A Tony Towne On Bloor Street West At Symington

Are you trying to find the trifecta of location, space, and value that serves both ‘Here & Wow Feels’ and meets the exacting standards of most Banks of Mom & Dad? If the answer is Yes, we understand your plight and offer this solution.

This low-maintenance, value-win smart-buy located in Bloor West Lofts – a two-phase collection of 64 Townhomes completed in 2002 by Garden Park Homes – is a superb property that I’m proud to say I’ve sold twice – originally in 2008 to first-time home buyers whose purchase was contingent on their Banks of Moms & Dads touring the property, and 8 years later in 2016 when our first-time home buyer had it vetted by the Bank of Mom. In both of these instances, the prudent parents gave their stamps of approval. I’m not surprised by this, as it’s an exceptional offering.

Welcome to Townhome #2 at 1392 Bloor Street West!

Cheers To Fresh Beginnings!

The journey to homeownership can include many twists and turns, bring several ups and downs, and at times make you question why you got on this ride. This is because the dwell hunt is like getting on Canada’s most popular roller coaster. It’s immediately thrilling for those who enjoy roller coasters – until it’s not. If you’ve never been on a roller coaster,  proceed with the assurance that those who have taken this ride have mostly come out unscathed. Just stay grounded, keep your eyes open wide, and if it gets a little bumpy, lean on your realtor for support. People assume realtors are all about selling property, but we’re not. We’re analysts, listeners, problem solvers, and hand-holders. The property sale is the byproduct of what we do well.

The key to securing your ‘home sweet home’ is to remain objective, rational, prudent and breathe deep. There’s less to fear and plenty to get excited about. As a realtor who has helped liberate progressive pro-urbanites purchase properties for over 3 decades in Toronto, I’m clocking in a thousand roller coaster rides, And I’m looking forward to the next. Please know we’re wishing you the happiest of outcomes. Cheers to fresh beginnings!

The Best Of Bloor West!

We’ve sold this listing twice before because making an intelligent real estate investment begins with the mantra ‘Location, Location, Location‘. This mantra isn’t just about making money. It’s also about living your best urban life. This starts with choosing a neighbourhood that’s convenient, accessible, and rich with life-enhancing amenities, services, and entertainment options.

We’ve learned from the real estate trenches that the true value of convenience often isn’t appreciated or prized until it’s become an integral part of one’s everyday life. At that point, one can’t imagine ever living without it! However, the amenities and services people prioritize for convenience can be very different, so rather than second-guessing whether a property will be convenient for your future Buyer, focus on whether the property you’re considering is convenient for you. We recommend considering properties close to an assortment of essential services, unique amenities, and recreational opportunities. Ideally, these should be a 10-minute stroll at most from the property’s doorstep. Any locations that makes your daily life both way easier and more fun are Gold! Like, for example, Bloor Street West!

Convenience is paramount for those Urbanites residing in the Dovercourt-Wallace Emerson-Junction neighbourhood quadrants found in Realtor.ca’s MLS District W02. There is enormous satisfaction in crossing items off a To-Do list lickety-split when everything you require is just a hop, skip and jump away! Out of bread? Need cream for your coffee? Not to worry! Just ride your bike to Loblaws or Freshco on Dundas Street West, equidistant north and south of Bloor. Continue your daily errands at the LCBO next to Loblaws or at the Wine Rack at Lansdowne (when you decide to pair a great dry white with dinner). There’s a Shoppers Drug Mart just north of Bloor on Dundas, and when it’s the middle of the night and you need batteries or Doritos, there are two convenience stores at the end of the block!

Love food & libations like we do? Living here is the equivalent of being surrounded by a feast. If you need a cup of java to fuel your morning, Wallace Espresso is heaven-sent. If you need it ‘right now’,  Martin Espresso Bar is right across the street. On those days when you lack the energy to cook, pop into Spaccio West on Sterling (part of the Terroni Group – which we adore) or stroll 6 minutes east on Bloor to Sugo – both offer mouth-watering Italian! For Korean, we recommend LEEKo on Lansdowne, and Sad Songs Cantina for top-rated tacos (and tequila!)!  Lovers of sushi and Japanese treats will appreciate Kibo Market across the street.

Got a sweet tooth? Sorry, RuPaul – but we have a new favourite ‘Ru’ now, because the custard-based ice creams at RuRu Baked are magical, with inspired and unexpected flavours rotating in and out of their freezers – like Black Sesame, Burnt Honey & Cornbread, Chrysanthemum, & Everything Bagel. (We keep going back for Choco Caramel Crunch!). We also highly recommend BakerBots, just around the corner, because you’ve never had an ice cream sandwich quite like theirs! With so many great options just steps away, you and yours will be spoiled for choice and extremely satiated.

Do you love curling up with a great book on a rainy afternoon? How about curling up with hundreds of books? The visually arresting Bloor Gladstone Library Branch is a 15-minute walk east, and it’s a beautifully designed and community-centric literary and resource centre. Looking to shop til you drop? The Dufferin Mall has over 120 retailers and is renowned for its rich legacy of community collaboration!

For those who seek solace in green space, Erwin Krickhahn Park around the corner on Rankin Crescent is dog-friendly with a mature tree canopy, a wading pool, and a playground, which is going to be redesigned using community feedback this summer. The city website says upgrades will include playground equipment for ages five to 12, additional seating, engineered wood fibre surfacing and an accessible pathway to the playground area.

