NEIGHBORHOODS
by Charles Laurie Hanes

In the spring of 2001, The Toronto Real Estate Board reported the city’s best month sales figures since 1988 and the trend has repeated itself consistently up to the writing of this article. The period from January (when we first launched simplycondos.com) to March 2001 was reportedly one of the best first quarter performances ever!

For several quarters in a row properties have been selling above the list price in higher demand developments and in sought after neighborhoods. Don’t let the rumor mongers depress you though, we’ve continued to buy properties for our clients at less than asking, managing to only get caught up in bidding situations on a couple of occasions.

The science to being successful in avoiding bidding situations is to be on top of the market. We have an electronic notifying system that sends us emails immediately upon any Realtor "broker loading" a property. With the majority of Toronto Realtors not overly technology savvy, our Buyer Agency clients have a powerful advantage as we have them there on day one and usually buy by day two if the property is what our client is looking for (and if we have done our job properly they won’t be looking at it unless it is right for them).

So don’t let rumors and stories deter you from scouting out that newer, bigger or better address. We’ll get you there ahead of the pack. My track record will show that I normally purchase properties for my clients on days one, two and three of listings. There is a constant flow of properties for sale coming onto the market every day. Some are great and some are not and it is our job to know which is which even before presenting them to you.

Realtors who are not as digitally proficient or at minimum web savvy are sitting in their offices waiting for "tear sheets" (printed sheets with black and white photographs of properties newly listed with the details printed on the back) while our clients are becoming owners.  You see, it takes four to six days to get these "tear sheets" printed and distributed, thus on the day that they arrive at these Realtor’s offices, the good listings have been sold for a couple to four days!

Lofts have been an identifiable trend in housing over this time period. When you think loft you envision big open spaces, high ceilings, exposed brick and beams developed out of charming one-time industrial buildings. Although there are a few (select few) actual Lofts that live up to the vision, there are some pretty respectable alternatives worthy of consideration.

Developers have been quick to try to capitalize on the cache of loft living who have been morphing the word loft to just about everything from townhomes to single-family homes so if you depend on the local published material (and many web sites) your search for a true loft may prove an onerous one.

By definition, a true loft is located in a one-time industrial building that has been converted for residential use. One of the first large-scale examples of this is the Merchandise Building on Dalhousie, which was once the Sears Warehouse. Located just a stone’s throw east of Yonge Street at Shuter (Dundas), beside Ryerson Polytechnical University, the developer’s cut a huge section of the interior of the building and developed four individual phases of high ceilings/polished cement floor "hard lofts" as we call them in the industry.

Other "hard lofts" to look for are the Brewery (again on the east side downtown on Sumach), the Candy Factory (west end at Queen and Shaw), The Knitting Mill on Queen near Sherbourne. A complete inventory of lofts are found on the site. Many people have found the transition from the conceptual to the physical delivery a bit of an awakening. Industrial buildings are located in industrial areas and thus carry some downsides with them that the ideal vision forgot to include. Don’t get me wrong, there are some lofts that truly do fit the bill but really, only for the dye-hard fan of the ideal perception of loft living.

Developers, always happy to oblige and certainly always motivated to capitalize on whatever it is that the market says at any given time, have responded by developing "soft lofts" like Electra Phase I and Electra Phase II, Massey Harris Lofts, Quad, DNA, which are all new construction where exposed brick and beam have given way to cement floors, walls and ceilings with open (loft concept) designs.

Toronto is unique for its greenery, as it is literally a city built into a forest. Nowhere else in the world offers such treed and greenery area in the very heart of the city. Within minutes one can get from the financial core to Rosedale’s magnificent tree lined streets, Muir Park (upper Rosedale) and/or into prestigious Forest Hills.   There are nature trails through the Rosedale Ravine.

The city boasts more that 1,500 parks, over 8,000 hectares of green spaces, and 90 kilometers of trails for cycling, hiking and roller-blading. There is a sound infrastructure of sports and recreation facilities, with approximately 140 community centres, arenas, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts and active sports fields.

As you navigate your way through the Neighborhoods section you’ll discover that not all neighborhoods are specifically profiled on simplycondos.com.  This is because we are a specialty channel focussing on only condos, lofts and townhomes.    Simplymansions.com will launch soon to address the luxury detached homes market.  

