Turnberry Court, 5795 Yonge St: A 12-Storey 1989 Building North of Finch

Turnberry Court is the low-rise option in a row of towers on Yonge north of Finch. At 12 storeys and 170 suites, it is smaller and quieter in feel than its neighbours, and its fee is structured differently: you pay your own heat and hydro rather than sharing them. That makes the monthly fee look friendlier, and it changes how you should compare this building. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Smaller than the towers around it

Most of the condominiums on this stretch of Yonge are 20 storeys or more. Turnberry Court is 12, with 170 suites. Fewer suites usually means fewer neighbours per elevator, a quieter lobby and a board where owners can actually know one another.

The trade-off is cost spreading. Every corporation has to fund the same kinds of things, from roofs and elevators to the garage and the pool, and in a smaller building there are fewer owners to share each bill. That is why the reserve fund study matters even more in a mid-size building like this one.

Most of its neighbours are taller. Place Nouveau II at 5765 Yonge is a 1989 contemporary a short walk south, with Place Nouveau I at 5785 Yonge between them, and the Luxe towers at 5791 and 5793 Yonge are 2010-era neighbours. Each is a separate corporation, so do not assume their fees or rules apply here.

A smaller building also tends to have a smaller staff and a simpler amenity package, which keeps operating costs in check. Ask how the front desk is staffed and at what hours, and whether the security guard listed on condos.ca is on site around the clock.

A fee that leaves heat and hydro to you

Condos.ca lists the fee as covering common elements, building insurance, parking, water and air conditioning. Heat and hydro are not on that list, which is unusual for a 1989 building, when all-inclusive fees were common.

I would confirm the split in the status certificate and the budget, because a fee list that includes air conditioning but not heat can mean a particular heating and cooling arrangement, or simply an incomplete listing. Ask the seller for a year of hydro bills so you know your real monthly cost.

When you compare Turnberry Court with neighbours such as Place Nouveau II, where hydro and heat are in the fee, add your own utility bills to Turnberry’s fee before deciding which is cheaper to carry. A lower fee is not automatically a lower total.

Layouts and the age question

Condos.ca puts the suite range at about 704 to 1,450 square feet. That covers one-bedroom and one-bedroom-plus-den plans through to larger two-bedroom suites, with penthouse-level suites on the top floor.

These are smaller suites than in some of the 1980s towers nearby, which makes Turnberry Court more accessible for first-time buyers and single downsizers. The plans are of their era, with defined kitchens and rooms rather than open concept, and many will need updating.

At more than 35 years old, the building is into its second major renewal cycle. Windows, balconies, the roof, elevators, the garage membrane and the outdoor pool are the expensive items, and the reserve fund study shows when each is scheduled and whether the money is there.

On a 12-storey building, the floor you choose changes the experience more than in a tall tower. Lower suites facing Yonge hear the street, while upper suites facing east look over the low-rise neighbourhood behind. Visit the suite at different times of day, and ask which direction the balcony faces before you fall for a plan.

Yonge north of Finch, and what is changing

The building fronts Yonge north of Finch, in a strip of Korean, Persian and Chinese restaurants, grocers, clinics and banks. Finch Station is to the south; the panel beside this review shows the exact walk.

This part of Yonge is in the middle of a long transition. Metrolinx has completed early upgrades at Finch Station and awarded the tunnelling contract for the Line 1 extension north. Across Yonge, between Finch and Cummer, Times Group has applied to redevelop the former Toronto Hydro site at 5800 Yonge with four towers of 46 to 54 storeys.

That means years of construction around you, followed by more people, shops and services. In a 12-storey building, new towers nearby can affect views more than they would from a higher floor elsewhere, so check the City of Toronto development applications map for the blocks around 5795 Yonge.

What Turnberry Court costs

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $548 per square foot. That is well below newer towers at Yonge and Finch and broadly in line with the area’s other late-1980s buildings, reflecting age and the cost of updating original suites.

When I checked, one suite was for sale and one for rent, so there is little to compare in the building itself right now. I do not quote a single listing’s price or fee. For what has actually sold here, see my building sold report.

With so few listings, I would look at recent resales in this building alongside the Place Nouveau towers and Luxe to set a fair price, then adjust for the fee structure and the condition of the suite. If you want a particular size or exposure, let me watch the building for you.

Leases are a useful check on value too. With one suite for rent and a small total suite count, the rental market here is thin, so investors should be realistic about vacancy between tenants and look at rents across the neighbouring buildings before buying.

Building specifications

Amenities at Turnberry Court

A squash court, an outdoor pool and a sauna give Turnberry Court more recreation than its size suggests, though the pool is a summer amenity. Barbecues are permitted, which is worth knowing because many Toronto buildings ban them.

Jatin’s honest take on Turnberry Court

Turnberry Court — frequently asked questions

Looking at Willowdale, Yonge & Sheppard, Bayview Village and North York Centre more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.