In the early 1800s, mid-town Toronto, now known as Yonge and St. Clair, was known as the Third Concession, and was nothing more than dense forest filled with deer and other wildlife. Today, this area is a major thoroughfare through the city of Toronto.
By the middle 1830s, the settlers had cleared the land, set up market gardens, had sawmills, water-powered grist mills, a feed store, and a whiskey distillery that sold their special brew to inns all along Yonge Street. By 1890, the Metropolitan Railway had electric streetcars while the side streets were developed with sidewalks. Small family homes were now scattered among the large estates and new churches, schools, shops, and residences were being added. The Third Concession had become St. Clair Avenue. As time continued, Yonge and St. Clair developed its residential neighbourhood until 1954. It was then the Yonge Street subway arrived which brought with it new construction of the Mutual Life and Imperial Oil buildings among the first office towers.
Today, those same office buildings have become highly valued real estate as exclusive condos. As an example, the former Mutual Life structure has reopened and is now a luxury condo with dual penthouses valued at $3.5 million each and known as One 12 St. Clair.
In this same general area, but not immediately on St. Clair Avenue, homes vary in price, size, and style. The higher priced residences can be found with the distinguished brick homes on Oriole Parkway and Chaplin. Older townhouses are more plentiful on Walker and Alcom Avenues while the more inexpensive two-storey brick homes, yet still on the higher end, are found on Lawton Boulevard and Hillside Avenue West.
All in all, the real estate in the Yonge and St. Clair area is one of the most diversified and well-rounded neighbourhoods of Toronto. This narrow mid-town strip is most desirable for working, entertaining, and living, and the trend shows no evidence of changing.
Forest Hill
The Forest Hill neighborhood was first known as Spadina Heights, taking its name from the word for “hill”; Ishapadenah. It became an incorporated village in 1923 and was named after John Wickson’s summer residence which was built in 1860, located where Eglinton Ave. and Old Forest Hill Rd. met. By 1967, it was annexed by Toronto as one of the last two independent villages.
Currently, it’s divided into Forest Hill North and South, or Upper and Lower. Forest South spans south from Tichester Rd. to Eglinton Ave., western Bathurst St. to northeastern Elmsthorpe Rd., and to the east at Oriole Parkway and Avenue Rd. North of Lonsdale Road there is an extension between Spadina Rd. and Bathurst St.
Eglinton Ave. West to Briar Hill Ave. South, and from Latimer Ave. in the eastern area to Fairleigh Crescent and Allen Rd. in the southwest and northwest combine to make up Forest Hill North.
The quiet winding roads, magnificent shade trees, soft hills, and the many small parks all blend together to enhance the stately Forest Hill homes in this prestigious neighborhood. Architecturally speaking, the style is individual and ranges from the French provincial terra cotta tiles, to Tudor boarding homes, to English or Georgian country manors. Immaculate lawns and amazing landscaping is in keeping with this vicinity.
The real estate in Forest Hill is highly sought after, partially due to its easy downtown access, high-end shopping, outstanding local schools, and nearness to the paved 14.5 kilometer Belt Line fitness/nature trail. Evidence that Forest Hill real estate is in high demand are the many extensive renovation projects being experienced in the area.
Listed below you will find more detailed information about the individual Condo & Loft buildings in the Midtown Toronto District, including the wide variety of amenities offered:
For more Condo & Loft Information
For more Listings in the Midtown Toronto Area
<<Back to Neighbourhoods At A Glance
