The Cardiff, 492 Eglinton Ave E: A 92-Suite Boutique Mid-Rise by RAW Design

The Cardiff at 492 Eglinton Avenue East is the kind of building I suggest to buyers who like midtown but not the towers at Yonge and Eglinton. It is 12 storeys and 92 suites, designed by RAW Design with a precast and zinc facade that looks more considered than most new mid-rises on this stretch. It is small, it is new, and that cuts both ways. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A mid-rise designed for the street

RAW Design describes The Cardiff as a response to Eglinton’s past as an apartment corridor and its future as a transit avenue. In practice, that means a building scaled to the street rather than to the skyline, with a strong, squared-off form that holds the corner of Cardiff Road.

The facade is what you notice first. Horizontal bands of precast concrete run across the building, the balconies project only slightly so the lines stay clean, and irregular zinc panels break up the window bands. It is a more deliberate look than the all-glass mid-rises going up along Eglinton, and precast tends to age better than painted panels or spandrel glass.

Patton Design handled the interiors and The MBTW Group the landscape, according to the construction record. LCL Builds acted as construction manager. For a building this size, that is a serious consultant team, which usually shows up in the common areas.

Ninety-two suites: what boutique really means

Ninety-two suites is small for a condo with a concierge. The upside is a building where you will recognise your neighbours, quieter common areas and a board that is easy to reach. The downside is arithmetic: every repair, every staffing contract and every reserve fund contribution is split among fewer owners.

That does not make the fee high by default. It means the fee is more sensitive to surprises. When a small building needs a new roof membrane or a garage repair, the cost per suite is larger than it would be across 400 units. Read the reserve fund study with that in mind, even in a building this new.

Resale is the other effect. With so few suites, there are rarely more than a handful of listings at once, and comparables can be thin. That helps sellers when the right buyer appears, but it means buyers should look at nearby mid-rises too when judging value, not only past sales in this building.

Layouts from 533 to 1,655 square feet

Condos.ca records suite sizes from about 533 to 1,655 square feet. That spread is wider than in most new mid-rises, and it tells you the building was designed for end users as well as investors. The current listings include one-bedrooms in the 500s and a two-plus-den in the 900s, and there are larger suites above that.

In the one-bedrooms, check whether the bedroom has its own window or sits behind sliding glass. In the larger plans, ask about outdoor space. The facade is designed with shallow balconies, so if a full terrace matters to you, look specifically for setback floors or a suite with a larger outdoor area noted on the floor plan.

The construction record also notes four levels of underground parking, which is generous for 92 suites. If you drive, that is good news, but confirm whether a space and a locker are included with the suite you are buying, and whether they are owned or exclusive-use.

Living on Eglinton East between Mount Pleasant and Bayview

The Cardiff sits on Eglinton Avenue East at Cardiff Road, east of Mount Pleasant. This part of Eglinton has lived through years of Crosstown construction, and the avenue is now changing quickly, with more mid-rise buildings planned and under way along the corridor.

For daily life, you are close to the Mount Pleasant and Bayview shopping strips and a short trip from Leaside, with the Yonge and Eglinton centre to the west. Cardiff Road itself is a quieter residential street, so suites facing it will generally be calmer than those directly on Eglinton.

Expect continued construction nearby as more of Eglinton is redeveloped. When you view a suite, look across the street and ask what is planned there, because the view from a mid-rise depends heavily on what goes up next door.

What The Cardiff costs

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $880 per square foot. That is close to new towers at Yonge and Eglinton, which tells you buyers are paying for the boutique format and the finish level rather than for proximity to the main intersection.

At the time of writing there were three active listings asking from $399,000 of about 500 to 599 square feet to $1,100,000 of about 900 to 999 square feet. Monthly fees across those listings ran from about $433 to $889, about $0.92 per square foot on average.

That fee is higher per square foot than many larger new towers, which is the cost of a concierge and a full amenity package across 92 suites. Condos.ca does not list what the fee includes, so get the budget and confirm how heat, water and hydro are handled before comparing with other buildings.

The spread in asking prices is wide even within the one-bedrooms, which usually reflects floor, exposure and outdoor space more than square footage. In a building this small, a suite facing Cardiff Road with a usable balcony and one facing Eglinton on a low floor are effectively different products, so do not assume two one-bedrooms of similar size should trade at the same price.

Because listings here are scarce, a single sale can move the apparent average a lot. For recent resale figures, see the data panel on this page or ask me for a building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Cardiff Condos on Eglinton

For a 92-suite building, this is a full package: a concierge, gym, party, games and media rooms, and outdoor terraces with barbecue areas on the second and fifth floors plus a rooftop deck. It means you get tower-style amenities without tower-size crowds, but you also share their running cost with fewer owners.

Jatin’s honest take on The Cardiff Condos on Eglinton

The Cardiff Condos on Eglinton — frequently asked questions

Looking at Yonge & Eglinton, Davisville and North Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.