Condo of the Week: $800,000 for a penthouse in a pre-Confederation building

The history: The Thomas Helliwell Block was completed in 1857. It originally served as a warehouse, and was converted into condos in 2003. The owners who lived in this unit until 2006 upgraded nearly everything, and the current owners went even further. They installed new kitchen countertops and even managed to convince the condo board to let them add skylights.

Big selling point: This home has all the historic features one would expect from such an old building, including exposed beams and cornerstones, weathered brick and 16-foot ceilings.

Possible deal breaker: There isn’t any parking. The current owners found a rental space nearby, but whoever buys this place may not need to do likewise. With St. Lawrence Market across the street and a big LCBO downstairs, most of life’s necessities can be had on foot.

By the numbers:

• $799,000 • 1,300 square feet (approximately) • $930 in monthly fees • 16-foot ceilings in the living room • 2 bathrooms • 1 den • 1 bedroom • 1 wine fridge • 1 jet-filled tub