Entries Tagged 'Neighbourhood Guide' ↓

Average sales price freehold (2009): $1,155,111

Average sales price condo (2009): $537,590

Postal code: M4V

Boundaries: Chaplin Cres — C.P.R Tracks (Marlborough Ave); Avenue Rd — Yonge St

Subway Stations: Davisville, St. Clair and Summerhill

Deer Park dates back to 1837, when the Heath family purchased 40 acres of land and established the area which is now widely known as Yonge and St Clair. In those days, the land wasn’t yet developed and deer were a common sight. By the late 1800’s, the land was subdivided and sold; the neighbourhood began to develop. Nowadays, the Deer Park is known as one of Toronto’s upscale neighbourhoods, with exceptionally beautiful houses, reputable establishments like Upper Canada College and well dressed residents driving expensive cars.

Real Estate: The residential architecture in this neighbourhood varies from street to to street, but many are reminiscent of the Tudor Revival style— a lot of the houses feature prominent cross gables, decorative half timbering and narrow windows.

The red brick rowhouses with arched windows and black roofs along Cottingham and Alcorn are quite charming.

The Carlyle on 55 Delisle offers residence the same elegant lifestyle, without the hassles of homeownership. The boutique condo has only 12 floors, and close attention to construction detail gives off a true sense of luxury.

Parks: Oriole Park is located at the north end of Deer Park. The heavily used park has its own active junior baseball league, tennis courts, picnic benches and barbecues. The new addition of the Neshama Playground considers a progressive layout design and equipment elements that address a broad range of challenges and meet the needs of all children. It is one of the few parks that give disabled children a chance to play alongside able bodied children.

Hot Spots:

Didier — 1496 Yonge St
To dine at Didier is to be reacquainted with the classics of French elegance with impeccable technique and the finest Canadian, organic ingredients.

Dove Spa — 1375 Yonge St
A hidden uptown gem, Dove Spa is calm, spacious and gracious on the inside — white modern zen.

Bruno’s Fine Foods — 1560 Yonge St
Purveyors for over 30 years of quality meat, fish, fresh produce, gourmet groceries, catering and gift baskets.

Average sold price freehold (2009): $628,526; (2010): $729,180

Lowest price sold (2009): $401,000; (2010): $447,500

Highest price sold (2009): $1,100,000; (2010): $1,275,000

Average sold price condo (2009): N/A; (2010): N/A

Postal code: M4X

Boundaries: Rosedale Valley Rd — Gerrard St E, Parliament St — D.V.P.

Closest Subway Station: Castle Frank

Cabbagetown was given its name in 1840, when poor Irish immigrants fled the potato famine in Ireland and settled in the area. They lived off of the cabbages they planted in their gardens. The significantly historic area has seen a lot of change over the last century, in the early 1900’s it was one of Toronto’s biggest slums until the 1970’s when it was gentrified by affluent professionals. Presently, the quaint neighourhood is home to many of the city’s musicians, artists and writers. Also a designated business improvement area, Cabbagetown hosts the annual ‘Cabbagetown Festival’ bringing the neighbours together and stimulating local business.

Real Estate: Some of the nicest heritage-designated Victorian, Gothic Revival and Queen Anne architectural-style houses can be found in Cabbagetown. It’s rare to see these gems for sale, but they’re worth well over a million.

The smaller dead end streets just south of St. James cemetery are lined with hundred year old houses that are both stately, and remarkable, unlike any other neighbourhood in the city. Residents of the neighbourhood take great pride in their homes, and it’s common to see gorgeous gardens and well decorated lawns surrounding the houses.

Parks: Riverdale Farm is located between Sumach and Bayview. The scenic 7.5 acre park has an actual farm and farmers market. Admission is free, and visitors can also wonder around the pathways, wooded areas, and gardens.

Hot Spots:

Jet Fuel – 519 Parliament St.
This fun café is famous for its coffee, music and offbeat characters.

OMI – 241 Carlton Street
Sushi lovers rejoice. An Asian minimalist dream, the restaurant is a creative vision.

Sweet Creamery – 521 Parliament Street
Sweet Creamery is Cabbagetown’s home for delicious gelato, ice cream and pastries.

