Liberty Lofts, 383 Adelaide St E: Gillette Factory Lofts, Hydro Included

Liberty Lofts is one of the few true hard lofts left between Sherbourne and Parliament, and it has a feature I rarely see in a loft: hydro is in the fee. The 46 suites sit in two joined factory buildings, once home to the Gillette razor works, around a central atrium. The catch is parking, which most owners here do not get. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Two factory buildings joined by an atrium

Liberty Lofts is really two old industrial buildings stitched together. One is a timber post-and-beam structure from about 1900, and the other is a 1920s poured-concrete building with mushroom-capped columns. A central atrium, the old courtyard between them, now links the two, and you can see it from the lobby. The elevator overlooks it.

That mix gives the suites two different characters. On the older side you get brick and wood beams; on the newer side you get raw concrete and the flared columns typical of 1920s factory construction. Neither is a new building with loft finishes. If you care about authenticity, this building has it.

The factory was once home to Gillette’s razor operation, and Core Architects, a Toronto firm, handled the residential conversion, which was registered in 2001. You will also see Radius Development named as developer on one broker profile, while condos.ca lists a numbered company, 1349936 Ontario. That is common for projects of this era, where a numbered company held title for the developer.

Mostly one-bedrooms, with a few two-level penthouses

Suite sizes run from about 584 to 1,364 square feet. Most of the building is one-bedroom suites in the 580-square-foot range, all on a single level. A small number of two-bedroom penthouses are laid out over two levels and come with outdoor terraces; blogTO described one at roughly 1,300 square feet with a 342-square-foot patio.

Ceilings are 11 to 13 feet, which is what makes a 585-square-foot loft feel bigger than a 585-square-foot condo in a tower. A broker profile notes that conversion layouts can range from big and raw to cramped and awkward, and I would say that is fair here. Column positions and window placement were set by the factory, not by a suite designer.

Storey counts differ slightly between sources. The building is generally described as four storeys, with the penthouse level on top, while one profile lists five. The difference is likely the upper level of the two-storey penthouses.

When you tour, pay attention to which side of the building a suite is on. A suite in the older post-and-beam section has a warmer, more traditional loft feel, while one in the 1920s concrete section has the heavier industrial look. Neither is better, but buyers usually have a strong preference once they have seen both.

Parking: ten spaces, penthouse owners only

This is the most important thing to know before you book a showing. According to blogTO, the building has only 10 underground parking spaces, and they belong to owners of the two-level penthouse suites. If you are looking at a one-bedroom here, plan on no parking.

For many buyers in this location, that is fine. Downtown east is walkable, and the transit details are in the data panel. But if you own a car, confirm from the status certificate and the deed whether the specific suite has a space before you go any further.

The upside of so few spaces is a quieter building. There is no ramp traffic from hundreds of cars, and the fee is not carrying the upkeep of a large garage. For a one-bedroom owner without a car, that is a real advantage, and nearby lots and car-share options can fill the gap for the occasional trip.

Living on Adelaide between Sherbourne and Parliament

The building sits on Adelaide Street East between Sherbourne and Parliament, a block north of King East and a short walk from St. Lawrence Market and the Distillery District. Adelaide is a one-way arterial heading west, so expect traffic at rush hour on the street side.

This stretch has filled in quickly with new mid-rise and tower condos over the past decade. Liberty Lofts stands out among them because it is low, old and built of brick and concrete. That difference is part of why it holds its appeal.

The new buildings around it have also brought more grocery, coffee and restaurant options within a few minutes’ walk than this stretch had when the lofts were registered. Check the data panel for what is closest. If you are comparing Liberty with a new tower a block away, compare the fees and the ceilings side by side; they tell most of the story.

Pricing and the all-inclusive fee

Condos.ca shows an average of about $940 per square foot for the building. That is a strong number for a 2001 conversion, and it reflects how few authentic hard lofts there are in this part of downtown, as well as the small size of most suites, which pushes the per-square-foot figure up.

There is one suite currently for sale and none for lease. I do not quote a single listing’s price or fee, and one listing is not a range, so watch the panel for recent sales instead.

The fee structure is the building’s quiet advantage. Fees include heat, hydro, air conditioning, water, building insurance and common elements, plus parking for the suites that have it. Very few lofts include hydro. When you compare a fee here with a newer building nearby, add back the hydro and heating bills that the other building’s owners pay themselves. For recent sales, see my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Liberty Lofts

There is no gym, pool or party room. What you get is a security guard and system, permission for barbecues and pets, and the atrium, which is the building’s real shared space and gives the corridors more light than most conversions.

Jatin’s honest take on Liberty Lofts

Liberty 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.