Rose of Sharon, 15 Maplewood Ave: A 2022 Mid-Rise Off St. Clair West

Rose of Sharon is one of the quieter new buildings in the St. Clair West area: 91 suites over nine storeys on a residential side street, registered in 2022. It is also one of the least documented buildings I get asked about, which tells you how to approach it. Here, the status certificate and the declaration matter more than the brochure, because there is very little brochure to go on. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A small, low-profile building, and why that matters

Most condos in this part of the city arrive with a developer’s website, floor plan brochures and a project page on UrbanToronto. For Rose of Sharon, I could not find a named developer, an architect or a public marketing package. Condos.ca does not list a developer either.

That is not a red flag on its own. Some buildings are delivered by community organizations or smaller builders that never market to the public the way a large developer does. But it means you cannot rely on the usual public record to understand how the building was planned, who built it, or what the original suite mix and specifications were.

So the documents do the work. Before you make an offer, read the declaration, the by-laws and the rules in full. Confirm whether there are any restrictions on who may occupy or buy a suite, on leasing, and on pets. I have not found anything published on those points, which is exactly why you should check them rather than assume.

Nine storeys on a residential side street

Maplewood Avenue is a short residential street north of St. Clair Avenue West, in the pocket around Vaughan Road. A nine-storey building here sits among houses and older low-rise apartments rather than in a row of towers, which gives it a calmer street presence than the buildings on St. Clair itself.

With 91 suites, the building is mid-sized. That is large enough to spread the cost of a property manager and a reserve fund across a reasonable number of owners, and small enough that a handful of owners can shape decisions at the annual meeting. Ask how many owners attended the last meeting and how often the board meets.

Listings show a penthouse level at the top of the building. I do not have a reliable size range for the building, so measure the suite or ask for the floor plan rather than relying on a listing figure.

A young corporation with a modest amenity package

Condos.ca lists a rec room and a rooftop deck. There is no concierge, gym or pool listed, which is typical for a building of this size and keeps operating costs down. The rooftop is likely the most valuable shared space in a nine-storey building surrounded by low-rise houses, since views open up in most directions.

The corporation was registered in May 2022, so it is still in its first years. This is the period when the first reserve fund study after turnover is done, warranty claims are filed with Tarion, and the real operating budget replaces the developer’s estimate. Ask for the most recent reserve fund study, the current budget, and whether any common-element warranty items are still open.

ICC Property Management is listed as the manager. Ask how long it has managed the building and whether the board has changed managers since registration.

Small amenity packages also mean small amenity budgets, which is good for fees but leaves less margin for the building to absorb a surprise. Look at how the reserve fund is being built up in these early years, because the contributions set now decide whether the first big repairs, years from now, are funded or charged to owners.

Daily life near St. Clair and Vaughan

The building sits a short walk north of St. Clair Avenue West, one of the city’s established streetcar main streets, with its cafes, groceries and independent shops. Vaughan Road runs diagonally through the area toward Bathurst and Oakwood, and the Cedarvale Ravine and its trails are to the north and east.

This is a neighbourhood of long-time owners, family houses and small apartment buildings, and it changes slowly. That is part of the appeal for buyers who want a quiet street and a short walk to a real main street rather than a new mixed-use district. The data panel on this page shows transit, schools and walkability for the address.

If you are weighing it against the newer mid-rises directly on St. Clair West, the difference is mostly about the street. A building on the avenue puts the streetcar and shops at your door along with the traffic and noise; a building on Maplewood gives you a quieter block and a short walk to the same main street.

Pricing and fees: what I can and cannot tell you

At the time of writing, there was only one active resale listing and two suites for lease, which is a thin market. With one listing I will not quote an asking price, and you should not treat any single listing as the value of the building.

The better guide is the aggregate sale and lease history in the data panel on this page, and recent resales in comparable post-2015 mid-rise buildings along St. Clair West. Ask for the fee per square foot of the suite you are considering and confirm in the status certificate exactly what the fee covers, because I could not confirm the inclusions for this building.

In a young building, the first few budgets tend to move. Ask whether fees have risen since registration and by how much, and what the reserve fund study projects for contributions over the next five years. If you want a full picture of what has traded here, my building sold report pulls the aggregate figures.

Building specifications

Amenities at Rose of Sharon

This is a lean amenity package: a shared room for gatherings and a rooftop deck, with no staffed lobby or gym listed. That suits owners who want lower operating costs and would rather use the gyms and cafes on St. Clair West.

Jatin’s honest take on Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon — frequently asked questions

Looking at York Mills, Don Mills, Lawrence Park, Bathurst Manor and midtown-north Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.