One city block to the east, opposite Dufferin Mall, is beloved Dufferin Grove Park, which offers a picnic, a playground, wading pools, an ice rink, a basketball court, and even a community pizza oven! Plus, there’s an organic farmer’s market every Thursday. And one city block to the west is High Park – the second-largest public park in Toronto – and features hiking trails, sports facilities, a dog park, a zoo, playgrounds, community spaces, greenhouses, picnic areas, and home to the Canadian Stage Company’s annual Shakespearean plays in the amphitheatre.

Little beats how convenient this property is to public transportation. The Lansdowne Subway Station is a 6-minute walk east, and the UP Express Bloor Station is a 3-minute walk west, which will whisk you to Pearson Airport & Union Station! And the Bloor Lansdowne Go Station is just under the bridge and nearing completion. And the trusty Bloor Bus is right outside your door. Need a car for those big Costco or IKEA runs? You can always grab a ZipCar at the nearest pick-up, which happens to be down the street at 693 Lansdowne.

Even if it isn’t on your radar, an important amenity for resale value is proximity to good schools. 1392 Bloor West is in the catchment district for Perth Avenue Jr Public School (JK to Grade 06), which has both Early French Immersion Programming and regular English Programming. The school is also the location of the Perth Learning Enrichment Foundation, an onsite child care centre for children ages 2 1/2 to 10 years old. Brock PS is a middle school for Grades 7 & 8, while Bloor Collegiate – which is currently under construction on its new site on Croatia Street, one block west of Dufferin – will be opening its new facility in. It will also be the new home of ALPHA II Alternative Secondary School for self-directed learners (Grade 7 to 12).

Pedestrian-friendly, cyclist-friendly, and boasting public transport aplenty, it’s no wonder that this address merits a PERFECT RideScore of 100, a WalkScore of 96 and a BikeScore of 94. For convenience and choice, this is a prime spot!

 Bloor West Lofts

Completed in 2002, this townhouse development, known as Bloor West Lofts, was developed by Garden Park Homes. Containing sixty-four soft lofts constructed in two phases, the Bloor Street & Dekoven Mews units access their garages in the central courtyard from two covered thoroughfares on Dekoven, where you’ll also find 4 visitor parking spots.

These contemporary brownstones are a great scale and well-proportioned. They offer functional layouts, intelligent space plans, secure private parking, and outdoor space. The buildings are not complicated, which makes their maintenance and repair efficient and straightforward. (Roof replaced between 2015 & 2017, and the exterior was recaulked in 2020.) Aesthetically, they’re classical yet understated. Environmentally, they’re pretense-free, which is especially why we like this complex. After all, you can’t be authentic if you’re living in a building that’s trying too hard, right?

Tony Townhouse Two

Townhouse 2 is much quieter than one might anticipate for a residence with a Bloor Street West address. This is because this spacious multi-level dwelling is on the back side of the row of brownstones and boasts a northwest exposure, which means it’s flooded with afternoon and evening sun.

Recently refreshed, this open, airy townhome offers over 1139 square feet of well-designed interior living space spread over four levels, plus a 60 square foot balcony, a 252 square foot roof terrace, and a 193 square foot secure single car garage! It feels like a house with zones for work, sleep, and play. Entering at grade through a private front door on Bloor, you’ll find a recently retiled entrance hall with new baseboards and trim, as well as a separate storage room and direct access to the private built-in garage (with hose bib) – you won’t have to step outside on cold stormy days to access your car! Here, you can kick off your muddy boots and hang your wet umbrella before climbing the soft, carpeted stairs to the rest of your Home Sweet Home.

The second level has an open plan entertainment zone with 10-foot ceilings, refinished wood floors, and two sets of sliding doors with transom windows that walk out to a balcony spanning the width of the unit. It’s a great place for an herb garden for the resident chef! In addition to the seating and dining areas, the classic contemporary kitchen features shaker cabinetry, stone countertops, an island with a double sink, a gorgeous backsplash, and a suite of stainless steel appliances. It’s intelligently designed with the preferred ‘cook’s triangle’, and there’s room for bar stools for wine o’clock! Capping off this level is a discreet powder room for guests, tucked off the hall en route to the upper levels.

Ascending to the third level (with more soft broadloom underfoot), you find two side-by-side bedrooms with generous windows; this level is a quiet zone for refuge and rest! The primary bedroom is outfitted with a built-in wardrobe, while the second bedroom has a double closet.  The classic contemporary 4-piece washroom was just completed with a new soaker tub & vanity, new flooring and tile surround, stylish black faucets and tub fixtures, and a rain shower head and wand. The mirror, lighting and medicine cabinet are also new. 

On the top level is the laundry utility room with a side-by-side washer & dryer, a mezzanine study or WFH office, and a sundrenched private roof terrace! In a city where outdoor space is a premium (particularly of this size, with a gas line, hose bibs, and electrical outlets), this glorious outdoor oasis is definitely exceptional. Boasting space for lounging, dining, and grilling (barbecue, hose & lighting included!), this terrace will suit the resident green thumb and host with the most!

Elevated home comfort? Yes, please! The On Demand/Tankless Hot Water Tank (Reliance) is $167.17+HST/Quarterly (Approx), and the Forced Air Gas Furnace ‘Home Comfort Package’ – Furnace, Air Cleaner, Humidifier and Thermostat – (Reliance) is 84.99+HST/Monthly (Approx). With reasonable maintenance fees of $479.52, could this intelligently designed modern alternative to those tiny steel-and-glass condos be the perfect pad for you?

Are you curious to know more? Pop us a note: Steven Fudge (steve@urbaneer.com) or James Ormston (james@urbaneer.com). We would happily answer your questions or book a private viewing!