Neighbourhoods

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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