The Victorian, 105 Victoria St: A 103-Suite Boutique Near Queen and Yonge

The Victorian is the kind of downtown building most buyers walk past without noticing, and that is part of its appeal. It is a 14-storey, 103-suite condominium from 1997 on a side street a block east of Yonge, with suites that start around 600 sq ft and a price per square foot well below the towers around it. Small buildings have their own risks, and I will walk you through them. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A boutique building on a side street

With 103 suites over 14 storeys, The Victorian is small by downtown standards. That means fewer neighbours, fewer people waiting for the elevator and a lobby where staff and owners tend to know each other. Listing descriptions consistently describe it as a quiet boutique building, and that matches what you would expect from its size.

Victoria Street itself is a short side street between Yonge and Church. You are a block from the Yonge Street shopping strip and the Eaton Centre, but your own front door faces a quieter street than most downtown addresses.

The trade-off of a small building is that every big repair is shared among fewer owners. A roof, an elevator modernization or a garage repair costs roughly the same whether a building has 100 suites or 400, so the reserve fund matters more here than in a large tower.

Suites that start where others stop

Condos.ca puts the suite range at about 607 to 1,534 sq ft. There are no tiny studios here; the smallest plans are about the size of a generous one-bedroom in a newer tower, and the larger plans are real family-sized suites.

That size range is a product of the era. Buildings designed in the mid-1990s were planned for owner-occupiers, not for the investor-driven micro-suites that came later. If you need a proper dining area or room for a home office, this is the kind of building that delivers it.

Finishes depend on the suite. Some owners have renovated with new flooring, kitchens and bathrooms, while others are closer to original. In at least one current listing, a one-bedroom plan has been adapted with a temporary wall to create a second bedroom, which shows how flexible these layouts can be. Always check that any such change was done properly.

What the fee covers, and what it does not

Condos.ca lists common elements, building insurance, parking and water as included. Heat and hydro are not listed, and listing details show suites heated with gas-fired forced air and cooled with central air, so expect to pay for your own energy.

Parking being listed in the fee is a plus for owners who have a space. Confirm the specific suite actually has one, along with a locker, before you rely on it.

Because the fee covers less than the all-inclusive buildings nearby, it tends to look lower per square foot. Compare total monthly cost, including hydro, gas and insurance, rather than the fee alone. Ask the seller for a year of hydro and gas bills so you know what you are taking on, especially in a larger suite with more glass.

Living a block from Yonge and Queen

The location is central in the most literal sense. The Eaton Centre, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto Metropolitan University, Massey Hall and the theatres on Yonge are all an ordinary walk away, and Sankofa Square is a few blocks north. Most owners here do not need a car day to day.

The biggest change nearby is the Ontario Line subway project, which is under construction along Queen Street. The work has been disruptive for anyone walking or driving through the area, and it is worth asking how long the nearby staging will last. Transit and Walk Score details are in the data panel on this page.

Downtown Yonge is busy and can be noisy at night, especially on weekends. Victoria Street is calmer than Yonge itself, but visit in the evening to judge it for yourself. Lower floors and suites facing the street hear more; higher suites facing away from Yonge are usually the quietest.

The neighbourhood is also a working one. The hospital, the university and the office towers to the south and west mean a steady stream of people on weekdays, which supports the shops and restaurants that make car-free living easy.

What The Victorian costs

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $654 per square foot. That is low for a downtown address a block from Yonge, and lower than most of the towers around it. Age and the fact that heat and hydro are not in the fee explain part of that, and the small size of the building, which means fewer comparable sales, explains the rest.

Only one suite was for sale and one for lease when I checked, so there is no active price range worth quoting. Thin supply is normal in a 103-suite building where owners tend to stay.

That thin supply cuts both ways. You may wait some time for the right plan, and because sales are infrequent, valuing a suite takes more care. I would rather look at recent resales within the building and comparable boutique buildings nearby than rely on one or two data points. If you want that analysis on a specific suite, I can pull it through my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at The Victorian

The amenities are modest and practical: a rooftop terrace, a party room and meeting room, a fitness room and guest suites. There is no pool to fund, which helps a small building keep its long-term costs under control, and the rooftop is the space most owners actually use.

Jatin’s honest take on The Victorian

The Victorian — frequently asked questions

Looking at St. Lawrence, the Financial District and Downtown Yonge more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.