Building/Neighbourhood Spotlight

Over the last few years Queen Street West has seen its share of new residential development, the majority of which has sprung up around the Gladstone Hotel; Westside Lofts, The Bohemian Embassy, 2 Gladstone. Prior to these new buildings, Queen West was known more for the residential loft conversions that sit just west of Trinity Bellwoods Park; the Candy Factory Lofts and the Chocolate Company Lofts.

The Chocolate Company Lofts development is unique in that it’s actually a blending of conversion and new construction. The architects worked with two industrial buildings that were originally owned by the Patterson Chocolate Company, and used new materials (designed to match the old) to knit them together.

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Last August I wrote a BLOG post about the Europa condo building at 308 Palmerston Ave (read it here).  I pointed out that although the Little Italy/College Street West area is one of the most sought after in the city, residential condo/loft units in the neighbourhood are hard to come by.  One year later, this is still the case.

There are a few new developments in the works (CUBE Lofts near College and Shaw will be finished soon), but it’s still primarily the same three options we had last year; the converted church at 456 College St, Europa at 308 Palmerton Ave, and Ideal Lofts at 301 Markham St.

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Over the last few years, King Street West (I’m talking here about that stretch of King running west from Spadina to Bathurst) has seen plenty of residential growth.  Not only in the number of new buildings in the area, but in the value of the real estate as well.  Per square foot, this is one of the priciest areas in the city.

Yes, Mr. Freed is responsible for much of the new development here (The Thompson Residences, 66 Portland, 20 Stewart…).  But let’s not forget the building that sits at the eastern end of this stretch – the building that in many ways set a benchmark of quality for all that would follow…  The Hudson.

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     Back in the fall I had a listing in one of the condo townhomes on Sudbury Street.  That listing prompted me to write a full blog post on “The Appeal Of A Condo Townhouse” (read it here).  With the spring market kicking into high gear, I figured this would be a good time to revisit the subject and take a closer look at the Sudbury Townhomes in particular.

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     Every great neighbourhood has at least one major intersection that sits at what might be called the “heart” of the neighbourhood.  These crossroads are known to locals and visitors alike, and they function as a sort of landmark or hub.  Some neighbourhoods are lucky enough to have a few remarkable intersections.  Case in point, the St Lawrence Market area in downtown Toronto. 

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Location, location, location.  The 3 most important things in real estate, right?  Certainly this adage applies to the condo building on Palmerston Ave known as “Europa“.  While the Little Italy/College Street West area is one of the most sought after in the city, residential condo units in the neighbourhood are hard to come by. (more…)

     More often than not, when I meet someone looking to purchase a condo in the St Lawrence Market area they already have a short-list of the top 3 or 4 buildings they’re most interested in.  ”King George Square“ is usually on this list.  Even if they don’t know the name or the address of the building, it’s immediately apparent which one they’re talking about: “You know, that building on King Street just down from St James Park.  The one with the iron gates out front.  You know, the one that’s across the street from Starbucks.”

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If you were to stop someone on the street in Toronto and ask them, “Can you name a residential loft building here in the city?” I bet the answer you’d hear most would be, “The Candy Factory Lofts“.  This building seems to be the one that almost everyone is aware of, regardless of whether or not they’re interested in real estate or they’ve ever been in the market for a loft themselves.

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     The King Street West/Liberty Village area is home to a handful of architecturally historic buildings.  One of the best examples of these is located right next door to my brokerage’s office.  I’m talking about the “Massey Harris“ building.  It’s without a doubt one of the more desired loft buildings in downtown Toronto, due to its location and the fact that the suites here are simply gorgeous.  I helped a couple purchase their first home together here a few years ago and it’s certainly one of the more unique properties I’ve sold.

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