Average sold price freehold (2009): $650,274; (2010): $739,821

Lowest price sold (2009):$350,000; (2010): $405,000

Highest price sold (2009): $1,118,000; (2010): $1,440,000

Average sold price condo (2009): $338,567; (2010): $333,329

Postal code: M4Y and M4X

Boundaries: Bloor St E — Gerrard St E; Church St — Parliament St

Closest Subway Station: Sherbourne, Wellesley and College

The streets of St. James Town are lined with rental apartment buildings, which are home to mostly newcomers to Canada. The area isn’t really known for much — other than being one of Toronto’s poorer neighbourhoods – and doesn’t have much to offer in terms of restaurants and entertainment. Directly to the south is Moss Park, an area that is hampered by crime; directly to the north (separated by Rosedale Valley Rd and a thick ravine) is Rosedale, one of Toronto’s most affluent neighbourhoods.

Real Estate: There are very few freehold homes in the area, but the few that do exist are mainly rooming houses — houses with 6-12 tiny bedrooms which tenants rent while the other facilities, bathroom and kitchen, are common areas shared by all the tenants. These houses don’t go up for sale often, but when they do — they’re still a significantly large investment to anyone willing to purchase.

The Verve is a new condo development on Homewood Ave, by Tridel. The condo incorporates Tridel’s “Naturally Better” program, which is designed to offer residents an environmentally sustainable and energy efficient building.

Parks: South of Carlton and Jarvis is Allan Gardens — one of the city’s oldest parks, established in 1858, and indoor botanical garden. Admission to the botanical garden is free, and the park is dog-friendly — owners are free to let their dogs run around without a leash.

Hot Spots:

The Keg Steakhouse and Bar Mansion – 515 Jarvis St
The Mansion Keg is a particularly stunning Keg restaurant location, set in an historic Gothic Victorian Revival building.

Average sold price freehold (2009): $426,710; (2010): $459,576 (2011): $482,777; (2012): $486,367

Boundaries: Rogers Rd – Davenport Rd, Dufferin St – GO train tracks

Closest Subway Stations: St. Clair West, Dufferin, and Lansdowne

Corso Italia is known as Toronto’s second Italian community, following Little Italy, although the neighbourhood has a much stronger Italian presence. Corso Italia is designated as a Business Improvement Area, the residents and independent business owners collaborate to stimulate the neighbourhood economy. The annual Corso Italia street festival draws in a large crowd every year, and all the shops and cafes along St Clair West keep people coming back.

Real Estate: Not only is there a large inventory on the market each year, but the neighbourhood has an incredibly wide range of mismatched architecture —  post war, early 20^th century two story semis, modernist, and there are practically as many semi detached homes as there are semi detached homes.

Many of the outdated homes have been bought by flippers looking to make a profit.

Parks: Earlscourt Park is at Caledonia Road and St. Clair Avenue West. This park feature a lighted atrificial turf soccer field, a lighted mutil-purpose sports field and track, a ball diamond, four tennis courts, basketball court, volley ball court, an off leash dog park, a children’s playground, a wading pool and many walking paths.

Hot Spots:

Ecoexistence — 21 Vaughan Rd.
Ecoexistence is an eco-friendly life-style store, focusing on products to help consumers make healthier choices.

Ferro Bar and Café — 769 St. Clair Ave. W.
Since 1993, Ferro has grown from a local residential favorite, to being one of the city’s favorite hip Italian eateries.

Twice as Nice — 683 St. Clair Ave. W.
A must-stop for new parents, Twice as Nice specializes in new and used baby equipment at reduced prices.

Average sold price freehold (2009): $346,746;  (2010): $399,562;  (2011): $465,969; (2012): $536,572

Average sold price condo (2009): $319,830; (2010): $330,309; (2011): $369,470; (2012): $378,847

Postal code: M6H and M6G

Boundaries: Davenport Rd – Bloor St W, Christie St — GO train tracks

Closest Subway Stations: Bathurst, Christie, Ossington, Dufferin, Lansdowne and Dundas West

Bloor St West, between Christie St and the GO train tracks, boasts a high concentration of mixed used residential and commercial buildings. The strip of shops doesn’t have much curb appeal, with random businesses — coin laundry, dental offices, dollar stores, etc., many of which are in poor state of repair. Dovercourt Park was founded in 1870, by English immigrants who built shacks out of tar and paper — as they were too poor to afford stronger building material. The village was originally called Shantytown.

Although Wallace Emerson is zoned for residential and business uses, it’s the Wallace Emerson Community Centre at the heart of the neighbourhood that gives the area a family oriented vibe. A lot of the land between Dupont and Davenport is still post industrial development; warehouses and automotive operations line Geary Ave.  However, as gentrification moves slowly further west, noise and pollution gradually declines. The residents of Wallace Emerson are for the most part Portugese, however, a large Ethiopian population is also present in the neighbourhood.

Real Estate: The neighbourhood is filled with fixer-uppers, perfect for eager buyers looking for that ‘blank canvas’. The majority of houses here are two-storey semis, and most of them have a different style of architecture then their neighbours on either side.

