Living in Palace Pier: the Tower That Started Humber Bay

By Jatin Dua · Updated August 10, 2026 · 7 min read

The building

Palace Pier is one of two cruciform towers rising over the mouth of the Humber, and it came first — by a long way. When Bramalea Limited completed it in 1978 to a design by Edward I. Richmond, the condo neighbourhood we now call Humber Bay Shores did not exist. The motel strip still lined Lake Shore Boulevard, and this tower stood essentially alone on the water. Wikipedia notes it was the tallest residential structure in Canada at the time, built on the site of the old Palace Pier amusement pier, which operated from 1941 until fire destroyed it in 1963.

The sources do not quite agree on the height — Wikipedia calls it a 46-floor structure while Condos.ca lists 45 storeys — but they agree on the substance: 433 suites, and large ones. Condos.ca records sizes from roughly 888 to about 3,190 square feet — a different world from the compact units that dominate the newer towers up the street. These are genuine apartments: proper bedrooms, separate dining rooms, and light from two or three exposures thanks to the cruciform floor plate.

Amenities listed for the building include an indoor pool, a gym, a sauna, a tennis court, guest suites and 24-hour concierge and security. Condos.ca also notes the monthly fees bundle heat, hydro and water — an all-inclusive structure typical of this era, worth understanding before comparing against a newer building where utilities are metered separately. I publish no fee figures; get current numbers from a status certificate.

Location and getting around

Palace Pier and Palace Place occupy their own landscaped grounds at the eastern tip of Humber Bay Shores, where the Humber River empties into the lake. The Waterfront Trail and the Martin Goodman Trail run essentially past the front garden, and the white Humber Bay Arch Bridge — the gateway for cyclists and runners heading downtown along the water — is right beside the property. On a bike, the downtown core is a flat, scenic ride with no traffic lights worth mentioning.

For everything else: buses along Lake Shore Boulevard West connect towards the streetcar corridor and Mimico GO, and drivers are minutes from the Gardiner ramps at Park Lawn Road. The neighbourhood’s shops — grocery, pharmacy, cafés — cluster a walk or short drive west around Park Lawn and Marine Parade Drive. That is the honest trade of this address: the greenest, quietest corner of the community, with errands a little further than mid-strip.

What day-to-day life offers

Life here is set by the water and the parkland. Humber Bay Park, the butterfly habitat and the lakeside lookouts are all in walking distance, and the trail network makes a morning run or evening walk with skyline views the default, not an outing. The grounds themselves are unusually generous — a landscaped setting newer projects simply cannot assemble land for anymore.

Inside, the building runs like an established community rather than a transient one. Suites are large enough to stay in for decades, and the amenity list — pool, sauna, tennis, guest suites, full-time concierge — reflects the resort ambitions of its era. One practical note: Condos.ca records a pet provision of one pet under 25 lbs. Pet rules change, so verify the current rule in the condo documents.

Who this building suits (and who it may not)

Palace Pier suits people who want space, quiet and the lake more than they want a shiny lobby: downsizers leaving a house who refuse to shrink into 600 square feet, professionals who want a real two-bedroom with a dining room, and anyone whose ideal evening involves the trail rather than a rooftop lounge.

It is a weaker fit if you want a five-minute walk to a grocery store, the newest finishes, or the social scene of the younger towers. And any building of this age deserves grown-up due diligence.

Buying or renting here

Suites here come to market less often than in the bigger, newer towers, and they attract a specific buyer who values floor area over novelty — a micro-market of its own, so I will not generalize numbers. Buying, budget time for a proper status certificate review; selling, the size of these suites is the story to tell.

For tenants and landlords: a building first occupied in 1978 sits comfortably on the rent-controlled side of Ontario’s 15 November 2018 line, so annual increases for sitting tenants are generally limited to the provincial guideline. I have written a plain-language explainer at Is my Etobicoke rental rent-controlled? if you want the mechanics.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Wikipedia — The Palace Pier. Completion year, 46-floor description, designer Edward I. Richmond, tallest-residential-structure claim, and the history of the amusement pier site. Accessed 10 August 2026.
• Condos.ca — Palace Pier, 2045 Lake Shore Blvd W. Storey count (45), 433 units, Bramalea Limited, suite size range, amenities, fee inclusions and pet provision. Accessed 10 August 2026.

Related reading

• Living in Palace Place — the 1990s sibling tower
• Living in Nevis Condos — the boutique mid-rises next door
• Living in Waterford Towers
• Living in Voyager I & II at Waterview
• The complete Humber Bay Shores condo buildings guide
• Etobicoke community guide