Design Haus, 181 Huron St: A Rebuilt Heritage Base at College and Huron

Design Haus sits on one of the busiest student corners in the city, across College Street from the University of Toronto, and most buyers here are thinking about students one way or another. What sets it apart is the base: the facades of the old three-storey brick building on the corner were rebuilt in precast brick, so the street still looks familiar. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A rebuilt heritage corner

Before construction, the corner held a three-storey red-brick heritage building. Rather than keep a thin slice of the original wall, the street facades were rebuilt at the base of the tower using precast brick panels that replicate the old design, including a row of patterned terracotta reliefs below the third-storey windows.

Above the base, the tower is clad in a window-wall system with spandrel glass in a grid of grey mullions. Marketing material described the mix of red brick, white precast accents and glass as a blend of old and new, meant to fit the university setting. The base is the part that works best; it keeps the corner reading as a main-street building at eye level.

Demolition began in late 2017, the two-level underground garage was formed by late 2018, and the structure topped out in summer 2019. The corporation registered in March 2021, so the building now has several years of operating history to review.

Sources disagree on height and suite count

Published figures for Design Haus do not line up. Condos.ca lists 19 storeys and 124 suites. UrbanToronto’s database gives 19 storeys at about 52 metres, but describes 116 residences in one place and 154 units in another. A 2019 UrbanToronto construction update said 18 storeys, one more than the 17 originally approved, and early sales material said 17.

The most likely explanation is a mix of approved, marketed and as-built figures, plus differences in whether mechanical levels are counted. For a buyer, the number that matters is in the status certificate and the declaration, which will give the actual suite count used to divide shared costs.

Kirkor Architects and Planners is the architect of record, with Clifford Korman named as design architect in marketing, and U31 credited for interiors. Shiu Pong developed the building and its own management company, Shiu Pong Management, runs it, which is less common than hiring a third-party manager.

Builder-affiliated management can work well, because the manager knows the building from the ground up. It also means the owners’ board should be clear about how the contract is reviewed and when it is renewed. Ask for the management agreement, its term and how fees have changed since registration, and read the last two years of board minutes.

Compact suites built for the university market

Condos.ca puts suite sizes at about 328 to 878 square feet. Sales material described a range from studios up to three-bedroom plans, but with a top size under 900 square feet, the larger plans here are compact by family standards.

Sales material also described eight- or nine-foot ceilings in the main living areas depending on the floor, quartz counters, walk-in showers with glass doors and built-in kitchen appliances. Confirm the ceiling height of the specific suite, since it changes by level.

The smallest studios, at a little over 300 square feet, are essentially student or pied-à-terre units. They can rent well, but they appeal to a narrow buyer pool on resale. The two-bedrooms are the more flexible product, especially split plans that work for two students or a young couple.

If you are buying to rent, think about the academic calendar. Leases near campus often turn over on a September cycle, so plan for when your suite will come vacant and how you will fill it. A furnished studio and an unfurnished two-bedroom attract quite different tenants.

Life at College and Huron

U of T’s St. George campus is across College Street, with views north over the campus from upper suites and views south toward the downtown skyline. Kensington Market and Spadina are a short walk west, and Baldwin Village and the AGO are to the south.

The corner is busy with students, cyclists and traffic for most of the year, and College carries a streetcar. Suites facing College will be livelier than those on the Huron or south side. If you are buying to live in rather than to rent, choose the exposure carefully. The data panel covers transit, parks and nearby food in more detail.

Pricing and fees

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $1,068 per square foot. That is high, and part of it is arithmetic: small suites always carry a higher price per square foot than large ones, and Design Haus has very few suites over 800 square feet.

Location is the other part. Being directly across from U of T supports rental demand and keeps investor interest steady, and newer buildings with a concierge this close to campus are limited. Compared with The Bread Company a few blocks south on McCaul, which offers larger suites including three-bedrooms, Design Haus is the smaller-suite, closer-to-campus option.

Only one suite was listed for sale when I checked, so I will not quote a current asking range. Condos.ca does not list what the fee includes, so confirm inclusions and the reserve fund position in the status certificate. For sold figures, see the data panel or ask me for a building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Design Haus

The package is better than most buildings of this size: a concierge, a gym with a yoga studio, a sauna, guest suites and a podium terrace. Guest suites are genuinely useful when your suite is a studio or one-bedroom, and a sauna is a welcome extra in a tower of 124 suites. Ask how guest suites are booked and what they cost per night.

Jatin’s honest take on Design Haus

Design Haus — 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.