Infinity IV, 25 Lower Simcoe St: The Low-Rise Phase, Parking in the Fee

Infinity IV at 25 Lower Simcoe Street is the building I suggest when someone wants the South Core’s walk-to-Union location but does not want to live on the 50th floor of a glass tower. It is the short, 16-storey sibling of Infinity 3, it shares their podium and garage, and its fee includes parking, heat and cooling, which is unusual downtown. Its weak spot is just as clear: the Gardiner is a few metres away. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

The last piece of the Infinity complex

Infinity is a four-building development by The Conservatory Group, all designed by E.I. Richmond Architects. Infinity 1 (35 storeys) and Infinity 2 (16 storeys) were finished in 2007 and 2008 on the north side of Grand Trunk Crescent. Infinity 3 and Infinity IV followed across the street and were both registered in 2015.

Infinity IV sits on the northwest corner of that second site, and Infinity 3 rises 35 storeys at the southeast corner. The two are joined by a shared podium along Lower Simcoe Street, and they share four levels of underground parking and an amenity package. In practice that means you live in a 16-storey building but have access to the facilities and garage of a much larger complex.

This repeats the pattern of the first phase, where the 16-storey Infinity 2 sits beside the 35-storey Infinity 1. If you like the Infinity location but want fewer neighbours per elevator, the shorter buildings are the ones to look at.

Why a 16-storey building downtown is different

Most new buildings in the South Core are 40 to 60 storeys. A 16-storey building has fewer suites per elevator, shorter waits at rush hour and a quieter lobby. It also means you will not get the high lake views the taller towers sell on; from Infinity IV, your outlook is mostly the neighbouring towers, the street and the rail and highway corridor.

Suites run from about 525 to 1,281 square feet, a wider range than many downtown buildings, and there is a penthouse level. The active listings include a one-bedroom, a one-plus-den and a two-plus-den, so there is some choice of size. As always with plus-den plans, check whether the den has a door and a window before you count it as a bedroom.

The larger suites at the top of the size range are worth a look for buyers moving down from a house who still want to walk to work. A two-bedroom of 1,000 square feet or more in a 16-storey building is less common in the South Core than you would think, and when one comes up in good condition it tends to attract owner-occupiers rather than investors. Expect fewer of those listings at any given time, and be ready to move when the right one appears.

The Gardiner question

Infinity 3 and IV sit only a few metres north of the Gardiner Expressway, and that is the single most important fact for a buyer. South-facing suites, and lower floors in particular, will hear and see the highway. Some people do not mind it, and the location is the reason they buy. Others regret it after the first summer with the windows open.

My advice is to visit the suite at rush hour, open the balcony door, and listen. North- and west-facing suites are generally more protected. Ask the seller or the listing agent about window and balcony door performance, and look at the suite’s history of noise complaints if the management office will share it.

The Gardiner is also an ongoing City of Toronto rehabilitation project, rebuilt in stages. Before you buy, check the City’s project schedule for work planned near Lower Simcoe Street, because construction can mean extra noise and lane closures for a season or two.

The South Core day to day

The South Core is the strip of towers between Union Station and the Gardiner, around Bremner Boulevard, and it is one of the most convenient addresses in the city for anyone who works in the financial district. You are a short walk from Union Station, Scotiabank Arena, the Rogers Centre and the waterfront, with grocery stores and restaurants at the bases of nearby towers.

Neighbouring buildings include Lanterra’s ICE condos at York Street and the earlier Infinity phases across Grand Trunk Crescent. The area is dense and busy on event nights, which helps if you are leasing the suite out and matters if you are a light sleeper. Transit details and walkability are in the data panel on this page.

What Infinity IV costs, and what the fee covers

The building average is about $922 per square foot, which sits in the middle of the South Core: below the newest towers around Union Station and above older Harbourfront buildings.

At the time I wrote this there were three suites for sale and three for lease. Asking prices ranged from about $474,900 to about $849,900, with fees from about $532 to $866 a month, or about $0.97 per square foot.

That fee is above average for the area, but it includes heat, air conditioning, water and parking. Downtown, parking and heating are often extra, and a parking space alone can add a meaningful amount to your monthly cost if you rent one separately. If the suite you are buying comes with parking, the fee is better value than it looks. For actual sold figures, use the aggregate data on this page or ask me for a building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Infinity IV

The amenities are shared with Infinity 3, so the package is bigger than a 16-storey building could support on its own. Ask which facilities your corporation owns, which are shared, and how the costs are split, because that affects your fee over time.

Jatin’s honest take on Infinity IV

Infinity IV — frequently asked questions

Looking at King West, Liberty Village and CityPlace more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.