Skymark, 80 Harrison Garden Blvd: Tridel’s Taller Twin at Yonge & 401

80 Harrison Garden is the taller of Tridel’s two Skymark towers, and the one with more choice. It has 381 suites over 31 storeys, a spread from one-bedroom-plus-dens to large penthouses, and the same shared club with an indoor pool as its twin. The fee looks high per square foot until you see what it covers. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Phase two of Skymark, and the bigger of the pair

Skymark is two towers on Harrison Garden Boulevard, on the east side of Yonge just north of the 401. The Globe and Mail reported in 2002 that this second phase launched in January of that year, with 31 storeys and 381 suites, a year behind the 29-storey tower at 78 Harrison Garden. Tridel lists Skymark among its ten most iconic communities and dates the second tower to 2004.

Condos.ca leaves the developer field blank. Tridel’s material names Tridel, and the 2002 Globe report also names Hullmark Developments as a partner. The building is its own corporation, TSCC-1600, registered in April 2004, and condos.ca lists Del Property Management for both towers.

More suites means more turnover. With 381 units, this tower usually has something for sale or for lease, which makes it easier to compare prices and to buy without waiting a year for the right floor plan.

Suite sizes: the sources do not agree

Condos.ca gives a range of about 575 to 2,590 square feet. The Globe’s 2002 launch report described this phase as running from about 815 to 2,350 square feet, including a 1,320-square-foot three-bedroom plan. The difference is likely a combination of plan changes before construction and how different sources measure, but I would not rely on either figure for a specific suite.

The listings when I checked show the range in practice: two one-bedroom-plus-dens in the 600-to-699-square-foot band and a much larger two-bedroom-plus-two-dens. So this tower has more entry-level suites than its twin, as well as a penthouse level.

I could not find the architect or ceiling heights in any source I checked. Ask for the floor plan, measure it against the MLS figure, and check whether the kitchen and bathrooms are original.

The shared Skymark Club

Both towers share the Skymark Club, which the 2002 Globe report described as a 30,000-square-foot, two-storey facility with an indoor pool, a fitness and aerobics area, a virtual golf room, a party room, a home theatre lounge, a spa and a four-lane five-pin bowling alley. Condos.ca’s current list for this tower shows concierge, a party room, guest suites, a meeting room and a sauna.

A facility this size is a real advantage, and it also costs money to run. The split between 78 and 80 Harrison Garden will be set out in a shared facilities agreement. Read it with the status certificate, and look at what the reserve fund expects to spend on the pool and club equipment. Ask management which parts of the original club are still open.

Living at Yonge and the 401

Harrison Garden Boulevard is set back from Yonge, so the traffic noise is lower than on the main street. The 401 is the bigger factor: it is very close, which makes the building good for drivers and less pleasant for south-facing suites. The taller tower gives upper floors wider views, but ask which side a suite faces before you fall for the view.

The towers at Yonge and Sheppard are to the north, including Tridel’s Hullmark Centre, which Tridel notes has direct access to Sheppard-Yonge station. For transit, schools, parks and food, use the data panel on this page, and walk to Yonge yourself at the hours you would actually use it.

One practical point for a building this size: with 381 suites plus the residents of the twin using the same club, elevators and the shared driveway, mornings and move-in days can be busy. Ask how many elevators serve the tower, how move-ins are booked, and how the visitor parking is managed before you commit, especially if you will have family visiting often.

The upside of the size is a deep resale and lease record. Comparable sales exist for most floor plans, so pricing a suite here is more straightforward than in a small building, and lenders and appraisers are familiar with the address.

A fee that looks high until you add it up

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $704 per square foot, essentially the same as its twin at 78 Harrison Garden (about $703) and slightly below Spectrum at 28 Harrison Garden (about $724). The Tridel name and the club are not priced at a premium on this street.

The fees on active listings worked out to about $1.07 per square foot, which is high for North York on its face. The fee includes air conditioning, common elements, heat, building insurance, parking and water, according to condos.ca, and it carries part of the cost of the club. Compare total monthly cost, including heat, cooling and parking, with any newer building before you decide this one is expensive.

Three suites were for sale when I checked, asking between $448,800 and $1,548,000, with fees between $698 and $2,301 a month. The low end is the one-bedroom-plus-den suites; the high end is a large multi-bedroom suite. For recent sale and lease figures, use the data panel on this page or my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at Skymark Condominiums

The club is the reason to choose Skymark over a newer tower nearby: a pool, a fitness area, a theatre lounge and bowling lanes inside your building’s complex. It also explains part of the fee, so judge it on how often you would use it.

Jatin’s honest take on Skymark Condominiums

Skymark Condominiums — frequently asked questions

Looking at Willowdale, Yonge & Sheppard, Bayview Village and North York Centre more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.