Niagara Toronto Real Estate

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Niagara is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located along and south of Queen Street West; it is usually bordered by Atlantic Avenue to the west, Bathurst Street to the east, and the railway corridor to the south, and so named because Niagara Street runs through the centre of it. The eastern portion of this area (with what is now called the Fashion District) was first planned as the New Town Extension when Toronto was incorporated as a city. The area was formerly working class, with many employed in industries located along the CN and CP railway corridors.

History

Garrison Common

The ten block Town of York (later the St. Lawrence Ward of the City of Toronto) was laid out by Governor Simcoe in 1793 with its southern most street, Palace Street (now Front Street), following the shoreline to the west where it entered Fort York on the west side of the Garrison Creek. This original town extended from Jarvis Street to Parliament Street (now Berkeley) with the rest of the area south of Lot Street (now Queen Street) as the 'Garrison Common' (open government land); north of Queen Street were 'farm lots'. North of about Palace Street (Front Street) and Crookshank Lane (Bathurst Street), a burial ground was established for the fort. Just before 1800 the town was extended with a 'New Town' (now the Financial District) in the west using larger lots than in the 'Old Town' and extending from Jarvis Street to Peter Street.

New Town Extension

The 'New Town' grew slowly and it was not until the Town of York was incorporated as the City of Toronto in 1834 that the 'New Town' grid was extended from Peter Street to as far west as the Garrison Creek creating the 'New Town Extension' with its curved Niagara Street, later extended a block closer to the Garrison Creek with Walnut Street. The 'New Town Extension' was planned with a number of squares: Victoria Square, Clarence Square, McDonell Square and West Market Square. In the West Market Square, St. Andrew's Market was established to rival St. Lawrence Market in the 'Old Town' to the east. Between Victoria Square (including the former Garrison Burial Ground and the garrison chapel) at Bathurst Street and Clarence Square at Brock Street (Spadina Avenue) Wellington Street was planned as a broad 'Wellington Place', likely modelled after similar large boulevards in the planned Capital of the United States, Washington which had been burned during the War of 1812 in return for the American occupation of Toronto. Toronto was divided into 'wards' with much of the 'New Town Extension' in St. Andrew's Ward.

Early Development

Toronto now extended horizontally from Niagara Street (with the Garrison Creek and Common beyond) to the Don River in the East, the area north of Queen having been planned as large estates. The areas in the extreme west ('New Town Extension') and east ('Corktown') remained largely undeveloped for some time and as poor relief programmes in Britain brought many poor and diseased to Toronto in the following years the empty lots in these areas quickly filled with poorly constructed housing and the land value deteriorated. Several Cholera and Typhoid outbreaks forced the City of Toronto to use these lots to house the sick. Many of the immigrants to this area were Irish Catholic and Toronto's first Catholic Church to serve the western part of the city was built in McDonell Square: St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. Most of Toronto's institutions and businesses preferred to remain closer to the central city in land subdivided from former 'Park Lots' north of Queen Street.

Later Residential and Industrial Development



In the 1850s the railway reached Toronto from Hamilton cutting across the Garrison Common and by 1860, more of the Garrison Common west of the Garrison Creek and south of Queen street was subdivided around a 'Strachan Avenue' leading up to Bishop Strachan's Trinity College.Some of the housing in the older St. Andrew's Ward was rebuilt. At the end of the 19th century Toronto carried out a large number of annexations and planned new grand institutional building north of Queen Street in St. John's Ward (now the Discovery District), this led to the deterioration and demolition of many of Toronto's old institutional buildings south of Queen Street with many of the large lots being sold to the expanding Railways. Within the former 'New Town Extension', most of the area east of Bathurst Street and south of King Street, especially along 'Wellington Place' became industrial.In the first half of the 20th century many working families immigrated, especially from southern Europe (especially Italy and Portugal), to this neighbourhood. McDonell Square, the site of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, was renamed Portugal Square in recognition of the changing demographics.

