. The team rebuilt the lobby’s floors, ceilings and walls, made it accessible, and added a steel ceiling laser-cut with a clock-inspired pattern that runs from the outside canopy to the elevators. The red exterior was also repainted grey, which lets the clock tower stand out.

That matters to resale more than buyers think. A tired lobby makes a 25-year-old building feel its age, and a fresh one tells buyers the board is willing to invest. The rooftop lounge has also been redone, according to one local loft source. Ask what those projects cost and how they were funded, from the reserve fund, a special assessment or both.

Living at King and Bathurst

This is one of the busiest corners in the west end of downtown. King West’s restaurants and bars run east, Queen West is a short walk north, and the Niagara pocket and Liberty Village are to the west and south-west. Groceries, gyms and coffee are all close by.

The King Street Transit Priority Corridor, which gives streetcars priority over private cars, runs from Bathurst east to Jarvis, so this building sits at its western end. City Council made it permanent in April 2019. For daily transit times, schools and Walk Score, see the data panel on this page.

The noise is real. Suites facing King or Bathurst hear streetcars and traffic, and the corner is lively late on weekends. Suites facing north or west, or higher up, are calmer. Ask which way a suite faces and visit at night before you commit.

What Clock Tower Lofts costs

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $763 per square foot. For a large loft conversion at one of downtown’s best-known corners, that is moderate, partly because the suites run large and partly because buyers discount for the lack of balconies. Bigger suites almost always trade for less per square foot than small ones, so compare like with like.

When I checked, no suites were listed for sale and three were listed for lease, so you may need patience. Fees here are described as higher than average, but they include heat, air conditioning, water, building insurance and parking as well as common elements, plus a 24-hour concierge. Hydro is not listed as included, so expect your own bill.

Before you compare fees with a newer tower nearby, add back that building’s heating, cooling and parking costs. On a total-cost basis, the gap is usually smaller than it looks. For what similar suites here have actually traded for, I can pull the numbers through my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Clock Tower Lofts

The amenities are a classic package for a building of this era: a 24-hour concierge, a gym with saunas, a party room with a kitchen, a billiards room and a rooftop deck. With no balconies, the rooftop does more work here than in most buildings, so check its condition and booking rules.

Jatin’s honest take on Clock Tower Lofts

Clock Tower Lofts — 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.