Remember when you were a kid, eating Rockets & Fizzies everyday at recess for weeks after Halloween?

“The Candy Factory Lofts” at 993 Queen Street West got its name because this century old building was once the Cede Candy Co. Factory!

With the “Chocolate Lofts” just down the street at 955 Queen Street West, surely this is the yummiest section of real estate in all of Toronto…

The Candy Factory Lofts is a true loft conversion building in the vibrant Queen West area.

Spanning an entire city block, this 200,000 square foot building offers the most authentic hard-loft feel of almost any building in the city, evidenced by the original fir beams and yellow brick in the phenomenally wide hallways and extra large lobby.

Suites at the Candy Factory contain the original sand-blasted vaulted 14-foot-ceilings, wood beams, columns, and exposed brick, authentic plank hardwood floors, tastefully exposed ductwork, fireplaces, open concept kitchens with center island, and huge arched windows.

The Queen West area has taken off in the last few years, with the hidden affordability all but washed away.  While the creative, artsy types still seek refuge anywhere west of Bathurst, the area has also attracted younger business professionals that don’t want to live right, smack in the city centre, and who desire a different social culture than what they are inundated with on a daily basis.

Unit #103, priced at $439,000 is a one-bedroom-plus-den, one-bathroom unit of approximately 1300 square feet.  While it is hard to find a unit in this building that isn’t a work of art, Unit #103 is a designer’s dream!  From the choice of paint colors, to the modern decor, and the area rugs that give the room warmth while still allowing the gleaming hardwood floors to shine through, this unit is staged to perfection!  The island-kitchen allows bar-stool seating for three, and the cream-colored sectional couch in the living room fits the irregular space like a gem.

The recently renovated bathroom features a granite countertop and modern square sink, and light black tiles in the shower/tub that has some continuity with the choice of paint color in the kitchen.

The unit price includes both parking and locker, and the monthly maintenance fees of of $474.10 are on par with the asking price.

Taxes are surprisingly high at $3,564.38 for the year 2006, and it begs the question as to how much the taxes have increased since this building was completed in the Fall of 2000.

The unit faces south, which from the first floor does not give any spectacular view of the city or greenery of any sort, but don’t forget that Trinity-Bellwoods Park is literally across the street, and it’s the largest park in the downtown area, even including Christie Pits Park a few blocks north.

I personally wish I had got in on the ground level of either Candy Factory or Chocolate Factory Lofts, as they have both seen an outstanding appreciation over their short existence, and both the artsy-creative and the ascot-wearing-yuppies love telling their friends they live “down at the Candy Factory.”  Hindsight is 20/20, but imagine buying 1300 square feet for just over $100,000?

Unit #103 is worth every penny of the $439,000 asking price, as it is increasingly tough to find resale condominiums under $350/sqft.

The hidden luxury of living at The Candy Factory?  The Drake Hotel is just two blocks away!  And if you meet a guy named “Christian” in the men’s bathroom and he asks you if you’re having a good night, don’t worry…he’s harmless….I’m pretty sure, anyway….

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