Recent Redevelopment

In recent years, it has seen an explosion of luxury homes such as new condominium loft and row house development. The area is located close to the Fashion and Entertainment districts.

The area is also part of the Trinity—Spadina riding which covers a much larger section just west of the downtown core.

 Schools in Niagra neighbourhood include Niagara Street Junior Public School, St. Mary Catholic School, St. Joseph College and Orde Street Junior Public School.

Main streets

Some of the main roads in the neighbourhood include:

• Bathurst Street
• Tecumseth Street
• King Street West
• Richmond Street West
• Adelaide Street West (Portugal Square - at Bathurst)
• Wellington Street West
• Niagara Street

Public transportation

Niagara is well served by public transit. King Street West is served by the Toronto Transit Commission's 504 King streetcar, which with an average of 50,000 passengers per day is the busiest surface route in the city's system.

Demographics

Top 10 Ethnic Origins  

 Ethnic origin refers to the ethnic or cultural group(s) to which the respondent's ancestors self-identified. Ethnic Origins are from the Total Responses category and may not add up to the same amount in the Regions category. Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census 

Real Estate in Niagara Neighbourhood

Niagara’s formerly industrial areas began to undergo relentless condofication about five years ago, which largely obliterated the single-family dwellings that existed. Contemporary condo developments now dominate, with the occasional more aesthetically pleasing warehouse conversion. The towers vary widely in charm, however, and the townhouses can be bland, cramped affairs. The Bathurst Quay area is somewhat underserved (especially by food and retail outlets), but the rest of the neighbourhood feasts on a veritable smorgasbord of cultural opportunities. Nowhere is the diversity better seen than on a tiny stretch of Niagara just south of King. A single block holds a Buddhist temple, the trendy Niagara Street Café, the Old York Bar and Grill (a local hang) and a sizable co-op. There’s a park (Stanley) in the middle of the neighbourhood, but also a city works depot filled with trucks.

HOUSING STOCK: A few worker’s cottages and the occasional bay-and-gable remain, along with a couple of converted industrial buildings—though these are rapidly disappearing. Rows of undistinguished modern townhouses cover many side streets, and luxury condos are quickly enveloping King West and lower Bathurst. Even as far south as Bathurst Quay, several co-ops and the glam Tip Top Tailors redevelopment are being joined by yet more luxury condominiums, especially on the site of the old Molson Brewery. Prices range from $225,000 for a junior one-bedroom in the new 550 Wellington West condo-hotel complex to $750,000 for a large four-bedroom semi.

BARGAIN ZONES: Older condos on the 700 and 800 blocks of King, between Bathurst and Niagara, tend to be more affordable.

THE VERDICT: If condos suit your fancy, you can’t do much better in terms of architectural diversity and cultural attractions. The art galleries that dot Tecumseth are some of the most adventurous in the city; the culinary choices tucked nearby are getting better; and ever-growing Liberty Village provides even more delights. With its own farmers’ market on Sundays and new retail spots sprouting up every day, the latter has become a self-contained miniature hamlet.

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NEIGHBOURHOOD HOT SPOTS:

Atelier Thuet The famous chef’s Liberty Village food store sells his signature breads and charcuterie. 171 East Liberty St., 416-603-2777.

Diaz Contemporary This gallery shows disarming, eccentric work by contemporary artists. 100 Niagara St., 416-361-2972.

Niagara Street Café A charming bistro that offers a seasonal meat-focused menu ideal for nose-to-tail eaters. 169 Niagara St., 416-703-4222.

Old York Bar and Grill This neighbourhood joint attracts locals with a roster of homegrown folk, reggae, bluegrass and rock musicians. 167 Niagara St., 416-703-9675.

Ydessa Hendeles Art Foundation The doyenne of Canada’s contemporary art world has periodic shows that spotlight her astonishing collection of photography, sculpture and found art. 778 King St. W., 416-413-9400.

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