Morningside Estates, 90 Ling Rd: West Hill’s Tallest 1979 Tower, Reviewed

Morningside Estates is one of two late-1970s towers facing each other on Ling Road in West Hill, and it is the one I would look at first if you want the larger suite. It offers real square footage at a price per foot that new construction cannot touch, with heat, cable and parking already in the fee. The question, as always with a building this age, is what the next ten years of repairs look like. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Two towers, one street: Morningside Estates and Scarborough Wood

Ling Road has two condominium towers from the same year. Morningside Estates at 90 Ling has 19 storeys and 204 suites, while Scarborough Wood across the road at 121 Ling has 18 storeys and 279 suites. They were built by different developers and run by different corporations and managers, so they are not interchangeable.

Morningside Estates has fewer suites, and its recorded sizes run a little larger, about 965 to 1,272 square feet against roughly 934 to 1,221 at Scarborough Wood. At about 59 metres it is also listed as the tallest tracked building in West Hill, so upper floors on the right side can see a long way.

The fee structures differ too. Heat is in the Morningside Estates fee; it is not on Scarborough Wood’s inclusion list. That one line matters for your winter budget and is worth checking whenever you compare the two.

Having two similar buildings side by side is useful for you as a buyer. It gives you a second set of comparables, a second reserve fund to benchmark against, and some negotiating leverage when both have suites on the market at the same time.

Space first: what the suites are like

The building’s plans include two-plus-den and three-bedroom layouts, which fits its size range. That is family space, with room for a real dining table and storage that newer suites simply do not have.

Buildings from 1979 usually have separate kitchens, defined dining areas, larger bedrooms and generous closets. The condition of each suite varies widely after more than 45 years. Some have been fully renovated with new kitchens, baths and flooring; others are largely original. That difference, more than floor or view, is what you are paying for.

Ask for the floor plan and what has been updated and when. If you plan to renovate, ask the manager about the rules for flooring underlay, plumbing changes and contractor access before you firm up an offer.

Heat, cable and parking in the fee

The fee covers common elements, heat, cable TV, building insurance, parking and water. Hydro is not on the list, so you will pay your own electricity. Ask how suites are cooled, because older buildings often rely on through-wall or window units on suite hydro.

Current listings carry fees of roughly $860 to $1,000 a month. Across the recorded suite sizes, that is somewhere in the range of $0.75 to $0.90 a square foot, typical for an older Scarborough tower that bundles heat and parking.

With heat in the fee, the building’s boilers, gas contract and window condition feed directly into your costs. If windows and balcony doors are original or near the end of their life, that is a major project, and you want to know whether it is funded.

Cable TV in the fee is a convenience for some owners and an irrelevance for others who stream everything. Ask whether the bulk contract also includes internet, when it renews, and whether owners can opt out. It is a small line, but it is part of what you pay every month.

West Hill around Ling Road

Ling Road sits in West Hill close to Kingston Road, a part of Scarborough with established houses, older apartment towers and strip plazas. Groceries and daily errands are along Kingston Road and the nearby plazas, and the Scarborough Bluffs parks and the Guildwood waterfront are a short drive south.

The longer-term story is transit. The City’s planned Eglinton East LRT would run from Kennedy station to the University of Toronto Scarborough and Malvern, and the plan includes road changes in West Hill, including extending Beath Street and Rodda Boulevard. It is still in planning, so treat it as upside rather than a reason to pay more now.

The data panel on this page covers current transit, schools and Walk Score. In practice, most owners here drive, and the included parking is part of the appeal.

Before you buy, check the City’s development applications map for anything proposed on Ling Road or the nearby Kingston Road frontage. Infill proposals on older tower sites and plazas are increasingly common in Scarborough, and a new building next door can change views, parking pressure and construction noise for several years.

Price per square foot and current asking range

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $345 per square foot, a fraction of what new Scarborough condominiums ask. It is close to its neighbour Scarborough Wood, at about $367, so the choice between the two comes down to suite size, condition, fees and the health of each corporation rather than price per foot.

Three suites were for sale when I checked, asking from $458,000 to $495,000, and one suite was listed for lease. Before you set an offer, look at what has actually closed in the building through my building sold report.

Remember that a fee near $1,000 a month affects your mortgage qualification. Lenders count it in your debt ratios, so get pre-approved using the actual fee for the suite you want.

Building specifications

Amenities at Morningside Estates

An outdoor pool and tennis court make summers here easy for families, and a security guard is a meaningful extra in a building this size. The pool and court also sit in the reserve fund as future costs, so check their condition.

Jatin’s honest take on Morningside Estates

Morningside Estates — frequently asked questions

Looking at Scarborough Bluffs, West Hill, Guildwood, Woburn, Malvern and Rouge more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.