Many of the detached houses have already been torn down and flipped — and they’re easy to spot. In general, the lots are small, the houses are built so close to each other and the streets aren’t very ‘leafy’ — resulting in noticeably less curb appeal.

There are less than a handful of condos in the area, but offer a wide range in price. Eleven Christie offers buyers affordable units, but attracts mostly students. The Bartlett Lofts are one of Toronto’s first loft conversions, with exposed brick walls, staircases and industrial windows — but with only 13 units in the building, they rarely go up for sale.

Parks: Dovercourt Park is a relatively small compared to Christie Pits Park, but it backs on to the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, and it’s usual to see local kids running around. It has a small baseball diamond, tennis courts, a basketball hoop and a playground.

Wallace Emerson Community Centre is equipped with a complete fitness facility, an indoor 25 metre pool with large window for viewing, and dance/yoga studios. The park next to the Centre has an ice rink with changing facilities, as well as a playground.

Hot Spots:

Madras Masala – 796 Bloor St W
This small Indian restaurant is best known for its casual atmosphere, friendly service and spicy dosas.

The Black Horse Pub and Grill – 928 Bloor St W
It’s easy to spot this historic tavern – a horse head protrudes from the brick-and-glass faí§ade. It is a quiet and unassuming restaurant offering enjoyable ambience, drinks and food to local wanderers.

Churrasqueira Aveirense — 1184 Bloor St W
Churrasqueira Aveirense is as authentic a Portuguese dining experience as you can find on this side of the Atlantic. The large space is comfortably designed reflecting its country of origin including large TVs for football coverage.  

Ciro’s — 1316 Bloor St W
Ciro’s is a small west end bar that doesn’t take themselves too seriously. They they have an intimidating beer list chocked full of world class ales.

Average sold price freehold (2009): $506,155; (2010): $561,573; (2011): $622,637; (2012): $797,855

Average sold price condo (2009): $281,153; (2010): $327,004; (2011): $331,679; (2012): $361,191

Postal code: M6H

Boundaries: Bloor St W-College St; Dovercourt Rd-Roncesvalles Ave

Closest Subway Stations: Dundas West, Lansdowne and Dufferin

Dufferin Grove is a working class neighbourhood with two central focal points: the Dufferin Mall, west of Dufferin St and Dufferin Grove Park, on the east side. These two neighbourhood attractions play a key role in creating a community feel. Families spend Saturday afternoons at the mall, scurrying from H&M to Winners, while the youth of Dufferin hang out at the park, either playing basketball or sitting on benches surfing the internet on their laptops. Although the area is still not as alluring as its eastern neighbor Little Italy, Dufferin Grove is attracting first time buyers as the real estate prices are relatively lower.

Real Estate: The three major residential streets running through the Dufferin Grove are Dufferin, Dovercourt and Gladstone, which have the highest inventory and turnover of homes. These semis tend to be generic and look their age for the most part, but as the neighbourhood changes — so do the houses.

Tucked away on quieter streets like Rusholme and Havelock, you will find a number of finer homes. The stately Victorians and Edwardians are quite lovely, and usually well maintained — some of these have sold for close to $2 M.

The Church Lofts on Dovercourt have garnered a lot of attention. What was once a century old church is now a loft conversion with 28 stunning units, which went on sale in 2010. The units are a rare find with many boasting stained glass windows, octagonal skylights and soaring steel trusses.

Parks: Dufferin Grove Park features a large playground, a pizza oven, a basketball court, and an outdoor ice skating rink in the winter. There is also an organic farmers’ market at the park on Thursday afternoons from 3-7 o’clock. The Park has also been set up with wi-fi internet making it a great spot to hang out.

Hot Spots:

Arabesque — 1068 College St
It’s a perfect spot to spend an afternoon over a cup of tea, a place to lounge with a favourite book, or to have lunch with friends, eating authentic dishes from the Middle East.

The Common — 1071 College St
The Common is an unassuming cafe that pumps out some of the best espressos in the city. Long tables and benches make for a communal feel.

Print Fine Vintage — 834A College St
This tiny store has a collection of designer clothing by Pierre Cardin, Yves Saint Laurent and Pucci but also vintage pieces from the 1940s to 1970s.

