Walkability: Yorkville - 100
By Lucas on Apr 24, 2014
Most residents of Toronto wouldn’t call Yorkville an up-and-coming neighbourhood; it’s been up for some time now. But by the looks of the amount of new residential development in the area, Yorkville hasn’t hit the ceiling yet.
Yorkville on WalkScore.com
When people think Yorkville, they think “fancy shopping on Bloor Street,” but the truth is, the area extends way further north than you may know. Yorkville is everything from Queens Park/Avenue Road across to Yonge Street, from Charles Street West, as far north as Pears Avenue/Ramsden Park.
This is the first Toronto neighbourhood in our series to receive a Walk Score of 100 on WalkScore.com. Of course, this means the area is a “Walker’s Paradise,” and the majority or your daily errands probably won’t require a car.
Like the other neighbourhoods we’ve featured this month, Yorkville has a Transit Score of 100, thanks to the Yonge-University-Spadina Subway line and the Bloor-Danforth line...basically Toronto’s only subway lines (aside from Sheppard).
The amenities of Yorkville
Did someone say fancy shopping on Bloor? Yes, the area is mostly known for its high-end fashion boutiques, but there’s so much more to the area than that (not that there’s anything wrong with wanting the latest Louis Vuitton handbag).
Back in the 1960s, Yorkville was Toronto’s bohemian culture centre. It’s where artists such as Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, and Margaret Atwood lived. The community's past clearly played an integral part in the development of Canada’s major artistic talent. When you walk the streets, there is still a touch of creativity in the air.
Of course, a trendy spot like this is exactly what developers are attracted to, so starting in the 1970s, hotels and offices were built, and eventually the condos came along. Now, the streets are lined with some of Toronto’s finest dining options, established art galleries, and as mentioned, the city’s most luxurious fashion shops.
New home developments in and around Yorkville
Who says Yorkville isn’t still growing? Just look at this lengthy list of new condos set to rise in the neighbourhood:
1 Yorkville - Bazis Inc. and Plaza - Preconstruction
133 Hazelton - Mizrahi Developments - Construction
143 Avenue Road - Dash Developments - Preconstruction
181 Davenport Condos - Mizrahi Developments - Construction
36Hazelton - Alterra and Zinc Construction - Construction
77 Charles West - Aspen Ridge Homes - Completed 2013
94Cumberland - Minto - Preconstruction
The Cumberland - Camrost-Felcorp - Preconstruction
135 Yorkville - Camrost-Felcorp - Preconstruction
Milan Condominiums - The Conservatory Group - Completed 2014
Number One Bloor - Great Gulf - Construction
Pears on the Avenue - Menkes - Construction
Yorkville Plaza - Camrost-Felcorp - Construction
There are 11 condo projects in the works in Yorkville, and about half of them are still in the preconstruction phase! We won’t be surprised if a few more projects get announced soon. It’s also worth noting that Camrost-Felcorp has multiple condo developments underway, so they are playing a strong role in the shaping of the neighbourhood.
