10 Queens Quay W: World Trade Centre II’s Lakefront Tower and All-In Fee

10 Queens Quay West is the shorter of the two World Trade Centre residential towers at the very bottom of Yonge Street, where the city meets the lake. It is a 1991 building, and it shows its age in places, but it gives you lake views, a large shared recreation centre and a fee that covers almost every utility. The question is whether that fee is a bargain or a burden. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Two sister towers at the foot of Yonge

The World Trade Centre residences are a pair: a 37-storey tower at 10 Yonge Street and this 26-storey tower at 10 Queens Quay West. Both were completed in 1991, designed by Zeidler Roberts Partnership, the firm behind the Eaton Centre and Ontario Place, and developed by Camrost and York-Hannover.

Each tower is its own condominium corporation with its own fees and budget. 10 Yonge is MTCC-979; this building is MTCC-989. People often treat them as one building when searching, so make sure you are reading the right status certificate.

The towers share a podium recreation centre of about 2,800 square metres over two levels, with swimming pools, a sports court and a party lounge. Shared facilities usually mean a cost-sharing agreement between the two corporations, and that agreement is one of the documents I want a buyer to read.

Lake views, older plans, wide size range

Suites run from about 475 square feet to roughly 2,250 square feet. Current listings ranged from compact one-bedrooms to a two-bedroom-plus-two-dens, so the building serves both first buyers and people who want real space on the water.

Plans from this era usually give you more enclosed rooms and less glass than new waterfront towers, and the kitchens and baths in original suites will feel dated. The upside is size: a 1990s one-bedroom-plus-den here can be noticeably larger than its new-build equivalent.

Views decide value. South-facing suites look over the harbour and the islands, while others face the city, the Gardiner or the newer towers that have filled in around Yonge and Queens Quay. Over the past decade a lot of height has been built nearby, so confirm what a suite looks at today rather than relying on older photos.

Renovation status is the other big variable. A suite with original 1991 kitchens, baths and flooring and a fully redone suite on the same floor can be worlds apart in price. When I compare suites here, I adjust for the work needed first, then for view, then for size. Buyers who skip that step tend to overpay for dated suites with a good view.

Why the fee looks high

Fees here are high on paper. Active listings averaged about $1.48 per square foot, with monthly fees ranging from the high $700s for the smallest one-bedroom listed to well over $2,000 for the largest suite.

But the fee includes hydro, heat, air conditioning, water and parking as well as common elements and insurance. In most newer waterfront buildings you pay hydro and often water yourself, and parking can be extra. When you add those costs back, the gap is smaller than it first appears, though it does not disappear entirely.

The other part of the fee is the amenity package. Two pools, a sports court and a big recreation centre cost money to run and eventually to rebuild. Read the reserve fund study for the recreation centre, the garage, the elevators and the windows, and look at how the fee has changed over the last few years.

Living where Yonge meets the lake

The address puts you on the waterfront promenade, with the ferry docks, the harbour and the Queens Quay shops and restaurants at the door. Union Station and the financial district are a walk north, and the data panel on this page shows the transit options.

The area has changed a great deal since 1991. The Pinnacle One Yonge and Sugar Wharf developments have added thousands of homes, offices and retail east and north of here, and more are still filling in. That means more services and grocery choice, and also construction and a busier street for years to come.

Being right on Queens Quay also means event crowds in summer and wind off the lake in winter. Most owners consider that a fair trade for the setting, but it is worth walking the area at different times before buying. Suites on the Queens Quay side also hear streetcar and event noise that lake-facing suites higher up mostly avoid.

Pricing against the waterfront

condos.ca puts the building average at about $770 per square foot. That is a little above its sister tower at 10 Yonge, at about $730, and close to Harbour Square at about $728, while newer towers such as the Pinnacle Centre at 16 Yonge average around $869.

At the time of writing four suites were listed for sale, asking from about $435,000 to about $1.46 million for the largest listed suite. One suite was listed for rent.

Because the fee carries utilities and parking, I compare the total monthly cost of ownership here against newer waterfront buildings, not just the price per square foot. For aggregate sold figures, see my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Residences of the World Trade Centre II

The shared recreation centre is the main draw: indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna and a sports court across two podium levels, plus concierge and security. It is a genuine resort-style package, and it is also a large, ageing facility that owners pay to maintain.

Jatin’s honest take on Residences of the World Trade Centre II

Residences of the World Trade Centre II — frequently asked questions

Looking at St. Lawrence, the Financial District and Downtown Yonge more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.