I’ve never traditionally been a fan of high-rise condominiums but 33 Mill Street has quickly become one of my favorite new buildings in the city!

If you haven’t been down to The Distillery District, then put it on the top of your list for places to visit this summer.

I was very close to buying a condo in pre-construction down at 33 Mill Street about three years ago, but I opted out because their “grand plan” envisioned as many as four condominium towers in the complex at The Distillery District.

In my mind’s eye, I tried to picture FOUR condos on such a small site, and all I came up with was a spitting image of the evil CityPlace.

I passed on the project, and now in June of 2009, I’m watching these units turn over at incredible prices compared to what the owners bought for back in 2004-2005.

Still, I wasn’t a fan of the project until I met noted Toronto Star columnist, Christopher Hume at one of my Condo Task Force meetings down at the Toronto Real Estate Board.

I was astounded to hear that he gave this project an “A+” and that he said the project was “absolutely striking.”  He suggested that I go down there and take a look, and so I did.

In fact, I have visited 33 Mill Street on no less than six occasions this spring, and I’ve seen over twenty units.

I’ve walked around the building at least a dozen times, and I’ve made my way through every single shop in The Distillery District.

The only conclusion I can come to is that Christopher Hume was more than right, and that his “A+” rating was more than fair.

What I love about the building is the area itself.

I suppose that’s not really fair – to say that I love the condominium simply because it was built in a fantastic area, but what I mean is that the building is the “finishing touch” on the area, and as Jerry Maguire might say, “you complete me.”

The building caps off the area perfectly, as the five-storey podium creates a courtyard that people walk through from Parliament Street in order to hit the centre of The Distillery District itself.

The main floor of the condominium is home to commercial/retail businesses, many of which are art galleries, quaint furniture stores, or some other posh concoction to serve the interesting demographic of half-yuppie, half-artsy-fartsy.

The units themselves would all show “A+” as well.  A small, 568 square foot unit on the 20th floor looking south provides a spectacular view of the water, and every unit including the small ones seem to be loaded with upgrades: hardwood floors, granite counters in the kitchen & baths, and stainless steel appliances.

The natural light pours through the floor-to-ceiling windows, even in the north-facing units.

$295,000 for a 568 square foot unit with no parking seems to be a little steep for me, but give it some time, and the market will absorb the gleamy-eyed sellers and prices will become more realistic.

The fitness centre in the building is truly state-of-the-art, and my client and I met a certain Boston Bruin in the elevator the other day after he finished his workout in that very fitness centre in the building he calls “home.”

Believe it or not, while I was taking the photos below last Friday night, I walked past yet another NHL hockey player who exited the building with his player-agent in tow, and I conspicuously watched the two of them share a joint in the park across the street.  No kidding…

There was something special about standing on the 6th floor outdoor pavilion next to the large swimming pool and tanning beds while overlooking the courtyard below.  I watched as a gaggle of Asian tourists tried to weave Segway’s through a makeshift obstacle course of orange pylons, while children pointed and laughed.

Most buildings in the city feature “roof top” terraces, but the 6th floor swimming pool, garden, tanning area, and adjacent fitness centre is one of the more impressive amenities floors that I’ve seen in a new-build.

I’m sold on the building.

And even more sold on the area.

Since a picture paints a thousand words, here are a few choice shots…

Here is a view of the building from Parliament Street.  To the right is the older building at 39 Parliament Street, which acts as the “little sister” to 33 Mill Street; those that can’t afford Mill end up at Parliament.

On the left you can see the five-storey, red-brick podium that supports the glass tower in the background.

Here is the bricked courtyard that runs in between the podium at 33 Mill Street and the building at 39 Parliament.  Come here on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, and the courtyard is packed with people!

Here is one of the aspects I found to be a complete waste when I first looked at the blueprints for this building.  The podium is triangular in shape, meaning that the end units have a triangle-shaped room that is effectively useless space.  Check out the two visible units in the photo below.  Where one owner has an easel, the other owner has two guitars!  Who says this building isn’t artsy?

This is a better picture to describe what I’m talking about above.

On the north side of the building, you can see the 6th floor terraces that I love so much.

See the level above the red brick?  Those are all private, 330 square foot terraces belonging to the owners on the 6th floor.  These are two-storey condos of about 800 square feet, currently selling in the low $400,000 price range.

The prices are high when you consider that these are really 1-bedroom units, or I suppose “one-plus-den’s,” but there is an increasing demand for outdoor space in downtown Toronto condos, and with dozens of cedar trees and equally as many BBQ’s on these fifteen-some-odd terraces, I would say that the current owners are quite happy where they are, and buyers ooh and aah at the prospect of drinking wine and barbecuing on a pleasant July night…

Here is a shot of the tower from the east side of The Distillery.  The red brick building on the right is an original structure in the complex, whereas you can barely make out the new red brick portion of the podium in the background.

My favorite characteristic of the Distillery District are the original Gooderham & Worts Limited signs that remain on the site.

Check back tomorrow for PART TWO of my tour of The Distillery District!