Perspective Condominiums, 25 Fontenay Crt: Downsizer Suites by the Humber

Perspective Condominiums is where I take downsizers from Humber Valley and the Kingsway who want to stay near the river and away from the waterfront towers. Pianosi built it as two glass towers on a shared podium off Scarlett Road, and the suites are larger and more practical than the investor product most of the city was building at the time. The catch is the fee, and I will walk you through it. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Built for downsizers, not investors

Most towers launched around 2010 were sized for investors: lots of 450 sq ft one-bedrooms. Perspective went the other way. At launch the developer, Ian Pianosi, told the Globe and Mail the buyers were mostly empty-nesters and local downsizers, plus adult children moving back to the area, and that the larger plans of 900 to 1,000 sq ft sold best.

You can still see that in the building today. The smallest suites start around 600 sq ft, which is a generous one-bedroom by Toronto standards, and the range runs up to about 1,835 sq ft. Laundry rooms were designed for full-size washers and dryers with a sink, which tells you who the plans were drawn for.

That buyer base shapes the building’s character. It is quieter and more owner-occupied in feel than the Humber Bay Shores towers, and it is one of the few newer condos in this part of Etobicoke where someone leaving a detached house will not feel they have moved into a dorm.

Two towers, one podium, and a numbers question

Perspective is two glass towers joined by a podium, with addresses at 25 and 35 Fontenay Court. The launch coverage described towers of 19 and 12 storeys on a five-storey base with 297 suites. Condos.ca lists 20 storeys and 289 suites. The difference likely comes from how floors were counted and suites combined during construction, but I would not rely on either number without checking the registered declaration.

Ceilings were marketed at nine and ten feet, depending on the floor and plan. Several layouts put a den beside the entry or along the windows with glass sliding doors, so it can work as a second bedroom or an office. If you need a true second bedroom, check that the den has a window and a door before you count it.

The river, the golf course and Scarlett Road

The location is the reason to be here. Fontenay Court sits across from Scarlett Mills Park, Scarlett Woods Golf Course and the Humber River valley, and the green views from the east-facing suites are hard to match anywhere else in Etobicoke at this price. James Gardens and Lambton Golf Club are nearby, as is Humbertown for shopping.

Scarlett Woods is a City-run 18-hole executive course, par 61, that opened in 1974 as part of the South Humber park system. For a retired buyer who golfs, being able to book a tee time a week out and walk over is a genuine lifestyle feature, not a brochure line. For everyone else, it means the land across the road is public parkland, which is far less likely to be built over than a parking lot or a plaza. That protects the valley views from the east side in a way few condo buyers in Toronto can count on.

The original plan put a pharmacy, a bank and a grocer in the podium. Confirm what is operating at grade today, because ground-floor retail in a building like this can change hands. Beyond the podium, this is a car-friendly location with quick access to the 401 and 427, and the Eglinton Crosstown corridor was part of the original pitch. The data panel on this page shows the transit details.

Amenities on the sixth-floor terrace

The marketed amenity package was more generous than you would expect for a building of this size: a pool, a gym, a golf simulator, a theatre and a party room with a bar and billiards. The sixth-floor rooftop terrace was planned with cabanas, dining areas, barbecues and a fireside lounge. Condos.ca lists a rooftop deck, concierge, guest suites, a media room and a security guard.

As with any building, the brochure and the finished product can differ. Tour the amenity floors and confirm the pool and simulator are open and maintained before you count them in your decision.

Low price per foot, high fee per foot

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $680 per sq ft. For a 2016 building with larger suites and parking in the fee, that is low for central Etobicoke, and it is a big part of the appeal for downsizers trying to keep money from the sale of their house.

The fee is the other side of the ledger. Across active listings it works out to about $1.06 per sq ft. At launch, fees were projected at around 50 cents a foot with parking and a locker included. Fees have roughly doubled from that early estimate, which is not unusual for buildings sold with optimistic launch budgets, but it is a big monthly number on a 1,000 sq ft suite. The inclusions do help: heat, air conditioning, water and parking are all covered.

Four suites are listed for sale right now. Asks for the one-bedroom and one-plus-den listings run from about $371,000 to $530,000, and the larger two-plus-den on the market is priced well above that. There are no rentals listed, which fits the owner-occupied character of the building. Recent sold figures are in the data panel on this page.

Building specifications

Amenities at Perspective Condominiums

For a downsizer the useful parts are the concierge, the guest suites for visiting family and the rooftop terrace. The pool and golf simulator are a bonus if they are running, so confirm them on a tour.

Jatin’s honest take on Perspective Condominiums

Perspective Condominiums — 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.