Average sold price freehold (2009): $478,404; (2010): $537,899 (2011): $597,794 (2012): $651,927

Average sold price condo (2011):$387,382  (2012):$389,095

Postal code: M6J

Boundaries: College St — King St W, Dovercourt Rd – GO train tracks

Closest Subway Stations: Dufferin and Lansdowne

The neighbourhood is named after the ethnic group that settled into the area after emigrating from Portugal. Although the Portuguese and Brazilian families still have a strong presence in the neighbourhood, young parents, who are drawn by affordable prices, are moving in and raising children. Little Portugal has undergone rapid gentrification in the recent years, and art gallery owners, condo developers and entrepreneurs are taking advantage and setting up shop. Dundas St West is a great example of the Portuguese charm that brings the neighbours together, with its numerous Portuguese bakeries, Brazilian soccer bars and various shops.

Real Estate: The narrow one way streets of Little Portugal are lined with old Victorian homes and contemporary semis. Some of the better maintained Victorians can be found along Mackenzie, many of which are fully renovated and restored.

There are several bland looking townhouses with a lower price tag along Argyle. Every other house in the area is either a duplex, triplex or has an ‘in-law suite’ – a non-retrofit basement unit usually occupied by student tenants.

Dovercourt is also home to the historic Ideal Bread Company, a bakery built in the 1900s. The building was converted into lofts in 2006, and the units are impressive. The original suites contain 18 foot ceilings, exposed duct work, concrete beams and pillars, long windows and the whole nine yards.

South of Queen St along Laidlaw and Joe Shuster is a condo townhouse development, popular among young couples looking for a cheaper alternative close to work.

Parks: The Popular Trinity Bellwoods park is just east of Little Portugal. However, a major hub of activity in the area today is McCormick Park, home to McCormick Recreation Centre and Arena on Brock Avenue. This area has long been a focal point for youth living in the area.

Hot Spots:

The Atlantic — 1597 Dundas St. W
Envisioned by Chef Nathan Isberg, the restaurant features an ever-changing, very risky menu of the perfectly edible creatures and animal parts, like crickets, whelks, and salmon heads.

Nosso Talho Meat Shop – 1326 Dundas St. W
This long-standing Portuguese butcher offers nearly every porcine cut imaginable.

Nova Era Bakery – 1172 Dundas St. W
One of several locations, this original location on Dundas West still makes the delicious Portuguese style cornbread they’re famous for.

Average sold price freehold: N/A

Average sold price condo (2009): $356,354; (2010): $381,939; (2011): $405,258; (2012): $390,357

Boundaries: Eastern Ave — Gardiner Expressway, D.V.P. — Parliament St

Closest Subway Stations: King and Union

The Distillery District is rich in history and Victorian era industrial architecture. Many of the red-brick heritage buildings, once owned by the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery, have been converted into quaint courtyards, cafés, high-end furniture shops and restaurants. The compact neighbourhood is comprised of only 10 or so streets but it certainly has charm and character, especially after dark when the street lamps turn on — the cobblestone streets glow.

The West Donlands, just west of the D.V.P. – a historically industrial area, was vacant land up until 2011. The city of Toronto is currently developing the land as an athletes village for the 2015 Pan Am games.  Once the Pan Am games are complete,  the revitalization of the area will ultimately lead to the development of new communities.

Real Estate: In the midst of the Discovery District are a few residential buildings that integrate themselves very well into the historic surrounding. The Pure Spirit Lofts on Mill St is a complex developed by the award winning Cityscape — featuring an outdoor pool on the podium with a clear view of the CN tower and city skyline. The Knitting Mill Lofts on Queen St E were converted from an old warehouse.

Parks: Corktown Common, east of the Bayview extension and south of King St W, something for everyone. The playgrounds, splash pad, athletic field and open lawns can be used for informal gatherings or organized activities. The flexible outdoor space, tables, benches, bbq and fireplace offer welcoming spots for people to meet and socialize.

Hot Spots:

The Boiler House — 55 Mill St #46
The Boiler House Restaurant offers a succulent chophouse style menu with in an industrial chic setting. The large outdoor cabanas feature elegant furniture with billowing curtains and oversized parasols, perfect for after-work drinks.

Distill Gallery — 55 Mills St #47
Distill shows the individual handmade works by over 100 Canadian artists, craftspeople and designers contributing to the contemporary material and visual culture.

Akroyd Furniture Artscape — 55 Mill St #74
The studio designs and builds one-off pieces of custom furniture from sustainable local hardwood and mixed media.

