111 St Clair Ave W, Toronto

With its location in Yonge and St. Clair near Forest Hill South, Summerhill, Rosedale and Yorkville — four of Toronto’s most luxurious neighbourhoods — it’s no wonder the Imperial Plaza is filled with a little glitz and glamour of its own. After all, the 23-storey edifice at 111 St. Clair Avenue West was originally home to quite a profitable oil company.

The headquarters for Imperial Oil was stationed at 111 St. Clair West since the time of the building’s construction in 1957: the design was a result of a competition for a new Toronto city hall, which Mathers and Haldenby wound up repurposing. About 50 years later, Imperial Oil moved its business over to Calgary, allowing Camrost Felcorp to move in. Thanks to these developers, the Imperial Plaza is now home to almost 400 stunning soft lofts in midtown Toronto.

The limestone façade at 111 St. Clair West is both elegant and robust at the same time. Aluminum and bronze window casements add lavish details to the exterior, while the trend continues once inside the double-height lobby. Here, a pair of impressive murals by York Wilson can be found, along with plenty of marble and granite.

One benefit of the era in which the Imperial Plaza was constructed is its durability: built with the fear of nuclear war in mind, this might just be one of the most resilient residences in the city. The entire frame is even welded together, which is more stable than the modern tendency to use riveting.

All residents have access to music studios, virtual golf, squash courts, yoga studios, a games room, a gym, a swimming pool and hot tub, two movie rooms with stadium seating, and a courtyard designed by Janet Rosenberg + Associates. However, those living in the penthouse units are afforded a little something extra as well: owners on uppermost levels have access to a separate concierge service and an exclusive gym and lounge on the 8th floor, plus express elevators leading straight up to their homes.

The homes themselves are just as opulent as the building. Even the smallest of the bunch, beginning at around 500 square feet, are modern and graceful. Those looking for a little more space, on the other hand, will be glad to hear that the largest Toronto condos for sale at 111 St. Clair West reach to approximately 5,000 square feet.

Details like spa-inspired bathrooms and contemporary European kitchens can be found throughout the Imperial Plaza. As well, window-clad walls, high ceilings, and smooth laminate flooring are aplenty.

Especially grandiose, though, are the five penthouses at 111 St. Clair West. Spanning multiple storeys, these units boast floor-to-ceiling windows that make up entire walls. Additionally, they feature fireplaces (yes, more than one), multiple dressing rooms, and grand staircases. The most spacious one even boasts a terrace that spans almost 2,000 square feet.

Nestled between Avenue Road and Yonge Street, surrounded by areas like Deer Park, Summerhill, Forest Hill, Yorkville, and Rosedale, anyone living at 111 St. Clair West is in luck.

From the Imperial Plaza, residents can find a romantic restaurant along Yonge, take a nature walk through David A. Balfour Park, or head down Avenue for some high-end shopping. And as for the necessities, no one has to go too far thanks to the Longos and LCBO located on the ground floor.

While the Longos downstairs is not the largest grocery store in the city, residents looking for something specific can head over to the massive Loblaws at St. Clair and Spadina. Alternatively, those looking for organic goods will love living so close to the Whole Foods on Avenue Road.

Traveling to and from the Imperial Plaza is simple, thanks to its proximity to major arterial roads like Avenue, Yonge, and St. Clair. Even without a car, residents can hop on a subway train heading north or south, or ride the St. Clair streetcar in order to move east or west. St. Clair station, on the Yonge subway line, takes only about 8 minutes to reach on foot.

Drivers, on the other hand, can use both Avenue Road and Yonge Street in order to reach as far north as the 401 or as far south as the downtown core. From 111 St. Clair West, a drive down to the Eaton Centre takes just over 10 minutes (before or after rush hour), while a trip up to Pearson International Airport clocks in at around 25 minutes.