The Knitting Mill Lofts, 426 Queen St E: 28 Lofts in an Early Conversion

The Knitting Mill Lofts is one of the buildings that started Toronto’s loft market. It is a grey, low-rise former knitting mill on Queen East at Sackville, converted in the late 1990s into 28 hard lofts with century-old Douglas fir beams and a working freight elevator. The suites are smaller than most east-end lofts, which makes it one of the more affordable ways into a real one. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

One of Toronto’s first warehouse conversions

The building went up at the turn of the last century as a knitting mill, a garment and fabric factory, when this stretch of Queen East was still largely industrial. It is described as one of the oldest such factories in the city, and it carries a heritage designation.

It was converted into 28 hard lofts in the late 1990s. Sources give the conversion as 1997 or 1998, and the corporation was registered in December 1998. Either way, it was among the first industrial buildings in Toronto turned into residential lofts, before the idea went mainstream.

The developer was Paul De Haas, who later converted the Boiler Factory Lofts at 189 Queen St E. Both are small, character-first projects, and buyers who like one usually want to see the other.

That early date matters when you compare it with later conversions. The first-wave projects tended to keep more of the original structure and to add less, which is why the beams, posts and freight elevator are still here.

Fir beams, brick and a vintage freight elevator

Inside, the structure is the show: exposed wood beams and posts, most of them original Douglas fir roughly a century old, with exposed brick and hardwood floors. From outside you see tall windows, understated brick detailing and a porthole window over the entrance.

The building still runs a vintage freight elevator, which is part of its charm and also a piece of equipment you should ask about. One recently featured suite had 11-foot ceilings, lower than the 14 feet of some east-end conversions but still generous.

Suites range from about 561 to 1,377 sq ft. That makes this one of the few hard-loft buildings where a smaller one-bedroom budget can buy real brick and beam, while the larger suites give room for a proper second bedroom or office.

Small suites in a converted factory need careful layout. Look for where the sleeping area sits relative to the windows, how much closet space there is, and whether a smaller suite has a real separate bedroom or a partially open one.

Parking, outdoor space and what the fee covers

Sources conflict on parking. One description says the building has no parking; another describes a suite sold with a surface parking space. Treat parking as rare at best, and confirm on the status certificate whether a specific suite has one.

Private outdoor space is limited or absent, so this is a building for people who use the city as their yard. Amenities are basic: a security presence, bike storage and the elevator. There is no gym or party room.

The fee covers common elements, building insurance and water. Heat and hydro are not listed as included, so ask what the suite pays for utilities. Fees appear to vary a great deal between suites, more than size alone would explain, so compare the fee to the registered square footage of each suite.

The building’s small size works in your favour on governance. With 28 owners, it is easier to know who is on the board and to follow decisions, but larger repairs are shared among fewer people than in a tower.

Queen and Sackville, between Moss Park and Corktown

The building sits on Queen East at Sackville, just south of Regent Park and a short walk from Corktown Common, the Distillery District and the King East strip. The Regent Park revitalization to the north has added new towers, an aquatic centre and a large park over the past two decades.

Queen East here is a working street with streetcars, small restaurants and older storefronts alongside new buildings, and drivers have quick access to the Don Valley Parkway. The data panel on this page has the exact transit, school and park details.

As with any building directly on Queen, expect street noise in front-facing suites. Visit at different times of day, and ask which side of the building a suite faces.

Front-facing suites look onto Queen; rear suites are quieter but may have less light.

A lower entry point to an authentic loft

The building average is about $931 per square foot. That is higher per foot than Imperial Lofts on Sherbourne at about $740 and Boiler Factory Lofts at about $870, and below Brewery Lofts on Sumach at about $1,050.

The higher per-foot figure partly reflects suite size. Small suites almost always cost more per square foot, and with suites starting under 600 sq ft, the Knitting Mill has some of the smallest hard lofts in the area. The total price is what makes it accessible.

When you compare the Knitting Mill with a new one-bedroom condo of similar price nearby, the trade is clear. The new suite usually has parking or a gym, a balcony and newer systems; the Knitting Mill has height, timber and brick, and a building that will never be replicated.

With 28 suites, resales are infrequent. There is one suite listed for sale right now, so I would not read much into its asking price. For recent sold and leased figures, see the data panel or my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Knitting Mill Lofts

There is no amenity package in the modern sense. The freight elevator and bike storage are the practical features, and everything else is the neighbourhood.

Jatin’s honest take on The Knitting Mill Lofts

The Knitting Mill Lofts — frequently asked questions

Looking at Church–Wellesley, Corktown, Moss Park and Cabbagetown more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.