Average sold price freehold (2009): $628,776; (2010): $744,560; (2011): $828,794; (2012):$891,574

Average sold price condo (2009): $375,259; (2010): $435,897 (2011): $460,041; (2012): $461,057

Boundaries: Bathurst St — Dovercourt Rd, Bloor St W – College St

Subway Stations: Bathurst, Christie, Ossington and Queen’s Park

The distinctly warm neighbourhood is now demographically more Portuguese, but the atmosphere is still very much Italian. The lively Little Italy is packed with trattorias, pizzerias and cafés. The sidewalks are buzzing with activity on weekends — especially in the summer, with locals and visitors sipping espressos on outdoor patios. The nightlife in the area is thriving, and though the martini bars and ambient lounges cater to an older demographic, the young professionals from all over town make their way to College St for a night out. Also popular is the annual Taste of Little Italy – a street festival which always draws a large crowd over to listen to live music and sample various samples of Italian cuisine.

Real Estate: Little Italy is home to a wide array of mixed and matched houses on small lots, everything from grand Edwardians with cozy porches along Euclid, old Victorian homes along Palmerston — some which are equally gorgeous on the inside — to duplexes and triplexes throughout the neighbourhood. There are plenty of renters in this area as many of homes have a basement suite with a separate entrance — they double as income properties.

There a few authentic lofts in Little Italy — the Button Factory Lofts on Clinton is, as the name says, a former button factory. The Movie House Lofts on Euclid was once an actual movie house. Both buildings feature soaring ceilings, exposed brick and original hardwood. There aren’t many units in either of these buildings, and as a result, they don’t come on the market too often. The Europa Condos are a good alternative, they’re more affordable and the architecture blends right in with the street. Generally, there is a limited supply of lofts and condos in Little Italy, further, very few come up for sale each year.

Parks: Bickford Park, located at Grace and Harbord, is popular as it is one of the few areas in Toronto where dog owners can let their dogs off the leash. The park also has a great playground and a small baseball diamond.

Hot Spots:

The Mod Club — 722 College St
The night club lives up to its name with Mod themed artwork splashed on the walls and all the latest Brit indie, pop, rock and electronic pumping on a Saturday night.

Vivoli — 655 College St
This College Street establishment has a vibrant yet elegant atmosphere in which to enjoy classic Italian cuisine.

Café Diplomatico — 594 College St
This popular destination has become a Toronto institution for coffee lovers. Affectionately known as “The Dip” by locals, the café is often used as a set by filmmakers.

Average sold price freehold (2009): $1,089,374

Average sold price condo (2009): $623,102

Postal code: M5R

Boundaries: Dupont St — Bloor St W, Avenue Rd — Bathurst St

Subway Stations: St. George, Spadina, Bathurst and Dupont

The Annex gives off the college neighbourhood vibe; due to its close proximity to U of T, it has a heavy population of students and faculty. As result, much of the area’s shops, restaurants, pubs and book stores along Bloor St W are aimed to attract the young student demographic. Nevertheless, the neighbourhood is quite affluent with some of the most expensive homes (to rent and to own) in Toronto lining the leafy streets. The neighbourhood is also famous for two historically significant landmarks — Honest Ed’s, Toronto first true bargain store, opened in 1948 by Ed Mirvish; and the much older Casa Loma, a Gothic Revival style mansion built in 1914, which is now a museum.

Real Estate:This area is renowned for the ‘Annex style’ houses, which typically feature large rounded Romanesque arches along with Queen Anne style decorative items such as turrets. Most often these gorgeous homes are made of red brick, but a few are made of sandstone; many of them can be found along Brunswick.

Along Admiral, you’ll find some spectacular, stately Edwarian homes. Many of these Annex style homes are quite large, especially those along Walmer, and have since been subdivided into smaller apartments. Along St George and Brunswick, some of the homes have been converted into 2-3 unit condos.

The Loretto Lofts, on Brunswick, are a designated heritage structure – gorgeous and fabulously well-maintained. Units in the condo on Prince Arthur are more affordable, and are sold more frequently.

Parks: Christie Pits Park is just on the outskirts of the traditional Annex boundaries — it could also be considered part of the West Annex, at the corner of Bloor St W and Christie. The park is best known for its baseball diamonds, one of which is full-sized and fenced that was named “Dominico Field”. The sides of the pits are highly sloped, and are used in winter for tobogganing.

Hot Spots:

The Madison Avenue Pub — 14 Madison Ave
A very popular meeting place for singles, this bar — which was converted from two old Victorian houses – is populated by young professionals, frat boys, and preppy students. The place gets packed fast and those keen on getting a table make sure to arrive early.

Green Room – 296 Brunswick Ave
A staple of U of T art students, this exceptionally hard-to-find and seedy looking bar, with a ton of character, offers some surprisingly affordable and good meal options.

The Bloor Street Cinema — 506 Bloor St W
A century-old, independent movie theatre that often features classic favourites in addition to current box office hits. Every Hallowe’en, they have a special midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.