in.DE Condos, 219 Dundas St E: The Lower-Priced Dundas East Tower

in.DE is the newer Dundas East tower that most buyers overlook, and that is exactly why I look at it. Menkes finished it in 2021 between Jarvis and Sherbourne, and its average price per square foot is well below the bigger towers a block or two west. The reasons it is cheaper are worth knowing before you buy, and so is what is planned across the street. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Cut from 29 storeys to 21

Menkes first proposed a 29-storey, roughly 100-metre tower with 295 suites here in 2016. The revised plan, filed in 2017, cut it to 21 storeys and about 65.5 metres, reduced the floor area by about a quarter, and dropped the podium from five storeys to two and three.

That smaller podium was designed to match the height and materials of the older brick buildings to the east on Dundas, so the base uses brick to tie the new tower to the street. The result is a tower that is shorter and slimmer than many of the towers going up on this stretch, with a small retail space beside the residential lobby.

The name is meant as a play on Dundas East. The suite count differs by source: UrbanToronto lists 205 condominium suites, and the condominium listing data shows 222. Check the declaration if the exact number matters to you.

Small suites, very little parking

The 2017 plan called for 15 bachelors, 128 one-bedrooms, 41 two-bedrooms and 21 suites with three or more bedrooms. Current sizes run from about 388 to 1,095 square feet, and what is on the market now is almost entirely studios and one-bedroom-plus-dens in the 400 to 700 square foot range.

Parking is the defining constraint. The revised application showed a three-level garage with 71 spaces, of which 57 were for residents and 12 for visitors. That is roughly one resident space for every four suites. If you need a car, look only at suites with an owned space, and expect those to cost more and resell faster.

For buyers who do not drive, this is not a drawback. Toronto Metropolitan University, the Eaton Centre and the Yonge-Dundas area are all a walk west, and the Dundas streetcar runs along the street out front.

Amenities on the podium

The amenity floor sits on the second level of the podium. The plan included a games room, a library, a gym and yoga studio, a party room and an outdoor terrace of about 230 square metres. Current listing data confirms a concierge, gym and party room.

It is a modest package for a 21-storey building, and that is part of why fees are moderate. Check with management which of the originally planned rooms are open and how they are booked.

Compare that with the newer towers nearby, many of which were sold on long amenity lists. Every one of those spaces costs money to staff, clean and eventually replace, and owners pay for them whether they use them or not. A shorter list is not a weakness if you will spend your free time out in the city anyway, and here the city is very close.

The interiors were designed by Patton Design Studio and the landscape by o2 Planning and Design. Menkes is a long-established Toronto developer with a large portfolio of condo and rental buildings, and Menres Property Management is listed as the manager. Ask how long the current manager has been in place and how the board rates them.

Dundas East is about to change again

This stretch of Dundas between Jarvis and Sherbourne is mid-transformation. Across the street, at the north-east corner of Dundas and George, Menkes has filed revised plans for a 44-storey rental tower on the former Filmores site, keeping its heritage facade, after the earlier condo version was cancelled. A 52-storey tower has been proposed at 239 Dundas East, and other tall projects are planned nearby on Jarvis and Sherbourne.

For owners, that cuts two ways. More residents and new retail will make the street busier and better served, but some views and sunlight may be affected, and years of construction are likely. Ask which way your suite faces relative to the proposed sites, and expect a large new supply of rental suites to compete with you if you plan to lease.

Transit, schools and Walk Score are in the data panel on this page.

Why the price per foot is lower here

in.DE averages about $690 per square foot. Grid Condos, a short walk west at 181 Dundas East, averages about $807, and Dundas Square Gardens at Jarvis and Dundas about $783. That is a meaningful gap for a building of similar age.

Some of the discount is explained by the limited parking, the smaller amenity program and the supply of competing towers nearby. Some of it may be opportunity. Across six current listings asking prices run from about $308,000 to about $498,000.

Fees average about $1.04 per square foot, ranging from roughly $337 to $724 a month across those listings. I could not confirm what the fee includes from the sources I reviewed, so check the status certificate for whether heat, cooling and water are in the fee before comparing with nearby buildings. My building sold report has the aggregate sold figures.

Building specifications

Amenities at in.DE Condos

The podium amenity floor covers the basics plus a library and games room; it is enough for a building of mostly one-bedroom owners and tenants, but it is not the reason to buy here.

Jatin’s honest take on in.DE Condos

in.DE Condos — 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.