20 Niagara Street

If bragging rights are what you’re after, 20 Niagara Street in the King West neighbourhood delivers. Not only has the building won numerous awards for its astonishing design and architecture, the Toronto lofts at 20 Niagara Street have been deemed newsworthy, featured in Toronto Life as well as on the BlogTO Condo of the Week column.

Context Development, the group responsible for this architectural triumph, was formed just a few years prior to Twenty Niagara’s construction. There is nothing amateur about the style or quality of the building itself, though.

In fact, just the thought of the building oozes opulence, and its residents reflect the sentiment similarly. The building is occupied by a generally established and affluent group of homeowners, one third of which have called 20 Niagara home since its completion in the late 1990’s.

With only 6 storeys and a maximum of four units per floor, exclusivity is built right in. Perhaps occupants of Twenty Niagara favour independence as well — no facilities are offered here (meaning maintenance fees are quite low), and elevators open directly into one’s front door.

Each unit in this boutique building is unique, but consistent features include the use of concrete and glass, floor to ceiling windows, hardwood floors, and gas fireplaces. King West condos for sale at 20 Niagara Street contain one or two bedrooms, and range in size from roughly 1,000 to just shy of 3,000 square feet. As expected, ceiling heights reach from high to very high, or in numbers from 10 to 16 feet, depending on the loft.

While each unit comes outfitted with a large balcony, penthouse lofts are also equipped with rooftop decks. However, the lofts at Twenty Niagara that will really summon that green-eyed monster are those with windows that face East: with its prime location directly adjacent to Victoria Memorial Square Park, residents are guaranteed to arrive home to an urban vista unimpeded by other towering structures.

Somehow, Twenty Niagara manages to exist in the centre of Canada’s largest metropolitan area, while simultaneously being surrounded by nature. As previously mentioned, Victoria Memorial Square park can be viewed from one’s terrace or visited in a matter of seconds. Garrison Common is due South, with Coronation Park and the lake just beyond it. A brisk walk up Niagara will lead directly to Trinity Bellwoods Park as well, or to Terroni for some of the most consistent and tasty Italian around.

Cultured Torontonians will be pleased with Twenty Niagara’s proximity to a number of renowned venues: The TIFF Bell Lightbox for alternatives to mainstream flicks, Roy Thompson Hall to catch a symphony performance, and the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts for those craving opera or ballet. Sports fans can easily walk or take the TTC to both the Rogers Centre and the Scotiabank Arena, which double as a couple of the city’s largest concert venues. A number of smaller contemporary art galleries occupy spaces on Niagara and Tecumseth as well.

When it’s time to boogey, the options are endless. The Thompson Hotel is just around the corner, offering their rooftop bar and infinity pool as an upscale nightlife alternative, plus a 24-hour diner. The bars and clubs of the entertainment district and fashionable King West are just far enough to negate noise pollution, but close enough that drinks are always within walking distance.

Twenty Niagara is serviced by the Bathurst, King, and Harbourfront streetcars, which can connect TTC patrons to any part of the city. Union Station is a quick ride away, where one can access Go Transit, VIA Rail, and the UP service to Pearson International Airport. Billy Bishop Airport is a three-minute drive away, or a few stops on the 511 streetcar.

Drivers will be pleased to note that the Gardiner Expressway is easily accessible and connects with the 427 to the West or the Don Valley Parkway to the East, while Bathurst Street can also be used to reach Ontario Highway 401.