Toronto's premiere detached home areas that we will profile are Rosedale, Forest Hills and Upper Bayview/Post Road.   We will work to bring you the same comprehensive and detailed information on these significant areas as we do with simplycondos.com.  

We hope that our efforts to bring you a clear and concise picture of the city allows us to recoup the substantial investment that we make to bring you this information.   We would ask that you register with us (it helps our "Hit" count - now floating between 10,000 and 15,000 "hits per day") and when we assist you in your efforts to find that perfect condo, loft or townhome, that you buy, you buy it using me as your agent.

Toronto is Canada’s most cosmopolitan city, with over 2.5 million residents. Whether you are looking for a high-end luxury residential condominium, a prestigious penthouse, a casual loft or any one of the many styles of townhomes, you’re sure to find something that knocks you out right in the city.

Unlike many American major cities, Torontonians have a different understanding of the concept of urban blight and urban sprawl. Our downtown is vibrant and alive with high-rise living above retail, dining and shopping with office towers rounding out a complex live/work infrastructure that other global cities study to try to address their residential expansion. Unfortunately, many American cities abandon their core areas leading to sprawling "suburbia" with bumper to bumper traffic to work zones leaving blighted commercial areas in their wake.

The following is a mini tour of the neighborhoods that comprise the City of Toronto. Any reference to population is simply a rounding up to the nearest 1,000 of recently published Municipal population figures.

STUDIO DISTRICT

The Studio District is a rather loosely defined neighborhood that is generally considered to be east of Yonge Street, around Sherbourne and King. One of the oldest parts of the city, The Studio District is rich in diversity and a popular area for feature film shoots, thus the moniker.

There is a wide variety of new residential alternatives and conversions with something for pretty well every price range. From here you are only a short distance to the St. Lawrence Market which today functions as the city’s premier farmer’s market, the Eaton Centre, The Hummingbird Centre for the Arts.

Along King Street East and Queen Street East you will find some of the city’s better antique, interior decorating and design shops. With the introduction of the Imperial Lofts, The Richmond, Space, and a host of other high density condos the area has now attracted trendy restaurants and night clubs and has genuinely transitioned into a rather pleasant residential area from its rather derelict past.

BLOOR / YORKVILLE

Definitively the "high-rent" district when it comes to condo living! If you want to live in Toronto’s "Rodeo Drive" you are going to have to pay for it, but hey, isn’t that what it’s all about. Longstanding residential condos like Renaissance Plaza, 110 Bloor St., Renaissance Court, Hazelton Lanes, 66 Avenue Road have welcomed the new generation of prestige residences of the Prince Arthur, Domus in Yorkville, The Maxus, 99 Avenue Road and now No.10 Bellair.

In the 1960’s Yorkville was Toronto’s answer to San Francisco’s famed Haight-Ashbury (as a teenager I hitchhiked to and stayed in Haight-Ashbury in ‘68 wearing my bell bottomed jeans, afro hair style and love beads).  Today, Yorkville boasts the most exclusive shops, restaurants and hotels that the city has to offer.  Great sidewalk cafes and if you want to be "seen" then Yorkville is the place.

As a reminder of it’s 60’s roots, there are still a number of prominent art galleries, particularly along the tree lined streets of Hazelton and Scollard Streets. Just south of Bloor on the west side of University (Bloor is where University turns into Avenue Road) you will find the Royal Ontario Museum ("ROM") and across the street on the east side you will find the George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art.

ROSEDALE

Rosedale is Toronto’s oldest surviving residential neighborhood. It has been described as the place where the "movers and shakers of the professional world of English-Canadian culture live."

Located within walking distance to Yonge St. and Bloor (main crossroads in the city’s core) and to Yorkville, Rosedale is not particularly known for condos although there are a couple quite magnificent mansion conversions to small intimate condos at Elm St. as you enter Rosedale from Bloor and another great one on Crescent Road. There are some magnificent townhomes on Crescent Road as well.

Rosedale is bordered on the south by Bloor St and St. Clair on the North. Local businesses are essentially retail and service-oriented lined mostly along the Yonge Street corridor. Restaurants, clothing and furniture stores abound.

MOORE PARK

Staring at St. Clair as its south boundary and north to Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Moore Park is another high end residential community of stately older homes and quiet tree lined streets. The Moore Park Ravine, also called the Belt Line Ravine, stretches from the Don Valley Parkway east of Rosedale to Mount Pleasant Cemetery - a veritable sanctuary for birds, blossoming trees and quiet space.

