Saint Agnes Square, 20-22 Marina Ave: Ten Homes Beside a Heritage Church

Saint Agnes Square is one of the smallest condominiums I will ever write about: ten homes on a residential side street in Long Branch, a block from Lake Ontario. Homes here almost never come up for sale, and when one does, the questions are about the corporation as much as the house. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Ten homes next to a Long Branch landmark

Saint Agnes Square sits on Marina Avenue, beside the former St. Agnes’ Church at the corner of Long Branch and Marina avenues. The City of Toronto moved to designate that church complex under the Ontario Heritage Act in 2016. The church, its chapel-office wing and the rectory at 24 Marina Avenue were completed in 1958 to designs by Murray Brown & Elton Architects, in what the City describes as an Ecclesiastical Modern style of grey brick, cantilevered roofs and a spire.

The name of the condominium clearly nods to its neighbour, but I could not confirm whether the homes were built on land that once belonged to the church. If the history matters to you, the parcel register and the condominium’s declaration will show it.

The architects had deep roots here. The City’s report notes that Murray Brown & Elton also designed other Long Branch buildings, including the library, and that A. Gresley Elton was a member of the parish and sat on the Long Branch Planning Board. The church’s spire is a fixed point on the walk down Marina Avenue to the lake.

The Anglican congregation began in a tent in 1919 and served Long Branch for 85 years before closing in 2005. According to the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, the building has since been used by other congregations and is undergoing an adaptive reuse as a daycare. For the homes at Saint Agnes Square, a protected heritage building next door means a neighbour that is unlikely to be replaced by something tall.

A very small corporation

Ten homes is about as small as a condominium corporation gets. Condos.ca records the homes from about 763 to 1,300 square feet, which suggests a mix of smaller and family-sized layouts rather than one repeated plan. It lists the building as a single storey, which may reflect how it records townhouses; check the actual floor plan and the number of levels before you book a viewing.

In a corporation this small, everything is personal. The board is likely to be made up of several of the ten owners, decisions about repairs are made among neighbours, and a single owner who stops paying their fee is a real problem for the budget. The good side is that you know exactly who you live with and the building can move quickly when it needs to.

Management is listed as Maple Ridge Community Management. Ask how often the manager visits, how the reserve fund is invested, and when the last reserve fund study was done.

What the fee covers, and what it does not

Condos.ca lists the fee as covering parking, building insurance and common elements. Water, heat and hydro are not listed, so expect to pay all three yourself. Confirm how each is metered and billed, and ask the seller for a year of bills.

There are no active listings to give a current fee range, so ask the seller for the monthly fee, the latest budget and recent utility bills. The total monthly cost is the fee plus your own utilities, and you should compare that full figure with a freehold house nearby.

Because the corporation insures the buildings, ask what the insurance deductible is and which parts of the home you must insure yourself. In a small corporation, a high deductible can land on one owner after a leak or a storm, so set your own policy accordingly.

At about 15 years old, the homes are past the new-build stage but not yet at the age of major replacements. The reserve fund study should show when the roofs, windows, paving and any shared parking area are due. With only ten owners sharing the cost, check that the fund is building at a pace that will cover them without a large special assessment.

Long Branch life

Long Branch grew from a Victorian summer resort into an independent village and then a lakefront neighbourhood of Toronto. That history still shows in side streets like Marina Avenue, which the City’s heritage report describes as running from the old Lakeshore Road down toward the waterfront.

You are a short walk from the lake and from the shops and restaurants on Lake Shore Boulevard West. This is a quieter, more residential part of south Etobicoke than Humber Bay Shores, with houses rather than towers on most streets.

For buyers who want a home with a small yard feel and a short walk to the lake, without the price of a detached house, that is the appeal. The data panel on this page covers transit, schools, parks and nearby food in more detail.

Pricing a building that rarely sells

There are no homes for sale or lease at Saint Agnes Square right now, and condos.ca does not publish an average price per square foot for it. With only ten homes, years can pass between sales, so there are very few comparables.

That makes pricing hard. When a home does come up, I would look at recent sales of condominium townhouses and freehold houses of similar size elsewhere in Long Branch, adjust for the fee and the lack of land ownership, and then look closely at the condition of the home and the reserve fund.

If you want to buy here, set up an alert and be ready to move. For sold history, see the data panel or ask me for the building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Saint Agnes Square

There are no shared amenities beyond visitor parking, and that keeps the fee down. You are buying a home on a quiet street near the lake, and the lakefront parks are your amenity.

Jatin’s honest take on Saint Agnes Square

Saint Agnes Square — 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.