J. Davis House, 1 Belsize Dr: Terraced Mid-Rise Condo in Davisville

J. Davis House is a nine-storey building on Yonge in Davisville that tries to behave like a good neighbour. It steps down toward the houses behind it, which gives a lot of suites real terraces, and it holds everything from 295 square foot studios to suites over 2,000 square feet under one roof. It is new, it is in one of midtown’s most liveable stretches of Yonge, and you pay for both. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A mid-rise designed around its terraces

When Mattamy and Biddington announced the project in 2015, the site was a parking lot and a row of empty storefronts on an otherwise busy stretch of Yonge. The building is named after one of the founding residents of the Davisville community, and the pitch from the start was a mid-rise that fits the street, not another tower.

Graziani + Corazza Architects shaped it as a U: two arms along Belsize Drive to the north and Millwood Road to the south frame a central motor court, and the massing steps back toward the low-rise houses to the east. Those step-backs are where the large terraces come from.

On Yonge, the base has double-height glass storefronts framed in sculpted precast, with brick piers framing the windows and balconies above. The top floors are set back and kept plain. It is a more traditional look than most new midtown buildings, and it holds up well at street level.

From studios to suites over 2,000 square feet

The suite mix is unusually wide. At launch, the developers advertised suites from 295 to 1,650 square feet; condos.ca now lists a range up to about 2,160, possibly because some suites were combined or enlarged during sales; I could not confirm why. Condos.ca counts 185 suites against the 191 originally planned, which fits that picture.

Floor plans released during sales included a 390 square foot studio with a balcony or terrace, a 540 square foot one-bedroom with a separate bedroom and kitchen, and a 1,275 square foot two-bedroom with an ensuite bathroom for each bedroom and two walk-in closets in the primary. Second-floor and stepped suites tend to have terraces instead of balconies.

That means the building houses very different buyers: investors and first-time buyers in the studios and one-bedrooms, and downsizers in the large terrace suites. Ask which group dominates your floor and your stack, because it affects how the building feels.

If you are buying for the terrace, look at it as carefully as the interior. Check the depth and the exposure, what neighbouring suites can see, whether there is a water tap and an exterior outlet, and how the terrace drains. A large east-facing terrace over the low-rise streets gets morning sun and a quiet outlook, which is a very different experience from a balcony facing Yonge.

What the fee covers

Condos.ca lists the fee as covering common elements, building insurance and water. Heat, hydro and air conditioning are not listed, which is normal for a building of this age with suite-level metering. You will pay those directly, so budget for them, especially in a terrace suite with lots of glass.

I could not find a reliable fee-per-square-foot figure for the building as a whole, because so few suites are listed at any one time. Ask for the current budget and compare the fee on the suite you are considering with similar suites in other newer midtown mid-rises. A smaller amenity package, with no pool, generally helps keep a building’s operating costs down.

Parking is not listed as included in the fee. Ask whether the suite you are buying comes with a parking space or locker and how each is charged.

Daily life in Davisville

This part of Yonge, between Davisville and Eglinton, is lower and calmer than the tower cluster at the Eglinton intersection. You have independent shops, cafes and restaurants on Yonge, and quiet residential streets directly behind the building.

The building’s retail at grade adds to the street rather than taking from it, which was the point of replacing a parking lot and empty stores. The residential streets east of Yonge make for an easy daily walk, and the busier shopping and entertainment around Yonge and Eglinton is close enough when you want it. The transit, school and walkability details are in the data panel on this page.

What J. Davis House costs

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $1,044 per square foot. That is a premium for midtown, and it reflects a newer building, the mid-rise scale and a Davisville address rather than a tower at the main intersection.

Only one suite was listed for sale when I checked, and none for rent. In a building of 185 suites, that means you may not have much choice at any one time, and waiting for the right suite type is normal.

Price per square foot here varies a lot by suite type. Small studios usually trade at higher per-square-foot figures than large suites, and terrace suites carry a premium for outdoor space that does not show in the interior square footage. Compare like with like: a terrace suite with other terrace suites, a studio with other studios.

On fees, remember that utilities are extra. When you compare J. Davis House with an older building that includes heat and hydro, add those costs back first. My building sold report shows aggregate sold figures from the MLS system if you want to check the average against actual sales.

Building specifications

Amenities at J. Davis House

The amenity package is modest: a concierge, a lobby lounge, a gym and a party room, with a sauna and guest suite announced at launch. For many owners, the large terraces and the street outside matter more than the amenity rooms.

Jatin’s honest take on J. Davis House

J. Davis House — frequently asked questions

Looking at Yonge & Eglinton, Davisville and North Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.