Nautilus at Waterview, 16 Brookers Ln: Monarch’s Shell-Shaped Lake Tower

Nautilus at Waterview is the Humber Bay Shores tower you can pick out from the Gardiner because of its curves. It is a 39-storey Monarch building from 2012, with balconies that trace a water-drop shape and a fee that still includes heat, air conditioning and parking. The question with this building is not whether it is good, but which suite and which view you are paying for. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

The curves are the point

Graziani + Corazza Architects designed Nautilus so the balcony edges sweep around the tower in a curved, shell-like line. UrbanToronto described the shape during construction as a water drop and as nautilus-shell articulation. In a neighbourhood of mostly straight glass towers, that gives the building an identity you can see from the lake and the highway.

The curves are not only decoration. They mean the balconies vary in depth from one part of the floor plate to another, so two suites with the same interior area can have very different outdoor space. Look at the balcony on the floor plan, not just the suite size.

Construction ran through 2010, with the podium, including the pool, framed by the late summer of that year, and the building registered in September 2012. It is now well into its second decade, which matters for the questions I list further down.

From 325 sq ft studios to 1,735 sq ft corner suites

The size range here is unusually wide. At the bottom are compact studios of about 325 sq ft, which mostly appeal to investors and first-time buyers. At the top are large two-bedroom and two-plus-den suites approaching 1,735 sq ft, typically on upper floors and corners, which attract downsizers selling houses in south Etobicoke.

Most of what trades sits in the middle: one-bedrooms in the 600 sq ft range and two-bedrooms between about 800 and 1,000 sq ft. Those mid-size suites are where you will find the most comparables, which makes them easier to price and easier to resell.

View is the biggest price driver. Lake-facing suites on upper floors command a clear premium over suites facing the city or the Gardiner, and the curved form means some suites get angled views that photograph better than they live. Stand on the balcony during your showing and look straight out, not just sideways.

Parking is included in the fee, but not every suite comes with a space, and the smallest studios often do not. Confirm in the listing and the status certificate whether the suite has a parking unit and a locker, whether they are owned or exclusive-use, and where they sit in the garage. In a 389-suite building, a space near the elevators is worth asking about.

An amenity package built for winter

The podium was built with an indoor pool, and listings for the building describe a sauna, exercise room, yoga room, games room and a cyber room alongside it. Condos.ca adds concierge, guest suites, a party room, a meeting room and a rooftop deck, plus FibreStream internet wiring.

That is a full package for a building of this age, and it is part of why the fee is where it is. Pools cost money to run and eventually to renovate, so ask the manager when the pool, change rooms and fitness equipment were last updated and what the reserve fund study budgets for them.

Condos.ca lists a pet restriction. If you have a dog, read the rules on size, number and use of the elevators before you make an offer.

Daily life on Brookers Lane

Brookers Lane is a short street off Lake Shore Boulevard West, inside the Humber Bay Shores condo strip and a short walk from the waterfront trail. The appeal is simple: you can be on the Martin Goodman Trail or in Humber Bay Park in minutes, and the Gardiner is right there for the drive downtown.

The downside is the same Gardiner. Lower floors facing the expressway hear it, and the area is dense, so traffic on Lake Shore at rush hour is a real part of living here. The data panel covers transit, walkability and nearby shops.

Humber Bay Shores is still adding towers. Before you pay for a view, check the City’s development applications map for anything proposed between the building and the lake or along Lake Shore, and ask me what I know about the pipeline.

Price per square foot, fees and what is asking now

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $820 per square foot. That is at the upper end for a 2012 tower in Humber Bay Shores and reflects the lake views, the pool and the wide spread of larger suites. Small studios usually trade at a higher per-square-foot figure than the big upper suites, so compare like with like.

Fees on current listings work out to about $0.96 per square foot, ranging from roughly $625 a month for a one-bedroom to just under $1,000 for the larger two-bedrooms. That looks high next to a newer tower, but heat, air conditioning, parking and water are all included here. Add those back to the newer building before you decide which is cheaper.

Five suites are listed for sale right now, asking from about $519,000 to about $1.23 million. The two-bedrooms alone span roughly $657,000 to $1.23 million, which tells you how much floor, view and size move the price. My building sold report will show you what has actually closed.

With 389 suites there is usually enough turnover to price a suite properly, which is an advantage over the smaller buildings nearby. Use sales of the same suite type, on a similar floor and with the same exposure, from the last six to twelve months.

Building specifications

Amenities at Nautilus at Waterview

For a waterfront tower, the indoor pool and sauna are what make winter bearable. You can swim, use the gym and host guests in a guest suite without leaving the building, which suits both downsizers and people working from home.

Jatin’s honest take on Nautilus at Waterview

Nautilus at Waterview — frequently asked questions

Looking at Humber Bay Shores, Mimico, the Queensway and central Etobicoke more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.