Dwarfed by skyscrapers around it, this century old Edwardian apartment still feels special, if not even more so now.

Designed by architect J.H. Stanford, every detail was carefully thought through. A pair of sculpted shield-bearing stone lions flanked the elaborate entrance. Above the keystone doorway is an entablature engraved with the building’s name, “St. Charles Court”.

Early Toronto apartments all had discerning names like Audley Court, Spadina Garden and The Balmoral.

St. Charles was Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan and the patron saint of learning and arts. Charles Street was named after Charles Coxwell Small, then Chief Clark of Upper Canada Privy Council.

Above the entrance on the 1^st floor is an oriel bay window etched with stained glass in shield pattern, mirroring the pair of sculpted lions downstairs. On the 2^nd floor is a double window with a segmental arch featuring decorative “turned” columns, an older style column designed with a lathe by spinning the wood.

Bay windows on either side flow continuously from top to bottom with decorative paneling and moulded cornices. The building is topped off with a parapet roof with extended eaves.

The term “Old Toronto” refers to the old city boundary, as far east as The Beaches, west till High Park, north just past Lawrence Manor.

If “Old Toronto” refers to a moment in time in terms of Toronto’s architecture, I feel that it should be the late 1890’s to 1920’s.

It was a time when architects like Eden Smith and E.J. Lennox were coming up with iconic detached houses. It was also a time when apartments such as St. Charles Court were built as grand and elegant as the detached houses around them.

Given its population density, Toronto is a city of apartments. The early ones that were carved in stone, hand-built by brick glitter and shine in a sea of glass towers.

Though it is only 3-storey and 12 units, it packs more detail than the 30-storey / 240 unit condos around it.

30 Charles Street East, Toronto

Excerpts of Followers’ Comments from Instagram Post

@tinkersdad2023 My mother from Sudbury and my aunt from Dublin moved into Saint Charles Court in 1930 as they were both working at the old imperial bank. My aunt was at that time unmarried but my mom was engaged to my dad ( married women were not allowed to work in the bank )every time I pass Saint Charles court I think of the two of them as young women coming to the big smoke to work.

@wienerschmeener I used to live in that neighbourhood and have always loved this building. Wonder if it has a heritage designation. It would be very upsetting to see it go. What I seem to recall is that there is a condo building that has built been around it so maybe it’s safe. Toronto doesn’t appreciate its older architecture as much as it should! Buildings with history/character frequently get demolished to be replaced by soulless glass and concrete condos (and those will not age as gracefully)

This building was featured on CTV news back in 2024 when there were some hot water and gas issues. You could see the interior of the building when the reporter interviewed some of the tenants. (Source, CTV News)