Home in Moore Park are priced below those of Rosedale, yet offering the quiet and sanctity offered by its sister community to the south. Definitely a family oriented community Moore Park offers a price point that is within reach of a broader mix of potential buyers.

Moore Park is not known for condos.

DAVISVILLE

The Davisville area, located south of Yonge and Eglinton, is a more affordable residential area popular with families and singles alike. The homes are smaller as are the lots. Schools, shopping, trendy restaurants and shops are predominant with easy subway access to downtown Toronto.

There is really one decent condo worth pointing out, a retrofit with some very nice floorplans (depending on the unit) located on Yonge on the southeast corner of Davisville directly across the street from the subway. There is a high density of apartment complexes integrated into mature park-like settings, plus well-established pockets of single family homes.

ST CLAIR AND YONGE

From my perspective, the ultimate residential area for condo lovers. Right in the heart of the city and known as "up town", this eclectic area really offers it all. Long established as a premier condo area with addresses such as Granite Place, 70 Rosehill, 33 Jackes, 20 Avoca, 1 Deer Park Crescent, 5 Rosehill and 40 Rosehill the area has once again introduced a number of the city’s best new developments: 33 Delisle, Park Avenue, The St. Clair, to name a few.

This up scale area offers excellent lifestyle amenities with tennis clubs, health clubs, parks, and ravine for nature walks with it’s own dog park. Great for families, quaint shops, dining with an upscale business component housing the head offices of Exxon Mobile/Esso Canada and Weston Foods.

ST. LAWRENCE MARKET

Starting at the lake and moving north up to about Richmond and from Church over to about Frederick Street is the St. Lawrence Market. The area surrounding the market itself is the original site of the old Town of York, founded in 1793.

The South Market, constructed in 1833, is known for the variety and freshness of its fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, grains, baked goods, dairy products and restaurants. On the second floor is the Market Gallery that features displays of current and historic artwork. The Market Gallery offers free admission and is open to the public.

The North Farmer’s Market operates year round on Saturdays. It is a tradition that began in 1803 and is stronger than every today with its showcase of seasonal harvest, jams, jellies, preserves and organic produce. There is also a serious weekend flea market for visitors and locals alike.

The St. Lawrence Hall, on the southwest corner of Jarvis and King Street East, was built in 1850 and restored in 1967 as the City of Toronto’s Centennial project. A favorite feature of this area is the flamboyant mural by Calgary artist Derick Besant depicting a fantasy Victorian facade on the broad back wall of the triangular Flatiron Building at Wellington and Church.

The area is dotted with newly renovated historic buildings, office complexes, specialty shops and assorted residential buildings (condos) including King George Square, Old York I & II, St. James, The Esplanade, Absolute Lofts, New Times Square, Georgian Lofts, to mention only a few of the more noteworthy.

YONGE & EGLINTON

Comfortable, yet affordable homes integrated with lots of greenery characterize this area north of Eglinton Avenue, south of Lawrence Avenue, between Bayview Avenue and Bathurst Street. Wanless Park, Eglinton Park and Lawrence Park are North Central Toronto neighborhoods.

Sometimes labeled Yonge and Eligible due to the proclivity of singles living here, the bars and restaurants in the area cater specifically to this clientele.

Shopping is excellent but there is not an overabundance of condos. Some noteworthy ones are 43 Eglinton East, 123 Eglinton East, Soho Lofts, 7 Broadway, 30 Holly St.

THE ANNEX

Bordered on the south by Bloor (U of T) and running north to Dupont and on its east by Avenue Road and west Bathurst Street, The Annex is another of those quiet tree lined areas that offer stately older homes, many of which have been renovated to accommodate student residences.

Because of its proximity to the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus, many academics and students make this area which is well-serviced by great bookstores, their home.

The Annex contains the largest concentration of historic buildings in the city. Honest Ed’s is a renowned bargain emporium owned by Ed Mirvish, a local entrepreneur and personality. Around the corner from his mega-store on Markham Street are antique shops, bookstores and galleries.

The Bloor Street Strip is lined with outdoor cafes and small restaurants. The Annex is well situated on the Bloor subway line. Again, not a high concentration of condos and not many on the horizon. Housing is a mix of Century or near-Century renovated Victorian homes and apartment high-rises (some quite up scale).

