One Balmoral, 1 Balmoral Ave: Low-Rise Yonge and St. Clair, All-In Fees

One Balmoral is the building I suggest to buyers who want Yonge and St. Clair without living in a tower. It is a nine-storey, block-long building from 1998 with a classical facade, arched entry and real terraces, and its fee covers parking and hydro. The fee per square foot is high, and that is the first conversation we need to have. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A classical building in a glass neighbourhood

One Balmoral was designed to look established from day one. One agent source describes Tudor-style details, a large arched entry, Juliet balconies and oversized terraces, and the building covers a full city block. When it was new, Toronto Star architecture critic Christopher Hume included it among the city’s best condominiums, according to blogTO.

The building was developed by Diamante Development Corporation. The suite count differs by source: the building profile records 133, and another source says 143. The difference may come from how townhouse-style or combined suites were counted, but it is worth knowing if you are reading the budget per suite.

Nine storeys over a full block means a wide, low building with long corridors and many suites with terraces or wide frontage. It reads more like a large mansion block than a tower, and that is the appeal.

Buildings in this style age better visually than many glass towers from the same decade. The facade does not date in the same way, and that is part of why owners here tend to stay for a long time and why good suites do not sit on the market for long.

Large suites and penthouses with ceiling height

Recorded sizes run from about 550 square feet to roughly 3,390 square feet, so this is a building with real family-sized and downsizer suites, not only one-bedrooms. blogTO profiled a penthouse of about 2,000 square feet with 10-foot ceilings, domed windows, a separate kitchen and a fireplace in the primary bedroom.

Because the building is from 1998, plans tend to be more traditional: separate kitchens, defined dining rooms and proper hallways rather than one open room. Some buyers love that, and some will want to renovate. Check which walls are structural before planning to open up a kitchen.

Parking is included in the fee, and the penthouse blogTO profiled came with two spaces. Confirm on the status certificate how many spaces and lockers belong to the suite you are buying.

Off Yonge, without the tower life

Balmoral Avenue runs west from Yonge Street just south of St. Clair, so you are steps from the Yonge Street shops and the St. Clair strip while living on a quieter side street. Neighbours are mostly low-rise houses and older mid-rise buildings.

The surrounding area keeps adding density, mostly in towers along St. Clair and Yonge. One Balmoral’s low height means some of its outlook depends on what gets built nearby, so ask which way a suite faces and check the city’s development map for the blocks around it.

Terraces, the reason many buyers choose it

The oversized terraces are what set One Balmoral apart from many towers nearby. In a nine-storey building, setbacks on the upper floors create large outdoor spaces at a height where you still feel connected to the street and the trees, rather than exposed to wind high above it.

Terraces need upkeep. Waterproofing membranes under the pavers eventually need replacing, and in most buildings the corporation coordinates that work, which can mean temporarily lifting planters and furniture. Ask whether a terrace is exclusive-use common element or part of the suite, who pays for what, and when the membranes were last done.

Juliet balconies on other suites give you fresh air and light, but not outdoor space. If a terrace is on your list, filter for it from the start, because the large ones rarely come up.

Fair price per foot, high fee per foot

The building averages about $975 per square foot, in line with established mid-rise buildings around Yonge and St. Clair and below the newer towers on St. Clair West. You are paying for a well-regarded building on a quiet street, with large suites and outdoor space.

At the time of writing, three suites were listed for sale, from a one-bedroom at about $615,000 to a two-bedroom at about $1.4 million. Their monthly fees ranged from about $977 to about $2,060, averaging roughly $1.52 per square foot. That is high, but it includes hydro, heat, air conditioning and parking, which you would pay separately in most newer buildings.

The listing mix is a good sign. Having one-bedrooms, a one-bedroom-plus-den and a large two-bedroom on the market at once gives buyers real comparables inside the building, which is not always true of low-rise buildings this size. It also shows that the suite range recorded on the building profile is real, not just a handful of outliers.

Before you decide the fee is too high, add a realistic hydro bill, heating and cooling and a parking charge to the competing building’s fee. My building sold report shows what has actually closed here.

Building specifications

Amenities at One Balmoral

The amenities are those of a quiet residential building: concierge and security, guest suites for visiting family, a party room, a meeting room and an exercise room. There is no pool or rooftop club, so the fee is going to utilities, staff and upkeep of a large, low building. Guest suites are especially useful for downsizers whose family visits from out of town.

Jatin’s honest take on One Balmoral

One Balmoral — frequently asked questions

Looking at Yorkville, the Annex and Midtown more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.