The Davies, 281 Avenue Rd: Brandy Lane’s 9-Storey Boutique on the Park

The Davies is what a downsizer from Forest Hill or Rosedale usually means when they say they want a condo but not a condo. It has about three dozen suites over nine storeys, private elevator entries, 10- and 11-foot ceilings, and a park on its doorstep. It is also brand new, which brings its own homework. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Built around a park, not a podium

The Davies takes its name from Robertson Davies Park, the small green space it overlooks on Avenue Road. The park was being revitalized alongside the project, which is part of why the building faces it so deliberately.

The architects gave it a gently curved, terraced form rather than a hard box, so suites step back as they rise and pick up more outdoor space and better views. The facade uses natural cleft stone and stone veneers, with wood-grain soffits under the balconies. It reads as a quiet, solid building, not a glass tower.

Sources disagree on the architect. UrbanToronto’s coverage credits SMV Architects, the firm Brandy Lane also used for Loggia on The Queensway, while a project database lists CMV Group Architects with Rafael + Bigauskas. If the design team matters to you, ask the developer or check the building permit file.

Suites sized like houses

This was never a building of 500-square-foot one-bedrooms. Suites were marketed at about 1,000 to 3,000 square feet, with principal rooms finished at 10- and 11-foot ceilings and dining areas sized for a table of eight or more.

Several plans have private elevator entries, so the elevator opens into your own foyer. Some penthouse layouts were drawn with separate living and family rooms, and every suite opens to a balcony or terrace with a gas barbecue connection. Interiors were by Lukas Design, with custom kitchens and full-size appliances.

Early marketing invited buyers to customize their suites, so layouts and finishes may differ from one unit to the next. Do not assume the floor plan you saw online is what was built. Ask for the as-built plan and the list of upgrades for the specific suite you are considering.

What you share, and what you don’t

With around 37 suites, the shared spaces here are meant for a small group of owners. Marketing described a 24-hour concierge, a lobby with a commissioned bronze sculpture, an entertaining room with a catering kitchen, a private dining room for about ten, a fitness room, a dog-wash station and a rooftop lounge with gardens.

That is a lot of amenity for so few owners, and someone pays for it. In a boutique building, staffing and upkeep costs are split among very few suites, so fees per square foot can be higher than in a large tower. I did not find a published fee schedule, so ask for the current budget and fee for any suite you look at.

The building also included electric-vehicle charging, with each station tied to its suite. Confirm how many parking spaces and lockers come with the unit you are buying, and whether the charger is already installed.

The location: park in front, rail line behind

The site sits between the small residential pocket known as the Republic of Rathnelly to the west and Summerhill to the east, near the Dupont end of this stretch of Avenue Road. It is a residential stretch of Avenue Road, with the shops and restaurants of Yorkville and the Annex to the south and St. Clair to the north. The data panel on this page covers transit, schools and food.

The honest drawback is the rail corridor to the south of the site. Trains use that line, so before you buy, visit at different times of day, stand on the terrace of the suite you want, and ask the developer what acoustic glazing was used on that side.

Avenue Road itself is a busy arterial, so north-facing and park-facing suites will feel very different from those on the road side. Orientation is worth paying for here.

The neighbour to the north is an older apartment building, Cottingham Manor, so ask what each suite actually looks at before you fall for a floor plan. Because the building steps back as it rises, the upper, terraced floors carry the largest outdoor spaces, and that is where I would focus if the budget allows.

Pricing: a first-generation resale market

There were no suites listed for sale or rent when I checked, and with a building registered only in 2024 there is very little resale history. Most of the comparables you will find are first resales from original buyers.

To value a suite, I would compare it with other boutique midtown buildings with large plans and private elevator access, such as The Oaklands nearby on Avenue Road, and adjust for the age of the building, the outdoor space and the view. Price per square foot on large suites is usually lower than on small ones, so compare like with like.

Ask for the current maintenance fee, the reserve fund study and the budget. In a new building, the first budget is often set by the developer and can rise once the owners’ board takes over. My building sold report can pull what has actually traded here.

One more thing on value: in a building this small, a single motivated seller can move the apparent price per square foot more than any market trend. Look at the range of first resales, not one number, and weigh the specific suite’s floor, view and outdoor space heavily.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Davies

The amenity package is built for entertaining and for dog owners rather than for a big social scene: a catering kitchen, a private dining room, a dog wash and a rooftop lounge. For downsizers who still host family dinners, that is the right mix.

Jatin’s honest take on The Davies

The Davies — frequently asked questions

Looking at Yorkville, the Annex and Midtown more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.