Empress Plaza II — Rental Market Data

Empress Plaza II carries two active listings as of August 31, 2026, with asking rents ranging from $3,100 to $3,150 per month and an average of $3,125 per month. Both suites are two-bedroom layouts averaging 966 square feet at $3.28 per square foot, placing the current inventory squarely in the mid-size multi-bedroom category rather than compact entry-level stock. The 100 percent two-bedroom composition means renters seeking one-bedroom or studio options at this address will need to look to the broader North York City Centre submarket, which holds 232 active listings.

The dominant and sole active layout at Empress Plaza II is the two-bedroom, with both available units representing a 100 percent share of current inventory. The two-bedroom tier averages $3,125 per month across 966 square feet at $3.28 per square foot, spanning from an 850-square-foot unit asking $3,100 at $3.65 per square foot to a 1,082-square-foot unit asking $3,150 at $2.91 per square foot. No one-bedroom, studio, or three-bedroom units are currently listed, making this a small two-unit selection within a single layout tier.

Empress Plaza II's two active listings span a narrow $50 spread from a $3,100 entry point to a $3,150 peak, a 1.6 percent range that reflects near-identical asking levels across the pair. The median asking rent sits at $3,125 per month, anchoring the midpoint of this tight band. The entry-level suite is an 850-square-foot two-bedroom at $3.65 per square foot, while the peak offering is a 1,082-square-foot two-bedroom at $2.91 per square foot, meaning the larger unit actually commands a lower rate per square foot despite the higher absolute rent.

Empress Plaza II does not have a quantified den premium or square-footage delta for active listings, as no paired den versus non-den comparison exists in the current two-unit sample. Parking stall costs cannot be reliably isolated from the available data due to an insufficient paired sample, and no verified monthly parking add-on figure can be quoted for either active listing. Renters should request a direct parking quote from the leasing office before committing to a lease.

Empress Plaza II's average asking rent of $3,125 per month exceeds the North York City Centre submarket average of $2,742 by roughly 14 percent, yet on a per-square-foot basis the building trades at $3.28 versus the submarket asking benchmark of $3.88, a 15.5 percent discount. The higher nominal rent is driven entirely by suite size: the active average of 966 square feet is 259 square feet larger than the submarket implied average of 707 square feet, so renters are paying for additional living space rather than a rate premium. Empress Plaza II represents two out of 232 active listings in the North York City Centre submarket, a 0.9 percent share of total available inventory.

Empress Plaza II's trailing-year average realized rent of $2,659 per month sits $23 above the four-comp benchmark of $2,636, with the spread driven by suite size rather than rate per square foot. Pinnacle at Empress Plaza (8 Hillcrest Ave, 0.05 km, 25 closed leases) realized $2,649 per month at $3.78 per square foot across 720 average square feet, placing the subject $10 higher in nominal rent. Twenty One Hillcrest (21 Hillcrest Ave, 0.08 km, 15 closed leases) closed at $2,405 per month, $3.62 per square foot, and 681 average square feet, meaning the subject commands $254 more per month. The Boulevard (188 Doris Ave, 0.09 km, 19 closed leases) realized $2,687 per month at $3.55 per square foot over 784 average square feet, putting the subject $28 lower in nominal rent. Empress Plaza I (35 Empress Ave, 0.12 km, 14 closed leases) closed at $2,804 per month, $3.10 per square foot, and 918 average square feet, with the subject trading $145 below that figure. All four competitors recorded active lease transactions in the trailing 180 days, so each provides a realized pricing benchmark rather than a zero-volume reference.

Empress Plaza II leases at $3.06 per square foot across an average 882-square-foot suite, a combination that undercuts every active nearby competitor on rate per square foot while delivering more interior space than three of the four peers. Against Pinnacle at Empress Plaza, the subject trades at a $0.72 per square foot (19.0%) discount while providing 162 more interior square feet, so the $10 higher nominal rent is entirely a function of the larger footprint rather than a per-unit premium. Twenty One Hillcrest shows the same pattern: the subject offers a $0.56 per square foot (15.5%) discount and 201 more square feet, yet still realizes $254 more per month because the 882-square-foot suite carries a higher absolute cost base. The Boulevard presents a tighter comparison at a $0.49 per square foot (13.8%) discount and 98 more square feet, with the subject's nominal rent $28 lower, confirming that the space advantage does not fully offset the rate gap at this price point. Empress Plaza I is the one comp where the subject provides 36 fewer interior square feet, yet still trades at a $0.04 per square foot (1.3%) discount, and the $145 lower nominal rent reflects both the smaller footprint and the slightly lower per-square-foot rate.

Empress Plaza II offers a nine-feature lifestyle package anchored by a Garden & Courtyard, Library & Reading Room, and Recreation Room—three amenities that none of the four nearby competitors provide. Pinnacle at Empress Plaza (8 Hillcrest Ave) matches the subject on Squash & Racquetball Court and Sauna & Steam Room but substitutes a Games & Billiards Room for the subject's courtyard, library, and recreation space. Twenty One Hillcrest (21 Hillcrest Ave) leans heavily on aquatic and social features—an Indoor Pool, BBQ Area, Car Wash Bay, and Media & Theatre Room—that the subject does not carry, while the subject's Squash & Racquetball Court and Garden & Courtyard are absent from that building. The Boulevard (188 Doris Ave) differentiates with an Indoor Pool, Hot Tub & Jacuzzi, and Rooftop Terrace, none of which appear in the subject's amenity list, whereas the subject's Library & Reading Room and Recreation Room have no counterpart there. Empress Plaza I (35 Empress Ave) shares the Squash & Racquetball Court and Sauna & Steam Room but adds a Yoga Studio and Media & Theatre Room that the subject lacks, while the subject's Garden & Courtyard and Library & Reading Room remain unique in this cluster. The building's package—combining active recreation (squash, gym, sauna) with quiet, productive spaces (library, meeting room, recreation room) and an outdoor courtyard—best serves professionals and long-term residents who value a balanced mix of fitness, focused work, and low-key social space over pool-centric or luxury-resort amenity profiles.