Condominiums of Forest Hill Village, 317 Lonsdale Rd: 12 Suites, Car Lift

Condominiums of Forest Hill Village is the answer for a buyer who wants to live on the village stretch of Lonsdale Road and will not consider a tower. It is two three-storey, brownstone-style buildings at 317 and 319 Lonsdale, turned into 12 condominium suites around 2010, with a car elevator down to the garage and an elevator up to the suites. It is a lovely format with a few mechanical quirks you need to understand before you buy. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Old walk-ups, new condominium: what the record actually says

Sources disagree on the building’s age, and the disagreement tells you what kind of building this is. Condos.ca records it as built in 2010, which matches the registration of TSCC-2077 in May 2010. A recent listing describes 317 and 319 Lonsdale as brownstone-inspired apartment buildings dating from 1927, later converted to condominium. The UrbanToronto forum thread from 2009 and 2010 also calls it a historic conversion.

My reading is that you are buying into a 2010 condominium built inside, or rebuilt from, two late-1920s walk-ups. That matters, because the structure, the masonry and the systems may not all be the same age. Ask for the reserve fund study and look at how it treats the original elements versus the 2010 work.

The developer, according to the forum thread, was ANEW Building Corp, a builder known for custom infill homes. The street context is strong: Russell Hill Apartments at 310 Lonsdale, across the road, is a 1927 period-revival walk-up by architect Raymond Card and is listed on the City’s heritage inventory. This is a street of buildings of that age and type, and the conversion was designed to sit among them.

Two-storey suites, rooftop terraces and a car elevator

Suites are large for a building this size, from about 1,310 sq ft to about 2,146 sq ft. Top-floor suites can be two levels with a rooftop terrace. One recent listing described a two-level plan of about 1,475 sq ft with vaulted ceilings, a gas fireplace and a southwest-facing rooftop terrace of roughly 260 sq ft with a gas barbecue hookup and water.

Finishes vary from suite to suite. When the building opened, at least one forum commenter thought the original finishes were plainer than the address suggested, while recent listings show suites that owners have since upgraded with custom millwork and premium appliances. Price the renovation, not just the square footage.

The feature people remember is the parking. Cars go down to the underground garage by car elevator rather than by ramp, and a semi-private elevator runs from the garage up to the suites. Listings also mention a heated driveway. It solves the problem of putting a garage under a narrow village lot, and it is convenient day to day.

It is also machinery, and machinery wears out. A car lift and a heated driveway both have maintenance contracts, repair bills and an eventual replacement date. I would want to see how often the car lift has been out of service, what it costs to maintain and how the reserve fund plans for it. One forum commenter thought the car lift felt out of place on the street; I think the practical question matters more than the aesthetic one.

Living on the village stretch of Lonsdale

This is the part of Forest Hill where you can do most of your errands on foot. The cafés, restaurants and shops of Forest Hill Village are along Spadina Road and Lonsdale, and listings point out that fitness studios and a gym sit directly across the street.

Cedarvale Ravine and the Nordheimer Ravine are close enough for regular walks, which is unusual for a location this central. The flip side of a village location is that the street can be busy at times. If you are sensitive to noise, visit in the evening and on a weekend morning.

The building lists visitor parking, an enter-phone system, a security system and permission for barbecues. It also notes a pet restriction. I could not confirm the details, so read the declaration and rules before you buy if you have a pet. Transit, schools and Walk Score are shown in the data panel on this page.

Pricing and fees at 317 and 319 Lonsdale

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $788 per square foot. That is roughly half what the newest buildings nearby average: One Forest Hill at 1 Forest Hill Road sits around $1,642 and Forest Hill Private Residences at 2 Forest Hill Road around $1,622. You are buying older bones and a walk-up format, and the price reflects it.

When I checked, two suites were listed for sale, asking between about $1,049,000 and $1,549,900. Their listed maintenance fees ran from about $1,764 to $1,848 a month. Nothing was offered for lease.

Those fees are high for a building that lists only common elements, building insurance and water as included, and on suites of this size they likely work out to more than $1 per square foot. Some listings also count the parking space and locker as part of the fee. Part of the explanation is scale: twelve owners share the cost of the car lift, the elevator, the heated driveway and the management contract. Ask for the budget and see where the money goes. For the recorded resale history, ask me for the building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Condominiums of Forest Hill Village

There is no gym, pool or party room, and with 12 suites you would not expect one. The amenities here are about convenience, getting the car in and out and getting yourself and your groceries up to the suite, with the village doing the rest.

Jatin’s honest take on Condominiums of Forest Hill Village

Condominiums of Forest Hill Village — frequently asked questions

Looking at Yorkville, the Annex and Midtown more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.