FOREST HILL

Forest Hill has always been and remains, quite exclusive. In 2001 Forest Hill was voted among the Top 10 neighborhoods in the world in which to reside.

Forest Hill starts just north of the Summerhill train tracks and continues north to around Eglinton. Old Forest Hill is actually from Eglinton to almost Lawrence. It starts at Avenue Road and runs to just west of Bathurst Street.

Homes in this well-established area are spacious and elegant with many of the city’s most prestigious homes neatly positioned behind cultured gardens and mature trees and landscaping.

Forest Hill is also home to two of Canada’s most exclusive private schools, Bishop Strachan School for girls and Upper Canada College for boys.

Forest Hill village, at Spadina and Lonsdale Roads, is the neighborhood’s commercial centre with coffee shops and specialty retail. Small boutiques and shops offer a variety of goods and services.

There are a number of great condo alternatives in the area, all nestled into the landscape of this elite residential community: 429 Walmer Road, 40 Lonsdale, Spadina/St. Clair, 290 Russell Hill Road, Village Gate. Specifically, if you are looking for a condo townhome and can afford a $600,000 to $1,000,000 townhome residence then you will want to look at Russell Hill Road Townhomes, Spadina Townhomes at St. Clair, and the newest addition just across from Casa Loma.

ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT

The Entertainment District is an area whose boundaries are a little more elusive, but it is generally considered to start at the Skydome running north up to around the trendy shopping area of Queen Street West, west of University to about Spadina.

Historically a relatively quiet part of the downtown core, today, the entertainment district is the hottest ticket in town, with ‘round-the-clock’ entertainment, food, and activity. As a transitioning residential area the area is one of the hottest in town offering easy access to the financial district and the downtown core.

The Entertainment District offer a great selection of residential condos and lofts with new developments such as the Morgan, District Lofts, Camden Lofts, The Phoebe On Queen, Soho Lofts, and Cityplace this area is one of the strongest markets for condo sales and rentals that the city has to offer.

YORK MILLS & YONGE

Known as "Hogs Hollow", and located just above Lawrence Park is another of Toronto’s prime condo community areas boasting some of the best residential addresses in the city. Established residential condo developments like Governors Hill by Tridel, York Mills Mansions by Shane Baghai, and York Mills Place have long been highly sought after residential alternatives.

Recently a new phase of development has brought excellent residential communities of Governor’s Hill Phase II, 10 Old York Mills Road, both by Tridel and Hillside by State Development Group and Antiquary. The latter two are on a private road that has been built expressly for these stately homes.

Access to all major arteries is close with the 401 immediately (one block) north and major north south arteries of Yonge St., Mount Pleasant, Bayview and Leslie close by. This area is great for golfers and with North York just on the other side of the 401, theatres and restaurants are also plentiful.

KING WEST VILLAGE

Probably the most radically changing area of the city with blocks and blocks of industrial and railroad lands having been converted to residential use. There are a number of good established and affordable high rises along King Street in Summit, Citysphere and abundance of lofts with Westside (an interesting upscale loft), The Kings, Gotham Lofts, Electra Lofts I & Electra II and a couple excellent presales developments in DNA (Downtown’s Next Address) and Massey Harris Lofts.

If you are leaning toward townhomes, the area offers a tremendous range of affordable stacked townhomes just off King west of Niagra. The area itself has come a long way from its shabby beginnings. Trendy restaurants now line the King Street West Corridor.

Well, that’s it for now. Next week on my Weekly Walk I’ll wind up my update on Humber Bay Shores (see part 1 "They Sell The Sizzle") addressing the development west from Newport Beach which is directly on the western wall of Grenadier Landing (in this week’s Walk).

Tune in later for the balance of communities that make up or form Toronto, or more specifically the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) as it has now become. One mega city instead of the network of independent cities that it once was.

As condo and mansion buyer agency specialists we do not proclaim knowledge of areas outside those profiled (above) however, as a service to those of you considering moving to or investing in the City we will expand this article to include all other areas of the city.

We specialize in upper end condos (penthouse), lofts and townhomes in Toronto within the areas featured above. Be sure to tune in to our Dining Out Feature starting this fall where we will bring all the best restaurants and night clubs in the city built into our sophisticated interactive mapping to enable you to find local dining in areas that you are considering.

For more information of specific high demand areas tune into Uniquely Toronto. To get assistance or information with regard to purchasing or renting a condo, loft or penthouse, please email clhanes@simplycondos.com.