Colours of Emerald City, 52 Forest Manor Rd: The Mid-Rise of the Block

Colours of Emerald City is the mid-rise in a neighbourhood of towers, and for the right buyer that is its best feature. At 13 storeys it is the smallest of the three buildings that went up together on its block, its suites are compact, and its fee covers nearly every utility except hydro. It is one of the more predictable ways to own near Fairview Mall. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

The first of three buildings on one block

Emerald City is ELAD Canada’s master-planned community in the Parkway Forest area, south of Sheppard Avenue East and Don Mills Road. Colours sits on the block bounded by Don Mills Road, George Henry Boulevard, Forest Manor Road and Helen Lu Road, and UrbanToronto reported it as the first of three new phases on that block to rise above grade, back in 2016.

Its neighbours on the block are Fifth on the Park, a 24-storey tower, and The Park Club, a 33-storey tower at Forest Manor and George Henry. WZMH Architects designed all three. Colours takes the west end of the block, fronting Don Mills Road.

One practical detail matters for owners: the whole block was excavated at once, and the three buildings sit over one shared underground parking structure. Shared garages usually come with a shared-facilities agreement between corporations, which governs how costs such as membrane repairs and ramp maintenance are split. Ask for it.

Compact suites, mostly one-bedroom and one-plus-den

Condos.ca lists suites from about 495 to 840 square feet. The suites for sale when I checked were all compact one-bedroom and one-plus-den plans, which tells you where the building’s weight sits. It is a building of small suites, aimed at first-time buyers, single professionals and investors.

In plans this size, the den is the thing to scrutinize. Some dens are a true second sleeping space or office; others are an alcove off the living room. Walk the space with furniture sizes in mind, and check where the windows face, because on a mid-rise next to two taller towers, orientation and outlook vary a lot from suite to suite.

The 13-storey height has its own appeal. Fewer floors means fewer people per elevator and a quieter lobby than you will find in the 30-storey towers around it, though the upper-floor views are naturally more limited.

A community built around a park and a community centre

What sets Emerald City apart from a standalone tower is the public space that came with it. The redevelopment included the rebuilt Parkway Forest Community Centre, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, whose second phase added an outdoor pool and pavilion. NextHome described it as the largest community centre in North York, with a gym, running track, rooftop garden space and a YMCA-run daycare.

Fairview Mall and Don Mills subway station sit to the north, and the automatic panel on this page shows the transit details. For daily life, the combination of a major mall, a subway terminus and a large community centre within the same neighbourhood is the main reason people choose this area over the Yonge corridor.

The area is still growing. Three final towers of 15, 24 and 33 storeys on the next block, The Peak, The Point and Lumina, broke ground in 2018, so expect the neighbourhood to keep filling in.

Why the all-in fee matters in a building of small suites

Bundled utilities are the defining financial feature here. With heat, water, air conditioning and parking in the fee, your monthly cost is close to fixed: the fee plus hydro, internet and insurance on your contents. For a first-time buyer qualifying on a tight budget, that predictability is worth something real.

The other side is that the corporation, not you, carries the energy bill. When gas and water rates rise, or the building’s heating and cooling equipment needs work, it shows up in the fee for everyone, regardless of how carefully you use it. That is why the fee history matters as much as the current number.

Small suites also make fees look high per square foot, because elevators, concierge, insurance and the pool cost the same whether a suite is 500 or 900 square feet. Compare the total monthly cost of owning here against a newer building where parking, heat and water are each billed separately, not just the fee on its own.

When I checked, there were five suites for sale and four for lease, a fairly even split that suggests a mix of owner-occupiers and investors rather than a building dominated by either.

Pricing and fees: what the numbers mean

Condos.ca puts the building’s average at about $745 per square foot. That sits close to Vivo Condos on Fairview Mall Drive at about $734 and below The Park Club next door at about $783, so Colours is priced in line with this part of North York rather than at a premium.

When I checked, five suites were listed for sale, asking from $349,000 to $475,000. Fees on those listings ranged from about $531 to $740 a month, which condos.ca works out to roughly $1.14 per square foot on average. That looks high until you read the inclusions: heat, water, air conditioning and parking are all in the fee, and only hydro is on you.

At The Park Club next door, condos.ca does not list parking or water as included. If you are comparing the two, add those back before deciding which is cheaper to carry. For actual recent sale figures here, I can prepare aggregates in a building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Colours of Emerald City

Condos.ca lists an indoor pool, concierge, guest suites, meeting and party rooms, bike storage and FibreStream internet. Because three buildings share this block, confirm which facilities belong to this corporation and which are shared, since that affects both access and who pays for upkeep.

Jatin’s honest take on Colours of Emerald City

Colours of Emerald City — 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.