As Toronto's Condo Market is Rediscovering its Identity, Devron & Dorsay Take Part in this Transformation by Building an Elegant New Landmark that is All About the End User
Set to launch Fall 2026, Devron and Dorsay unveil plans for 1 Marlborough -- 58 residences at the intersection of Rosedale and Summerhill, anchored by a century-old heritage landmark, with homes ranging from 1,800 to 8,000+ square feet
TORONTO, April 7, 2026 /CNW/ - Devron Developments (Devron) and Dorsay Development Corp. (Dorsay), today announce Fall 2026 launch plans for 1 Marlborough: a 13-storey, 58-residence building at one of the most coveted street corners in Canada, straddling the Rosedale and Summerhill neighbourhoods of Toronto. With suites ranging from 1,800 to over 8,000 square feet and architecture and design led by Audax, 1 Marlborough is not a condominium in the conventional Toronto sense. It is, by intent and design, the antithesis of an outdated model for condominiums in the city.
"Markets move in cycles, but beautiful building in great neighbourhoods endure. When homes are thoughtfully designed and truly meant for living, people value them differently. They keep them longer, they care for them, and they pass them forwards to next generations."
-- Pouyan Safapour, President, Devron Developments
TORONTO DESERVES BETTER
Toronto's residential towers have often drawn criticism for what they represent: glass-clad, investor-oriented rather than end-user minded, cost-minimized buildings that prioritize volume over value, speed over craft, and yield over livability. For years, that formula worked.
"Toronto deserves better than just another condominium. The city has seen too many undistinguished towers -- too tall, too glass, too thin-walled, and too small inside. Great cities like Paris, Barcelona, London celebrate beautiful buildings in great neighbourhoods. It is where people aspire to live. Buildings so cherished that people even travel the world to see them. Toronto is deserving to have buildings of this standard."
-- Pouyan Safapour, President, Devron Developments
Safapour, whose firm has built a track record of end-user-focused residences including The Winslow, 101 Spadina and The Vanguard, says 1 Marlborough represents the expression of Devron's philosophy: that people deserve condominium and multifamily housing that they can be proud to call 'home' and choose it first, and that it is our responsibility to build that future now.
THE HERITAGE: A BUILDING WITH A CENTURY OF SOUL
At the base of 1 Marlborough stands something increasingly rare in a city that often erases its own history to build taller: a near-century-old heritage structure, originally designed as the Canadian showroom for Pierce-Arrow -- the American automobile marque so prestigious, so consumed by craftsmanship, that royalty drove them and industry observers frequently compared them to Rolls-Royce.
The building was designed to the grandeur of what it housed. Double-height arched bays, ornate stonework, gargoyles, and generous proportions built to showcase one of the world's most luxurious vehicles. It was designated a heritage property in 1978. Over the decades, the building served many lives, most notably as a CBC television studio where iconic Canadian children's programming -- including Mr. Dressup -- was produced.
At 1 Marlborough, that structure will not be demolished, obscured, or minimized. It will be meticulously restored and celebrated.
"1 Marlborough will honour the century-old heritage of the existing building and the Rosedale community while adding beautiful, contemporary residences. It is with great pride that we have the opportunity to complement the rich fabric of this storied neighbourhood and this is a landmark moment in our over 25 years of working in Toronto."
-- Ian MacLeod, Vice President, Dorsay Development Corp.
The double-height arcade along Yonge Street will be reanimated. The vaulted stone arches will return to public life, cornices that eroded over time, restored, and this time housing new retail. Along Marlborough Avenue, an intimate landscaped patio will extend the building's presence onto the street.
TIMELESS, NOT TRENDY
Audax, the architecture and design firm behind 1 Marlborough, draws inspiration from beautifully detailed turn-of-the-century apartment buildings -- the kind found in the most enduring residential neighbourhoods of Manhattan, Paris, and London. Heritage strategy is guided by ERA Architects, ensuring the integrity of the existing structure is preserved as the building enters its next chapter.
"Rosedale remains one of Toronto's most historically layered communities. Defined by timeless façades, wrought iron details, mature tree canopies, and an architectural continuity refined over generations -- 1 Marlborough represents a rare new addition to one of Toronto's most established enclaves, where opportunities for new construction of this scale and calibre are exceptionally limited."
-- Gianpiero Pugliese, Principal, Audax
The building's crown features loggias composed of vaulted arches that deliberately echo the original street-level arches below -- a visual and historical throughline that connects the building's past to its future. There are no glass curtain walls here and no value-engineered cladding systems. What there is: masonry, proportion, and the kind of material investment that buildings require if they are to last generations.
