Peanut Factory Lofts, 306 Sackville St: Nine Big Lofts in Cabbagetown

Peanut Factory Lofts is what I show buyers who want the space of a Cabbagetown house without the stairs to the front porch and the roof to replace on their own. There are only nine suites in this former peanut processing plant on Sackville Street, and listing data puts them all above 2,100 square feet. It was converted in 1989, one of the earlier loft conversions in the city, and that age is both its charm and the thing you need to examine. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

From peanut plant to one of Toronto’s early loft conversions

The building was a peanut warehouse and processing plant before it became nine homes. The conversion dates to 1989, years before the late-1990s wave of warehouse lofts in King East, Liberty Village and Leslieville. I could not find a reliable construction date for the original plant, so treat any year you see in a listing with some caution.

Some of the original fabric survives inside. blogTO described a suite with original maple hardwood in the living room, salvaged from the factory floor, alongside newer elements such as a modern fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows. Expect a mix: brick and old wood in the main spaces, and more conventional drywall and carpet in some bedrooms.

Because this was one of the earlier conversions, it reflects how developers approached lofts in the 1980s. The suites tend to be large and laid out more like townhouses than open studios. That suits families far better than many later lofts that put the bedroom on an open mezzanine.

Multi-level layouts with 12-foot ceilings

Listing data gives suite sizes of about 2,181 to 2,400 square feet, which is very large for a Toronto condo. The suites I have seen described are multi-level, with a double-height or 12-foot main living space and a staircase up to bedrooms on an upper floor.

Condos.ca lists the building as one storey, which does not match the multi-level suites described in published features. My reading is that the structure is a low industrial building and the suites stack their rooms vertically inside it, but confirm the floor count and the layout from the floor plan of the specific suite.

The outdoor space is another selling point. At least one suite has a private rooftop terrace, and blogTO described a two-bedroom-plus-den layout with three bathrooms and a parking space. Ask the seller exactly which outdoor areas are exclusive-use common elements for the suite and who pays to maintain them.

A nine-owner building in a heritage neighbourhood

Nine suites means nine owners sharing every repair. That keeps the corporation small and personal, but it also means a roof, masonry or garage project lands on very few shoulders. The building is managed by Peer Property Management according to condos.ca, which gives owners professional support, but you should still meet the board if you can.

The listed services are simple: pets are allowed, barbecues are permitted and there is a security system. There is no gym, concierge or party room. In this building, the shared costs go towards the shell and the grounds, not towards amenities.

Sackville Street sits a couple of blocks east of Parliament Street, on the residential side streets of Cabbagetown. The Cabbagetown South Heritage Conservation District, adopted by City Council in 2005 under By-law 887-2005, covers the area between Gerrard Street, Carlton Street, Bayview Avenue and the rear of the Parliament Street properties. The district page does not list 306 Sackville by address, so before you plan changes to windows, doors or a rooftop structure, confirm with the corporation and the City how the heritage guidelines apply.

Daily life on Cabbagetown’s side streets

Living here feels more like a house on a quiet street than a condo. You are a short walk from the shops, cafés and restaurants on Parliament Street, and the parks and green space towards the Don Valley edge of Cabbagetown are close by. The data panel on this page covers transit, schools and nearby parks.

The area east of Parliament has also changed a great deal in the past 15 years as the Regent Park revitalization has rebuilt the blocks to the south. For a buyer, that means more services and retail within walking distance than there were when these lofts were first sold.

The trade-off is that this is not a doorman building in a busy hub. Deliveries, guests and services work the way they would at a house on a side street, and that suits some buyers far more than others. If you want a lobby, a concierge and a gym downstairs, look at the towers nearer Bloor and Sherbourne instead.

Pricing: large suites, thin data

Condos.ca shows an average of about $635 per square foot for this building. With nine suites and very few trades a year, I treat that as a rough guide only. It does suggest that, per square foot, the building has historically traded below newer downtown condos, which is typical for very large suites in an older conversion.

There is currently one suite for sale and one for lease. I do not quote a single listing’s asking price or fee, and one listing is not enough to give you a range. When you look at a suite here, compare it with Cabbagetown semis and townhouses of similar size as well as with other lofts, because those are the real alternatives for this buyer.

Fees cover common elements, building insurance and parking. Heat, hydro and water are not on the listed inclusions, so ask for a year of utility bills; heating 2,000-plus square feet with 12-foot ceilings is a real cost. For recent sold data, see the panel or my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Peanut Factory Lofts

The amenity list is short: pets, barbecues and a security system, plus parking in the fee. That is right for a nine-suite building where the real amenity is the size of your own home and, in some suites, a private rooftop terrace.

Jatin’s honest take on Peanut Factory Lofts

Peanut Factory 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.