ADDRESS: 50 Old Yonge Street
NEIGHBOURHOOD: Bridle Path-Sunny Brook-York Mills
AGENTS: Cheryl L. Graff and Samantha Graff, Harvey Kalles Real Estate
PRICE: $3,600,000
THE PLACE: With recessed ceilings, myriad chandeliers and polished marble floors with mosaic inlays, this home is all old-school grandeur. The stone exterior opens to four expansive storeys in the back, hiding ten bathrooms, room for nine bedrooms and an enormous kitchen in its depths.
BRAGGING RIGHTS: The living room, with hardwood floors, outsized fireplace and palladium Palladian-style windows, is straight out of The Great Gatsby . With F. Scott Fitzgerald’s original inspiration for Jay’s house coming down , this could be an excellent candidate for its replacement (or, failing that, for elegant Prohibition- themed parties).
BIG SELLING POINT: The dark hardwood library only needs a few leather-bound books and a rich mahogany air freshener to transport visitors to an Oxbridge gentleman’s club.
POSSIBLE DEAL BREAKER: Depending on your fitness level, the house’s four storeys might be a lot to traverse every day. Of course, if you’re feeling lazy, there’s always the elevator.
BY THE NUMBERS:
• $19,996 in taxes
• 163 x 168.66 foot lot
• 10 bathrooms
• 5 + 4 bedrooms
• 4 storeys
• 4 cameras
• 3 fireplaces
• 1 circular driveway
• 1 elevator
61241 Yard with iron gate 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0217.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0217.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0217.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"7.1","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298898553","focal_length":"10","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.005","title":"DSC_0217"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0217/ dsc_0217 0 0
Yard with iron gate
61240 The soaring four levels, seen from behind 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0216.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0216.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0216.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"7.1","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298898539","focal_length":"10","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.005","title":"DSC_0216"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0216/ dsc_0216 0 0
The soaring four levels, seen from behind
61239 Exterior, front 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0214.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0214.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0214.jpg 2048 1167 {"aperture":"6.3","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298739942","focal_length":"10","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.00625","title":"DSC_0214"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0214/ dsc_0214 0 0
Exterior, front
61238 Washroom 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0202.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0202.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0202.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"5","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298555846","focal_length":"15","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"DSC_0202"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0202/ dsc_0202 0 0
Washroom
61237 Party space, with fireplace 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0199.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0199.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0199.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"4.5","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298551178","focal_length":"11.5","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"DSC_0199"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0199/ dsc_0199 0 0
Party space, with fireplace
61236 Ceiling of foyer 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0198.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0198.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0198.jpg 320 213 {"aperture":"4","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298550653","focal_length":"10","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"foyer ceiling"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/foyer-ceiling/ foyer-ceiling 0 0
Ceiling of foyer
61235 View of foyer from second floor 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0197.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0197.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0197.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"5.3","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298550615","focal_length":"16","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"DSC_0197"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0197/ dsc_0197 0 0
View of foyer from second floor
61234 Master bedroom 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0196.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0196.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0196.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"4","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298550584","focal_length":"10","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"DSC_0196"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0196/ dsc_0196 0 0
Master bedroom
61233 Skylight shining into the upstairs hallway 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0194.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0194.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0194.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"4","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298550536","focal_length":"10","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"skylight upper hallway"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/skylight-upper-hallway/ skylight-upper-hallway 0 0
Skylight shining into the upstairs hallway
61232 Kitchen 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0193.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0193.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0193.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"4","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298550510","focal_length":"10","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.02","title":"DSC_0193"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0193/ dsc_0193 0 0
Kitchen
61231 Kitchen and desk 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0192.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0192.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0192.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"4","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298550500","focal_length":"10","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"DSC_0192"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0192/ dsc_0192 0 0
Kitchen and desk
61230 Dining area 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0191.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0191.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0191.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"5","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298550430","focal_length":"10","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.01","title":"DSC_0191"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0191/ dsc_0191 0 0
Dining area
61229 Den 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0190.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0190.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0190.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"4","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298550365","focal_length":"10","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"DSC_0190"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0190-2/ dsc_0190-2 0 0
Den
61228 Library 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0189.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0189.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0189.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"4","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298550292","focal_length":"10","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.0125","title":"DSC_0189"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0189/ dsc_0189 0 0
Library
61227 Living room, with soaring ceiling 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0188.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0188.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0188.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"4","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298550270","focal_length":"10","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"DSC_0188"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0188/ dsc_0188 0 0
Living room, with soaring ceiling
61226 Main stairway 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0184.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0184.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0184.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"5","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298550111","focal_length":"14","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"DSC_0184"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0184/ dsc_0184 0 0
Main stairway
61225 Dining room 50 Old Yonge Street https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0183.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0183.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC_0183.jpg 2048 1362 {"aperture":"5","camera":"NIKON D40","created_timestamp":"1298550070","focal_length":"14","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.0166666666667","title":"DSC_0183"} https://torontolife.com/real-estate/house-of-the-week-3-6-million-for-four-storeys-of-hoggs-hollow-opulance/slide/dsc_0183/ dsc_0183 0 0
Dining room
this house is hideous.