THE RESIDENCES: HOMES, NOT UNITS
The 58 suites at 1 Marlborough are sized for actual living. At 1,800 to over 8,000 square feet, these are residences capable of accommodating large family reunions, multi-generational family life, private art collections, home offices of the kind professionals actually need, and the particular quiet that comes with real room to breathe.
Behind the walls, Devron has applied what it calls Devron Building Sciences -- a comprehensive suite of engineering and specification decisions that address the issues faced in some condominiums. For example: sound insulation in all directions, leak detection and automatic shutoff systems, high thermal and noise performance windows, direct fresh air ventilation, in-suite humidifiers, and water filtration. These features are often invisible, but experienced, and entirely deliberate. All suites have generous outdoor space and terraces. Nearly all suites also have direct elevator access. These features are amongst the many that address the precise complaints that owners of lesser-built condominiums know well.
"The recent shift away from investor-driven construction in the city is a rare opportunity for the projects we have always presented: homes for buyers looking to enjoy uniquely designed buildings in exceptional locations. This pocket of the city - just a few short blocks of Yonge - reflects precisely that demand for livable boutique buildings - from Hill and Dale, to One Roxborough West which was recently successfully launched and is under construction, and the James which is nearing completion. Each offers spacious residences that are so challenging to find in the city, in buildings built with the objective of providing exceptional homes for people to truly enjoy them for the long term."
-- Paul Johnston, Unique Urban Homes
Amenities include a spacious residents' lounge, large private dining room, bar, wellness and fitness centre, meeting room, valet service, and pet spa -- all curated for a resident who has owned a home before and knows what they want.
THE LOCATION: WHERE TORONTO IS AT ITS BEST
The corner of Yonge Street and Marlborough Avenue sits nestled in-between two of Toronto's most sought-after neighbourhoods: Rosedale and Summerhill. This is a part of the city where the built environment has been shaped over generations -- where the scale is human, the streets are canopied, and the independent businesses, restaurants, and boutiques along Yonge create something genuinely close to the European urban experience that Torontonians have long admired and rarely found at home.
For the target resident -- many of whom will be downsizers from the very neighbourhoods that surround the project, or international buyers seeking the finest address Canada can offer -- the location requires no explanation. It simply is the right place.
A STATEMENT FOR THE CITY
" To us, 1 Marlborough is more than just another project. It is a Love letter to Toronto's history, and a hope for its future. Set at one of the most admired intersections in the country, sitting atop a building with nearly a century of rich history and soul, we see it as a responsibility and opportunity to create a building that reflects the best of what Toronto can be. Beautiful, timeless architecture that people can fall in love with. Spacious homes where people can create memories. A place that people cherish, care for, and pass forward to the next generations."
-- Pouyan Safapour, President, Devron Developments
PROJECT DETAILS
Address: 1 Marlborough Avenue, Toronto (Rosedale/Summerhill)
Developer: Devron Developments & Dorsay Development Corp.
Architect & Interior Design: Audax
Heritage Architect: ERA Architects
Sales Consultancy: Paul Johnston Unique Urban Homes
Building Height: 13 storeys
Total Residences: 58
Suite Range: 1,800 – 8,000+ sq ft
Pricing: $ (pricing details to be announced)
Showroom Opening: Fall 2026
Construction Start: First half of 2027 (anticipated)
Estimated Completion: 2030
ABOUT DEVRON
Devron is a Toronto-based developer with a singular focus on end-user residential projects built to the highest standards of architecture, livability, and material quality. With a portfolio of notable condominiums like The Winslow, 101 Spadina, and The Vanguard, Devron is committed to building a better, more livable future for housing in Toronto. Devron projects aim to do this through high-quality architecture, long-term minded building sciences, and a focus on larger more livable homes that allow people to live comfortably for generations. With nearly one million square feet of mixed-use property under development, Devron strives to create generational homes that are Built for Good.
For more information, visit: Devron.ca and @DevronDevelopments
ABOUT DORSAY
Dorsay Development Corp. is a Toronto-based real estate company with a 25-year legacy of shaping communities across the Greater Toronto Area. Guided by a commitment to connection, design, and long-term value, Dorsay has delivered landmark residential communities including Icon in Toronto, Circa in Markham, and Ovation in Mississauga, as well as current projects such as Veraine in Pickering and Rangeview in Mississauga. With a portfolio spanning residential, mixed-use, and commercial holdings, Dorsay continues to create places that foster belonging and contribute meaningfully to the fabric of the city.
For more information, visit: Dorsay.ca and @DorsayDevelopment
SOURCE Devron Developments and Dorsay Development Corp.
MEDIA CONTACT: Victoria Baker, NKPR, [email protected]
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