501 Yonge Street & 18 Maitland Terrace

Tea might be all the rage in England, but this country isn’t the one that inspired the makers of the Teahouse Condos. Rather, the 2019-built condo at 501 Yonge Street is a nod to the teahouses found throughout the continent of Asia.

Mark Mandelbaum, chairman of Lanterra Developments, has long been fascinated with Asian design. Mandelbaum was finally able to express this passion of his with the help of the architects at architectsAlliance, interior designers at Studio Munge, and landscape architects at NAK Design Strategies.

The resulting condo is comprised of two towers, one reaching to 52 storeys and the other 25, both of which sit atop a shared podium. And while the design is certainly Asian-inspired, with symmetry, building materials, and colour scheme all intended to have a calming effect, some of the building’s amenities also reflect this theme.

To be precise, the onsen pools are decidedly Japanese, and consist of four baths kept at different temperatures. Residents also have access to a zen garden, as well as barbecues and an outdoor swimming pool. Some of the amenities at 501 Yonge Street are even more conventional, yet still feel like a luxury for residents, such as a concierge, movie theatre rooms, and board rooms. On top of all that, the building boasts a gym with personal training and yoga studios a sauna, and a pet spa.

With 960 units in total, prospective buyers seeking downtown Toronto condos can expect a wide range of sizes and layouts to choose from. In fact, suites in the building start at around 300 square feet and reach to approximately 1,700. Single buyers and renters may be interested in bachelor units, while those in need of more space will be glad to learn that the Teahouse Condos also contains 3 bedroom plus den homes.

Size aside, all of the Toronto condos for sale or rent at 501 Yonge are impressive to say the least. Walls of windows usher in bright, warm sunlight, and kitchens are finished with ceramic backsplashes and granite countertops. Energy-efficient features are also abundant, including Energy Star appliances and dual flush toilets.

Thanks to its location in The Village, residents living at the Teahouse Condos will never run out of things to do. Between the bars and restaurants on Church Street, shopping on Bloor Street (also known as the ‘Mink Mile’), taking in films at the Carlton Cinema, and perusing bookshelves at the Toronto Reference Library, there really is something for everyone here.

Speaking of shopping, while picking up groceries might feel like a chore for some, living so close to Maple Leaf Gardens and the Shops at College Park makes running this errand a little less dreary. The former is home to a massive Loblaws as well as an LCBO, while the latter contains a Metro and a Sobeys, plus a Service Ontario, Winners, and Dollarama.

Living directly on Yonge Street means having access to the subway, making it easier to get around for residents who prefer not to drive. 501 Yonge is conveniently located in between Wellesley and College Stations on the Yonge line, both of which take less than 5 minutes to reach on foot. From Wellesley, the Bloor-Danforth line is also just 1 stop away to the north.

Buses and streetcars heading east and west along major arterial roads like College and Wellesley also come in handy, while drivers can also use these streets to get around the immediate area. Drivers heading out on longer journeys can also use Bloor East to reach the Don Valley Parkway in no time.