Five Condos

It seems, as of late, that Toronto has a knack for affixing modern structures directly to historical edifices. That said, architects and developers working on future projects would benefit from taking a look at the Five Condos before finalizing any blueprints.

Built in 2016, the contemporary condos at 5 St. Joseph Street soar 45 storeys into the air, while charming heritage lofts lay peacefully below. A 1905-built Gothic Revival warehouse is now the podium for Five Condos, with commercial storefronts that have been around since the 1880s serving as yet another anchor for the complex.

The 493 units in the tower aside, 14 homes can also be found above these restored shops on the second and third storeys. Yet the real masterpiece during these renovations was the conservation of the four-storey brick warehouse for use as the podium, which set a precedent for this type of work: never before had such a large façade been preserved in downtown Toronto.

Residents have the pleasure of entering and exiting the building through this architecturally striking piece of history. Onlookers on the street will likely stop and stare at the subtle curves that make their way up the glass tower, set back a touch so as not to steal the spotlight.

It’s no wonder that MOD Developments was behind this project, a group known to care equally about both preservation and innovation. Working together with MOD, Hariri Pontarini and ERA Architects were in charge of the designs at 5 St Joseph. Even back in 2011, before the building was completed, the Five Condos received two BILD Awards, one for “Project of the Year — High Rise” and the other for “Best Building Design.”

Residents have Cecconi Simone to thank for the elegant interiors at 5 St. Joseph, not an easy feat for a building with so much common space. The amenities take up 10,000 square feet inside the building, plus the 6,000 of outdoor space was designed by Janet Rosenberg and Associates. These include a gym with saunas and hot tubs, barbecues and a garden on the terrace, and a meeting room, TV room, billiards room, library, piano bar and dining room, not to mention the concierge who is ready and waiting to assist residents with whatever they need.