Open this photo in gallery: Michael Peart/Michael Peart Photography 138 Princess St., Penthouse 1210, Toronto Asking Price: $1,995,000 Taxes: $8,832.00 (2024) Monthly maintenance fee: $1,712.25 Agent: Christopher Bibby, Re/Max Hallmark Bibby Group Realty The backstory Ashley Allott and Brent Wilkins had no plans to move from their Toronto loft in 2016 when a flyer landed in their mailbox. Sorting through the mail, Ms. Allott spotted a direct marketing pitch for a penthouse just around the corner. “We absolutely were not looking,” says Ms. Allott, but the aesthetic appealed to her immediately. The couple went to see the penthouse near King Street East and Sherbourne Street in the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood. The mid-rise building known as East Lofts was designed by architect Peter Clewes of architectsAlliance and completed in 2010. The couple were drawn to the unit’s contemporary design that combined the industrial feel of concrete with the warmth of wood. The couple submitted an offer the same afternoon and soon moved in. The penthouse today With 1,860 square feet, the penthouse provides two bedrooms and two bathrooms plus a powder room. The reverse floor plan puts the primary bedroom on the lower level and the entertaining space above. The primary bedroom has a large walk-in closet and doors opening to a balcony. The bedroom level feels cozy, Ms. Allott says, and the upstairs feels more expansive. “You go upstairs and it’s a completely different vibe.” The two levels are connected by a steel staircase with glass rails and an industrial tread. The area surrounding the staircase has been turned into a den with wall-mounted bookshelves. On the upper level, the unit has floor-to-ceiling windows and a large open area that combines the kitchen with a lounging and dining area. The kitchen has a large island and stainless steel appliances. There’s room for the baby grand piano that Ms. Allott has played since she was a young girl. “I play less now and it typically involves wine,” she says with a laugh. That level also has a second bedroom, which is currently used as a TV room. Ms. Allott, who recently retired from the travel industry, says she became accustomed to spending about half of every month on the road. That lifestyle halted suddenly when the COVID-19 health emergency was declared a global pandemic. Ms. Allott says having a larger space compared with their previous unit worked well for the couple during the lockdown, when travel ceased and they both worked at home. “You can have two people on conference calls all day long and you’re out of each other’s space.” Mr. Wilkins works on Bay Street, so the location allows him to walk or take the streetcar to the financial district now that employees are back in the office. Ms. Allott says the neighbourhood is very central, with good restaurants and the St. Lawrence Market a short stroll away. Sugar Beach, an urban beach park at the foot of Lower Jarvis Street, sits close to the Redpath Sugar Refinery on the waterfront. The best feature Open this photo in gallery: The terrace, which is off the main living area, provides space for lounging and grilling.Michael Peart/Michael Peart Photography The terrace outside the main living area provides space for lounging and grilling. Ms. Allott says the couple sometimes hosts dinner parties for up to 20 people with a restaurant in Little Portugal catering the meal. In warm weather, guests gather for cocktails outdoors before dinner and the chefs join in after the meal. “They stay for a couple of cigars on the balcony afterwards.”