The Ports, 1177 Yonge St: Big Summerhill Suites and a Tennis Court

The Ports is what I show buyers who want space in Summerhill and do not need a new building. It is a seven-storey, 106-suite condominium from 1986 at Yonge and Summerhill, with suites that start around 800 sq ft, a private tennis court and gardens with gazebos. It trades at a price per square foot well below most of midtown, and the reason is the monthly fee. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A disco site turned quiet low-rise

The building’s name is a nod to the past. One brokerage history of the building says it refers to The Ports of Call, a 1970s nightclub that once stood on the site. What replaced it is about as far from a disco as you can get: a low building of 106 suites with gardens around it.

At seven storeys, it sits comfortably on this stretch of Yonge, where the street is lined with shops and low buildings rather than towers. You get Yonge Street at the front door and Summerhill’s residential streets and ravines behind.

The construction dates in the records differ slightly. Condos.ca’s overview says 1985, while its building data and the corporation registration point to 1986. Either way, this is a building approaching 40 years old, and you should read it that way.

Suites that start where others stop

The smallest suites here are about 811 sq ft, and the largest are about 1,801 sq ft. There are no studios and no tiny one-bedrooms; the plans are one-bedrooms, one-bedroom-plus-dens and two-bedrooms, many with balconies or terraces.

That makes it a downsizer’s building. A one-bedroom here can be the size of a two-bedroom in a new tower, and a recent listing described a walk-in closet and an open living and dining area. Many suites have hardwood floors, and condition varies from original to fully renovated.

The size works against you on resale only if you price it like a new-build. Buyers here are paying for room and quiet, and they will pay for good renovation. They will not pay new-tower prices for a 1980s kitchen.

A tennis court, gardens and a sauna

The amenity package is unusual for a building this small. There is a private tennis court, landscaped gardens with gazebos and barbecue areas, an exercise room with saunas, a party room, a games room, a car wash and visitor parking, plus a concierge and security.

A tennis court in a 106-suite building is rare in midtown, and so is this much green space at the base of a Yonge Street condo. It is also expensive to keep up. Ask when the court was last resurfaced and what the reserve fund study says about the garden structures and landscaping.

Next door is David A. Balfour Park, with ravine trails that lead down toward the Evergreen Brick Works. For a buyer who walks or runs, that is a large part of the appeal.

The daily logistics are easy. Summerhill subway station is steps from the entrance, the shops and restaurants of Yonge are at the door, and the brokerage profile notes the Don Valley Parkway is about ten minutes by car through Rosedale Valley Road and Bayview. Transit, schools, parks and Walk Score are shown in the data panel on this page.

Nearby alternatives on Yonge are small and newer: Rosedale Terrace at 1174 Yonge has 19 suites from 2001, and Summerhill Gardens at 1246 Yonge has 10. Neither offers grounds or a tennis court, which is why The Ports holds its own despite its age.

The fee is the real decision

The fee covers cable TV, parking, water, building insurance and common elements. Heat, air conditioning and hydro are separate, so add them to your budget on top of the fee.

Sources disagree on the level. A brokerage profile of the building puts fees around $0.85 per sq ft, but the two suites listed when I checked carried fees of about $1,465 to $2,150 a month, which on their sizes works out well above that. Fees in older buildings rise over time, and I would treat the current listings as the better guide.

Ask for the budget, the last three years of increases and the reserve fund study. With large suites and a lot of grounds to maintain, this is the line that will decide whether the building works for you.

Cable TV in the fee is a holdover from the era the building was built in. It is worth asking whether the board has looked at a bulk internet agreement instead, because that is what most owners now want, and it changes the value of what the fee buys.

Why The Ports looks cheap per square foot

Condos.ca reports a building average of about $582 per square foot. That is low for Yonge and Summerhill, and well below The Orion a short walk north at 1231 Yonge, which averages about $908. The difference is age, the fee and the fact that heat and hydro are on top.

When I checked, two suites were listed for sale, asking from about $675,000 to about $1.2 million. That is a lot of space for the money in this neighbourhood, as long as the monthly cost works.

To compare fairly, add each building’s fee, utilities and parking into a single monthly figure, then compare that against the price. On that basis The Ports is often competitive, and on suite size it usually wins. Ask me for the building sold report for the recorded sales.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Ports

The tennis court and gardens are what set The Ports apart from every other low-rise on this stretch of Yonge. Combined with the ravine park next door, it is one of the few midtown condos where you can spend real time outside without leaving the property.

Jatin’s honest take on The Ports

The Ports — 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.