Evening Telegram Lofts, 264 Seaton St: Ten Newspaper-Era Hard Lofts

Evening Telegram Lofts is a ten-suite building on a quiet stretch of Seaton Street, west of Parliament, and the suites are as varied as any I show. Some are compact one-level lofts; others run over two floors and two mezzanines with ceilings of 14 to 15 feet and a private rooftop terrace. The newspaper history is a good story, but what you are really buying is volume, light and very few neighbours. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

The newspaper story, and what I could not confirm

The address is associated with the Toronto Evening Telegram, later the Toronto Telegram, the afternoon paper that published from 1876 until it closed in 1971. When the Telegram folded, a group of its staff went on to start the Toronto Sun, which is part of why the name still means something to Toronto readers.

Sources differ on the details. One feature says the building dates to about 1876, which is the year the newspaper was founded, and condos.ca says developers took on the conversion in 2003, while the corporation was registered in 2001. I could not confirm when this particular building was built or what the Telegram used it for, so take the founding-year claim with caution.

You will also see the building called Evening Telegraph Lofts on some broker sites. It is the same ten-suite building at 264 Seaton Street.

For a buyer, the history matters mostly as character rather than as a fact you need to pin down. What I would want confirmed is the age of the structure itself, because that drives the questions you ask about the roof, the masonry and the foundation. The status certificate and reserve fund study should give you the age of the major components.

Ceilings of 14 feet and suites that stack upward

Suite sizes range from about 567 to 2,985 square feet, which is an enormous spread for ten suites. Broker profiles list 14-foot ceiling heights, and blogTO described an upper level with 15-foot ceilings and a UV-tinted skylight. That height is what allows mezzanines and lofted bedrooms without the space feeling squeezed.

The larger suites are complex. One featured suite covered more than 1,700 square feet over two full floors and two loft mezzanines, with a floating staircase, a spiral stair down to the main bedroom, polished concrete floors, exposed brick and custom steelwork. It is dramatic, and it is a lot of stairs. Walk it with the way you live in mind.

Outdoor space comes in two forms: private rooftop terraces for some upper suites and ground-level patios for others. blogTO described one terrace at about 200 square feet. Ask whether the terrace is exclusive-use common element and who pays for the roof membrane beneath it.

Live/work potential and a small-building rhythm

One featured suite was described as zoned live/work with two separate entrances, which could allow it to work as a home studio or office, or potentially be divided. Do not assume this applies to every suite. Confirm the zoning and the declaration with the City and the corporation before you count on it.

Ten suites means a small, personal corporation. Performance Property Management is listed as the manager, but decisions are made by a handful of owners, and every major repair is shared among ten. The shared features are a rooftop deck, a parking garage, a security system and permission for barbecues and pets.

There is no lobby concierge, no gym and no party room, and the corporation does not need them. The trade-off is that you will know your neighbours, and the decisions about repairs, rules and contractors will often come down to a conversation among them. Some buyers love that; others find it too close. Know which you are before you buy.

Seaton Street, between Moss Park and Cabbagetown

Seaton is a residential street just north of Dundas, between Sherbourne and Parliament. Condos.ca places the building in Moss Park, while broker profiles call it Cabbagetown; in practice it sits on the boundary, with Parliament Street’s shops and restaurants a short walk east.

The bigger change nearby is Regent Park, east of Parliament, where the revitalization has brought new housing, community facilities and retail over the past 15 years. Streetcars run on both Dundas and Gerrard. The data panel covers transit, schools and parks in detail.

Day to day, the street is quieter than Dundas or Parliament, and the low height of the building fits the houses around it. If you are coming from a tower, the difference is noticeable: you walk out of your door onto a residential street rather than through a lobby and a garage ramp.

Pricing: a wide range in a ten-suite building

Condos.ca shows an average of about $783 per square foot here. In a ten-suite building where the smallest suite is a fifth the size of the largest, an average hides more than it reveals. Large multi-level suites usually trade lower per square foot than small ones, so price the suite against its size band.

One suite is currently for sale and none for lease. I do not quote a single listing’s asking price or fee, and one listing does not make a range.

Fees include common elements, building insurance and water only. Heat, hydro and parking are not on the listed inclusions. Broker profiles note that owned parking is limited and that street permits are available, so confirm whether the suite you are looking at has a deeded space. For recent sold data, see the panel or my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Evening Telegram Lofts

The shared features are modest: a rooftop deck, a small garage and a security system. The real amenities are private ones, the terraces, patios and ceiling height that come with individual suites. If shared facilities matter to you, look at a larger building instead; if privacy matters more, this is the better fit.

Jatin’s honest take on Evening Telegram Lofts

Evening Telegram Lofts — frequently asked questions

Looking at Church–Wellesley, Corktown, Moss Park and Cabbagetown more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.