Kate, I was going to post the exact same comment. Now I’ll just say, $3 million + can buy you a whole lot of ugly!!!
I bet the Shah lived this way. Loving the golden chairs. P.S. Toronto Life, it’s spelled “opulence,” not “opulance”
Ugh. This house needs staging…empty bookcases, plants in the tub, plastic covering the party room tables. Prestigious neighborhoods, elevators and million dollar listings don’t impress. I’ll stick to my 3 bed, 2 bath semi in the west end! Money can’t buy happiness or style..
Absolutely perfect–for a Russian oligarch, or someone with with as little taste as one.
Come on TL: is this crap the best you can do?
Awful. This house looks like it was built in a weekend and “decorated” in the remaining 45 minutes between the time the builder left and Toronto Life’s photog came by.
Recently, I’ve been annoyed at the fact Toronto Life doesn’t know its readership demographic and puts up ridiculously expensive properties as a result. With this example, I’m starting to think that Toronto Life is actually making fun of the of sensibility and taste that too many wealthy Torontonians lack. If that’s the end goal, Toronto Life, then bravo for being so sly about it. I didn’t get it until just now.
Readers, use your creativity and imagine what it would look like under your own creative designs and not of the ones interpreted in the photos.
So few newer homes are built for living. This house is a good example of crappy design – so much wasted space yet and few well -sized usable, practical space. Hopefully an architect was not involved; no amount of fluffing will save this faux chateau.
This looks like the kind of place where Monty Burns would live. Cold, barren and tasteless. TL, show houses with big style, not just big price price tags!
PS: There is a reason they did not show the backyard – This house backs directly on to York Mills and does not have a blade of grass between the house and the property fence.
looks like they spent all their money on this butt ugly house and had little left for furnishings
Looks like a retirement home. Or a Best Western in rural Manitoba. Who needs it… Barf
If you love the sound of traffic 24 hours/day, this place is for you. What a rotten location.
Such bitter comments. Despite this house being ugly, I’d still rather be there than in some little west end bungalow (yuk!). Yes, money can’t buy happiness, but I’d rather be rich and miserable than broke and miserable.
I hope TL doesn’t follow the suggestion for it to show more sensible properties. These far out properties are much more interesting. If I wanted sensible, I’d turn to the MLS listing or read the real estate section.
yawn! Big and soulless… is this the future of all high-end Toronto housing?
Very ugly house !!! N.B. Should read Palladian-style windows, named after the famous Italian architect Palladio.
I’m glad to see most people see the grotesque opulence in this. The house has good bones but the little details that aren’t there are a turnoff. A lot can be done with it this house, though.
Considering the location, I wouldn’t recommend anything be done except potential conversion into (as suggested) a Best Western – it backs directly on to the intersection of Yonge and York Mills, and the traffic noise must be terrible as there’s a four-story poorly-built wall of windows to absorb all of that traffic noise. This is the most tasteless residence I’ve seen for sale in Toronto outside of the Bridle Path. I sincerely hope this ‘architect’ never invades my sleepy Rosedale street.
Wouldn’t live in this location, in this house, for free…
And for god sakes, if you’re going to ask $3.6mill then you had better Stage the damn thing…people with money are accustomed to having things ‘done’ for them and if that means you have to create a beautiful visual for them, then just do it!