The Station Condos, 555 Wilson Ave: Twin Towers by Brandy Lane at Wilson

The Station Condos is named for what it sits beside, and that tells you who it was built for. It is two 14-storey towers at Wilson and Allen with 388 suites, from the same builder and architect as some of the better-value buildings I sell in Etobicoke. It is one of the cheaper ways per foot into this corridor, and there are a few things to check that explain why. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Two mini-towers on a shared podium

UrbanToronto described the project as two mini-towers rising from one podium, with about 4,000 square feet of retail at ground level on Wilson Avenue. The towers are addressed separately, 555 for the east and 565 for the west, which is why suite numbers here carry an E or W prefix.

Brandy Lane Homes built it with Shiplake and Wise, and SMV Architects designed it. That is the same builder and architect pairing behind Loggia Condos on The Queensway, which I know well, though the two buildings are very different products.

The site was previously two low-rise commercial properties. UrbanToronto noted that much of the land around Wilson station had been given over to commuter surface parking, which became less necessary once the subway line was extended north. The Station was one of the first projects to turn that land into housing.

The amenity list: check what is open

When the towers were under construction, the marketed amenity package, called the Studio Club, included an indoor infinity-edge pool, a party room with a bar and catering kitchen, an outdoor barbecue terrace with a fireplace, a games room, a fitness centre and steam rooms.

Condos.ca’s current list is different: a concierge, a party room, a media room, a recreation room, a sauna, barbecues and visitor parking. It does not list a pool. Marketing lists and listing sites often drift apart, so on a showing ask to see exactly which spaces are open and how they are booked.

Condos.ca also flags a pet restriction. I have not seen the rules, so if you have a pet, read the declaration and rules before you make an offer.

Suites, and why the range is so wide

Condos.ca puts suites at about 495 to 1,820 square feet. The bulk of resale activity is one-bedrooms, one-plus-dens and two-bedrooms, but the building also has three-bedroom plans, which are unusual in a 2016 tower and useful for families who want to stay near the subway.

With two towers, compare suites within the same tower and exposure. A unit facing Wilson Avenue and one facing the courtyard side or the neighbouring Gramercy Park will feel and sell differently.

For families, the three-bedroom plans are the reason to look here. Ask whether the third bedroom has a window and a closet, since some larger plans label a den or a windowless room as a bedroom, and check the storage and locker situation, which matters more with children. A larger suite on a lower floor can often be a better buy than a smaller one higher up.

A corner that has filled in around it

When The Station was announced, it was one of the first condos to replace the low-rise commercial lots and commuter parking around Wilson and Allen. Since then Gramercy Park to the east, Southside Residences at Gramercy Park behind it and Rocket Condos nearby have turned the area into a dense residential cluster.

That has mostly been good for owners here. More residents support more shops, and the retail at the base of the towers on Wilson Avenue has more foot traffic than it would have had a decade ago. It has also meant years of nearby construction and more cars at a corner that was already busy.

The location is built for commuters. Allen Road and the 401 are minutes away by car, and Yorkdale is close. The transit details, schools and Walk Score are in the data panel on this page.

Pricing: about $682 a foot, without parking in the fee

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $682 per square foot, slightly below Gramercy Park next door. Across the current listings asking prices ranged from $425,000 to $788,000 and monthly fees from about $552 to $888.

Active fees average about $0.85 per square foot, covering air conditioning, heat, water, building insurance and common elements. Parking is not on condos.ca’s inclusion list, so if a suite comes with a space, confirm whether there is a separate charge, and factor that into any comparison with Gramercy Park, which lists parking as included.

Price per foot will also differ between the towers and between floors. Suites facing Wilson Avenue, lower floors and the largest plans usually trade at a lower figure per foot, while higher one-bedrooms tend to set the top of the range. With 388 suites there is usually enough resale activity to find good comparables, which is a real advantage over smaller buildings nearby.

Three-bedroom suites under $800,000 near a subway line are rare in Toronto. If that is what you need, ask me for a building sold report so we can see what the larger plans have actually traded for.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Station Condos

Condos.ca lists a concierge, a party room, media and recreation rooms, a sauna and barbecues. The original marketing promised more, including a pool, so confirm on a showing what is actually operating before you count it in the price.

Jatin’s honest take on The Station Condos

The Station Condos — frequently asked questions

Looking at York Mills, Don Mills, Lawrence Park, Bathurst Manor and midtown-north Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.