38 Grenville Street & 37 Grosvenor Street

Located at 38 Grenville Street and 37 Grosvenor Street, the slogan used to market the Murano Condos sums up what many residential glass towers aspire to be: 'A fusion of art, architecture, and glass'. While some condos fall short of this goal, this property lives up to the expectations set out by its branding.

Under the direction of H&R Developments, the south tower was completed in early 2009, while the north followed a year later. These towers stretch to 33 storeys, and contain a combined 731 Toronto condos.

Not only are the towers soaring, but their sizeable footprint makes the entire complex feel massive. The towers sit atop a shared, two-storey podium, which is where a lobby filled with Italian furniture and glass can be found. The podium is also home to plenty of retail spaces on the ground level.

Peter Clewes of ArchitectsAlliance was responsible for the building’s design, and as the name implies, the aesthetic is an ode to Venetian glass (Murano refers to an Italian island not too far from Venice). Naturally, the façade is sleek, minimalist, and covered in glass from head to toe.

Residents also have plenty of amenities to enjoy. Fitness fanatics can exercise in the building’s gym and aerobics studio, while purists may prefer to skip the treadmill and run laps on the track instead. Sun worshippers, on the other hand, can likely be found spending their free time lounging on the rooftop terrace, or grilling up a feast on one of the barbecues.

The building also features an indoor-outdoor swimming pool (made possible thanks to a retractable glass roof), a sauna, party room, and business centre. Friends and family of residents can join in on the fun as well, thanks to the inclusion of guest suites and visitor parking. And just to ensure everything runs smoothly, there’s a concierge and security guard on site.

The suites at 38 Grenville and 37 Grosvenor range from petite one-bedroom homes to spacious condos that boast two bedrooms plus a den. Units start at approximately 400 square feet and reach to around 1,800, allowing everyone from single professionals to small families to find a place to call home. The largest of suites also come equipped with two bathrooms.

Although some variation is expected, especially in such an enormous building, all of the suites in the building boast floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies. Italian Scalvolini kitchens with stainless steel appliances are also the standard, and some suites feature generously sized islands as well.

Prospective buyers interested in these towers are likely aware of the bustling neighbourhood that surrounds them. While Bay Street is predominantly filled with office towers and eateries ready to feed those who work within them, a quick walk over to Yonge will land residents amongst a diverse array of retail businesses as well.

To the west of Murano Condos, residents will find Queen’s Park — a usually tranquil spot for picnicking or catching up on some reading. We say usually because many marches, protests, and celebrations are held at this park throughout the year, seeing as it’s the site of the Ontario Provincial Parliament.

When it comes time to stock up on groceries, residents can simply head over to College Park, a sizeable shopping centre with a Metro inside. This mall is also home to LCBO, Winners, Sobeys Urban Fresh, and ServiceOntario.

Many cultural venues also surround 38 Grenville St and 37 Grosvenor St. The Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is just a short walk away, where residents can stay up to date with their local theatre performances. The Royal Ontario Museum and the Gardiner Museum are both 15 minutes away on foot, while the Art Gallery of Ontario takes about 20 minutes to reach.

Thanks to its central locale in downtown Toronto, residents of Murano condos can reach any corner of the city in no time. Buses running north and south along Bay will come in handy for those without cars of their own, while both the Yonge and University-Spadina subway lines are a short walk away.

College Station on the Yonge line takes approximately 5 minutes to reach on foot, and the trip over to Queen’s Park Station on the University-Spadina line is just two minutes longer than that. Even Bay Station on the Bloor-Danforth line is less than a 15-minute walk away, from which passengers hop onto subway trains heading east and west across the city.

Drivers at 38 Grenville and 37 Grosvenor will also make great use of their close proximity to Bloor. A quick ride east along this street brings cars to an on-ramp for the Don Valley Parkway. The DVP can then be used to head south toward the Leslieville neighbourhood or the Port Lands, or north to to 401.