Residences of 900 Yonge: 50 Large Suites at Yonge and Davenport

900 Yonge is the building I bring up when a buyer says they want a house-sized suite near Yorkville but cannot stomach Yorkville prices. It has only 50 suites across 15 floors, so most are big, and most owners have been there for years. What you are really buying is space and a quiet building, not finishes, because many suites have never been redone. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Fifty suites, and why that matters

Fifty suites on 15 floors works out to only a handful of homes per floor. In practice that means short hallways, few neighbours sharing your elevator and a building where the concierge knows everyone by name.

It also explains the sizes. The smallest suites here are around 1,343 sq ft and the largest reach about 3,447 sq ft. There are no studios or small one-bedrooms, so the investor crowd that dominates many Yonge Street towers is largely absent.

Owners tend to stay. A listing agent quoted by The Globe and Mail described most owners as long-term residents, which is consistent with what you would expect from a small building of large suites. The flip side is that supply is thin, and you may wait months for the right floor and exposure.

A small building also changes how decisions get made. With only 50 owners, each vote counts for more at a general meeting, and a handful of engaged residents can move a renovation project or a fee decision. Read the last few years of minutes to get a sense of how the board and owners work together.

Inside the suites: space first, finishes second

The Globe described many suites as having wall-to-wall windows in the main rooms and bedrooms, with broadly similar floor plans across the building. That kind of consistency is helpful: once you have seen one suite, you can judge others quickly.

The same report noted that most suites had not been renovated. In a building this age, assume you may be looking at original kitchens, baths and mechanical equipment, and budget accordingly. A large suite in original condition can be an opportunity if you are happy to renovate; it is a poor fit if you want to move straight in.

Ask about the heating and cooling system in the suite you like, and get the age of any equipment the owner is responsible for. In a 1986 building, that can be the difference between a minor service call and a five-figure replacement in your first few years.

Large, consistent layouts are also easier to renovate well. If you are planning a full redo, ask the property manager for the building’s renovation rules, working hours and any approved contractors, and plan around a small elevator schedule shared with only a few dozen neighbours.

A well-run building with a refreshed lobby

The building has a 24-hour concierge, a rooftop terrace, a party room and a meeting room. According to The Globe and Mail, management had finished renovating the lobby and planned to refresh the hallways and common areas next.

The same agent described fees of roughly $1 per square foot and called the building very well managed, putting the fees well below those of nearby towers. That is one agent’s view, made while selling a suite, so check it against the budget and reserve fund study yourself rather than taking it at face value.

Parking is included in the fee here, along with heat and water. Hydro is on your own account. That combination is useful when you compare monthly costs: many newer towers on Yonge charge separately for parking and bill heating and cooling to each suite, so add those back before deciding which building is cheaper to live in.

Yonge and Davenport is changing

900 Yonge sits on a stretch of Yonge that is starting to grow. In 2021, a developer applied to build two condominium towers of 33 and 19 storeys at 906 Yonge Street and 25 McMurrich Street, keeping only part of the 1927 Ridpath’s Furniture building that now houses a private school. At the time of the report, the application had not been decided.

If that project or another nearby proposal proceeds, expect construction and a change in views from some exposures. Ask which way the suite faces and what is planned on the neighbouring lots before you commit.

Day to day, this is a walkable location: Yorkville, the Yonge and Bloor shops and the Rosedale side of Yonge are all within reach on foot. Transit and nearby food are shown in the data panel on this page.

Pricing: big suites at a low price per foot

900 Yonge averages about $679 per square foot on condos.ca. Nearby buildings of similar age sit in the same band: The Ramsden at 980 Yonge shows about $661 and The Memphis at 942 Yonge about $787. Newer Yorkville towers a few blocks west are commonly above $1,100.

That makes this one of the cheaper ways, per foot, to own a large suite at the edge of Yorkville. The discount reflects age and condition as much as location, so renovated suites will price above the building average and original ones below it.

There were no suites listed for sale at the time of writing, which is normal for a 50-suite building with long-term owners. If you want to buy here, set up an alert and be ready to move. For recent sales history, ask me for the building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Residences of 900 Yonge

There is no pool or large gym here, and that is part of why fees stay reasonable. What you get is the service that matters in a building of large suites: someone at the desk around the clock, a rooftop terrace and a place to host.

Jatin’s honest take on Residences of 900 Yonge

Residences of 900 Yonge — 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.