Humber Lofts, 4198 Dundas St W: 24 Suites by the Humber Valley

Humber Lofts is the kind of building most buyers drive past. It has three storeys and 24 suites on Dundas West, just above the Humber valley, and it sells for less per square foot than almost anything nearby. That price comes with the realities of a very small condominium, and you should understand them before you fall for the rooftop. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A small building on the edge of the valley

Humber Lofts sits on the stretch of Dundas Street West that runs down toward the Humber River, close to Royal York Road. North of this part of Dundas, the land drops into the Humber valley, with its river and ravine parks. That is the main draw: you are a few minutes’ walk from one of the best green corridors in the west end.

With three storeys and 24 suites, it is about as small as a Toronto condominium gets while still having an elevator. Royal Developments built it in 2000. Despite the name, I could not confirm that it is a conversion of an older industrial building, and with a 2000 build date it appears to be new construction in a loft style. Check the ceiling heights yourself rather than relying on the name.

Its immediate neighbour at 4196 Dundas, The Prince Edward, is another condominium on the same block. Compared with the towers going up elsewhere in Etobicoke, this part of Dundas is still mostly low- and mid-rise, though that is starting to change, as I explain below.

Compact suites, one level

Condos.ca records suites from about 565 to 845 square feet, so this is a building of one-bedrooms and modest two-bedrooms. There are no large suites, and with only 24 in total, you will rarely see more than one or two for sale at a time.

I could not confirm ceiling heights or the layouts from a reliable source. Ask for the floor plan, measure during the viewing and check how much of the square footage is usable. In a three-storey building, the floor matters: top-floor suites are closest to the rooftop deck and have no one above them, while ground-floor suites face the street more directly.

Single-level suites with an elevator also matter if you are thinking ahead. A low-rise like this gives you fewer neighbours than a tower without the stairs of a stacked townhouse, which is why it suits both a first purchase and a later downsize.

Parking is included in the fee, which is useful on this part of Dundas. Confirm on the status certificate whether a space comes with the suite and whether there is a locker.

The cost of a small corporation

The fee covers parking, water, building insurance and common elements. Heat and hydro are not listed, so expect to pay those separately. Ask for recent utility bills from the seller.

This is where small buildings need careful reading. A 24-suite corporation still has to maintain an elevator, a roof, a rooftop deck, a garage and a building envelope, but it shares those costs among 24 owners rather than hundreds. Fees per square foot in small buildings like this can be high, and a single major repair can mean a large increase or a special assessment.

The building is now about 25 years old, which is when roofs, elevators, windows and garage membranes typically come up in the reserve fund plan. Read the reserve fund study, the last few budgets and the board minutes before you buy. In a building this size, also ask how many suites are owner-occupied and how active the board is, because three or four engaged owners make a real difference.

Dundas West at the Humber, and what is changing

This stretch of Dundas is quieter than the Bloor corridor to the south but is changing fast. Next door, UrbanToronto reported in 2016 that Urban Capital’s Kingsway by the River plan for the former Rona site at 4208 Dundas Street West was moving ahead: a 21-storey tower on a six-storey podium designed by Wallman Architects, an eight-storey seniors’ residence, townhouses and a new public park, for about 398 homes in all.

A little to the east, Dunpar proposed a 15-storey building with 117 suites at 4174 Dundas Street West in 2021, on a site above the Humber valley. Check the current status of both projects before you buy, because they will affect views, traffic and construction noise on the block for several years.

On the plus side, new development brings more shops and services within walking distance, and UrbanToronto notes that land along this edge of the valley is regulated by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, which limits what can be built there. Buses run along Dundas to the subway; the data panel on this page covers transit, schools and nearby food in more detail.

One of the lower prices per square foot nearby

Condos.ca puts the average around $688 per square foot. That is low compared with the lakefront towers in Humber Bay Shores, which average roughly $760 to $860 per square foot. The discount reflects the building’s age, its small size and the fact that it is a low-rise with few amenities.

There is one suite for sale at the moment, so I cannot give a meaningful asking range. With only 24 suites, sales are infrequent and comparables are thin, which makes pricing harder for both buyers and sellers.

Before making an offer, look at the fee per square foot alongside the price. A low purchase price can be offset by a high fee in a small building. For recent sold prices, see the data panel or ask me for the building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Humber Lofts

The rooftop deck is the amenity that matters here, with summer evenings above the street near the valley. There is a party room and a meeting room, but no gym or concierge, so you are paying for a home rather than a lifestyle package. Condos.ca lists pet restrictions; check the rules before you buy.

Jatin’s honest take on Humber Lofts

Humber Lofts — frequently asked questions

Looking at Humber Bay Shores, Mimico, the Queensway and central Etobicoke more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.