They're the best of the best. The biggest, most decked out spaces you can find in the city, selling for prices into the seven and eight digits. They're Toronto's most talked-about penthouses.

Sure, the deluxe suite at the Residences at the Ritz-Carlton has already sold -- a 10,920 square foot unit that went for an undisclosed sum.

And the Four Seasons has still to release its uber-luxe penthouse unit -- although, already the buzz is building.  Still, there are plenty to choose from for those with the dollars to spend, each with a different layout, location and vibe. Whether you want to live in Forest Hill or on King West, deck yourself out New York style on a single storey, or replicate low-rise living with a multi-floor residence, Toronto developers are offering luxury penthouse alternatives throughout the city.

"I think we do have local buyers that fit that market," says Stan Grossman, vice president with ONE12 St. Clair Avenue West Holdings Inc., the developer behind ONE12 St. Clair, at Avenue Road and St. Clair Avenue. "There are some moneyed people who have achieved some great success.  They're tired of living in their large homes and they want the most luxurious digs in the region."

Mr. Grossman's ONE12, has an 8,000 square foot penthouse unit listed for $7.5-million.  The two storey space -- located on the ninth and 10th floors of the 10-storey building--is larger than many homes in the suburbs, with a location close to Forest Hill and Yorkville, and approximately 1,000 square feet of terrace. A tentative layout by interior designer Alex Chapman of Chapman Design Group features a wine cellar and staff area on the main floor, with a private exercise room and five bedrooms (all with ensuite bathrooms) upstairs. The suite's ultimate buyer, though, can choose to bring in his own designer, starting from scratch to create a layout that best suits his needs. "There's really no end to the flexibility the space offers," Mr. Grossman says.  "We are going to build to order on this suite: We are going to customize it according to the end purchaser's personal taste and requirements."

At 77 Charles, too, modifications are easily accommodated,  according to sales associate Lisa McDonald. The Avenue and Bloor building by developer Aspen Ridge features the Holst suite, which takes up the entire 16th floor of the building, with 7,060 sq. ft. of space and views in all directions. The suite, priced at $14-million, features 13-ft. ceilings, with a glass ceiling over one living area. The layout includes a sunken media room, two kitchens, a dining space that can comfortably fit 18 for dinner, and a bar in the living area. Designed for entertaining, with most of the space dedicated to living and eating, there are only two bedrooms in the current layout, with an extensive dressing space off the master bedroom. "The whole design has really been focused on receiving guests and family," says Ms. McDonald, "from the entrance, where there's lots of closets and a beautiful large, welcome place, to the two kitchens -- which make it really great if you happen to have a chef come over." If it's not two kitchensyou're after, perhaps five terraces will whet your appetite?

Camrost-Felcorp is offering just that in its new sub-penthouse at its luxury project, the Avenue, at Avenue Road and St. Clair West. The unit has approximately 1,700 sq. ft. of outdoor space, in addition to 4,250 sq. ft. inside. It takes up the entire 19th floor of the building and features threebedrooms, as well as finishes that include Downsview kitchens, seven-inch baseboards and Miele appliances. All for approximately $7-million. The design, says David Feldman, president and CEO of Camrost-Felcorp, was modelled after low-rise homes in the area, from which many of the buyers are coming -- except, this home has views of the city in all directions. "That's what makes it special," he says.

Also offering the same low-rise meets high-rise feel is TAS DesignBuild, in its M5V Condominiums project at King West and Spadina. There, the developer is drawing from its experience as a custom home builder to create two-storey units that feel like homes on the 33rd and 34th floors. While TAS has a series of penthouses on offer at the site, the largest is PH5, which features 4,015 square feet inside, and 1,678 square feet outside -- including a rooftop terrace above and a private courtyard that runs through the centre of the suite and is accessible from the main living areas. The unit also features 12-ft. ceilings, three or four bedrooms depending on buyers' needs, and plenty of storage.  Direct elevator access is also available if buyers choose.  "It is a real home in the sky," says TAS DesignBuild principal Mazyar Mortazavi. "You have the outdoor spaces that a typical [low-rise] home has, and you have all the conveniences that high-rise living has. "

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