King West Village is attaining high-class status in leaps and bounds. New investments are pouring into this formerly strictly working class area that once housed mainly factories and warehouses.

Today’s King Street West is home to Victoria and Georgian-style townhomes, spectacular lofts and condominiums and a nice mix of bohemian and mainstream retailers.

Among the recent projects to join the village is a 150,000 square-foot office development west of Spadina Ave., which will boast up to 12 floors of offices, street-level retail and on-site parking. A luxury condo development is also going up one block south with units starting at an unprecedented $1.5 million.

The office building concept was born when Allied Properties purchased a two-storey brock-and-beam structure at 544 King St. W., which was originally constructed in 1944. When an adjacent property on Morrison St. went on the market, new possibilities opened up in constructing a more grandiose building. With a nod to preserving some of the historic sensibility of the neighbourhood, developers plan to reuse beams, connectors and some of the brick from the old buildings in the new one.

Construction is expected to cost $40 million and be completed in late 2009.

Tired of the frenetic pace of downtown but not ready for the homogenization of the suburbs? Yonge and Eglinton is the answer for many professionals and young families looking for a city within the city.

The intersection itself is always a hub of activity with a movie theatre, dining and shopping options, a bustling subway, bus terminal and several commercial and residential towers. Whether it’s a weekday, weekend or evening, the broad sidewalks are always abuzz with locals and out-of-area shoppers eager to participate in the indoor and outdoor experience the area takes pride in. From funky clothing boutiques carrying designer labels to specialty food shops to home décor and sporting goods, the shopping doesn’t get any better.

Also known as “Young and Eligible”, Yonge and Eglinton lives up to its nickname. From fast-food to five-star restaurants, date night is always covered at this address. You’ll trip over equally mouth-watering dining options in every direction, including casual outdoor patios and sidewalk cafes. A number of pubs, night clubs and dinner theatres also cater to a range of ages and tastes.

But saunter east or west and you’ll see a more natural side of the neighbourhood. Tree-lined streets showcase immaculately-kept older homes and the solid architecture of newer condominium buildings. And don’t forget the spectacular parks. The largest sports-field park in the city is here, along with multiple spots for tennis and tons of nature trails for joggers, hikers and bikers. With access to the beautiful Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Belt Line Trail, Sherwood Park and the Blythwood Ravine Park, you can easily escape the sounds of the city while still remaining in easy reach of your urban address.

Quantum – Minto Midtown
Award-winning developer Minto has designed another masterpiece customized for the Yonge and Eglinton neighbourhood. Comprised of two towers, this development offers all of the must-haves and dozens of luxurious extras.

The North Tower will preside over the neighbourhood at 54 storeys while the South Tower will stand 39-storeys tall. With more than 730 suites available in all, this is one of the largest condominium complexes in midtown.

Just steps from Yonge and Eglinton, all manner of stores and shops will be at your disposal, but Minto is making sure you have almost everything you need at home: world-class exercise facilities, a sauna and pool, billiards rooms, entertainment rooms with a private bar and furnished guest suites. A spectacular third-floor terrace with lounge seating and BBQs offer another dimension for relaxing and entertaining and a private dining room and business centre ensures you have all the room in the world.

Located in the heart of midtown, this prestigious address ensures you’re minutes from downtown via subway or car and only 10 minutes from the 401 or the Allen Expressway.

Bloor West Village is a quintessential old Toronto neighbourhood. Quiet residential streets are populated with conscientious artist types who have outgrown the bohemian lifestyle or bypassed it altogether in favour of growing a family. Strollers and dogs may threaten to outnumber the people but this neighbourhood is anything but suburban. The cool factor still exists in the historic architecture of the large, well-tended houses, the hum of the streets and the citified culture of its residents.

But it’s the shopping district that puts the “village” in Bloor West Village. More than 400 retail outlets include greengrocers, butchers, delis and bakeries interspersed with interesting boutiques, bookstores, pubs, cafes and restaurants. The village’s European roots are felt in the quality of the wares: some say the city’s finest cuts of meat, best selection of pastries and superior deals on fresh flowers are found here. Shops offer unique, higher-end merchandise not found at the mall. Weekends bring a festival-like vibe to the area, with sidewalks crammed with pedestrians strolling leisurely, running errands or catching up with friends.

In deference to its chief residents, the schools are reputed to be some of the best in the city. And High Park – Toronto’s biggest and best known park – is downright legendary. With 398 acres of parkland, a small zoo, historic Colborne Lodge and Grenadier Pond, regulars are routinely joined by visitors across the city looking for green space in which to revel.

The village’s Eastern European heritage is showcased at the wildly popular annual summer Ukranian Festival when Bloor St. is shut down for musicians, vendors, crafts and art shows. The constant thrum of activity coupled with a rich heritage means that this family-friendly neighbourhood is never a dull place to be.

Bloor West Village Lofts
Though houses typically rule the village, a new mid-rise condominium will join the neighbourhood this summer. Located at 592 Annette St. between Runnymede Rd. and Windermere Ave., this five-story brick building will feature 25 suites starting at 700 square feet. Amenities such as bicycle storage will be a must to cater to the residents who will no doubt want to take advantage of the small-town feel of the area.

Other transportation options include the TTC; residents can hop on at Jane, Runnymede or Old Mill subway stations. For drivers, all major highways are less than 10 km away.

The sprawling metropolis of Toronto can be dissected into many, many neighbourhoods. Each characterized by its own unique personality and identity.

Want to move to one of them?

Make sure you do your research first before moving to avoid making a costly and time consuming mistake.

A few things you may want to look at before taking the leap include safety, transit access, local amenities, and community concerns. While it would be nice to list the specifics for each here, they really depend on your own tastes and preferences. For example, a “safe” neighbourhood for some may mean a police or fire station situated in the neighbourhood. For others, it could just mean an absence of drug dealers and prostitiution. For local amenities, a priority may be a nearby park to exercise the dog, while others would require a nearby gym to exercise themselves.

So create a checklist with these categories, but include what you believe will make a neighbourhood attractive. It may sound like extra work to write everything out, but it will help. A checklist will keep you grounded. There have been many instances where a buyer decided on purchasing a condo because the condo itself was great but neglected to consider the neighbourhood in which it was situated. Unfortunately, we can’t just lock ourselves up in our home - we need to go out to buy food, work, see people, etc. so it’s impossible to avoid the neighbourhood.

Upon entering the Distillery District, you will be forgiven for scanning the sky for telltale signs that you’re still in the city. It’s that easy to forget.

With brick-lined, pedestrian-only streets and piazza styled areas, old-world charm oozes from every crevice. But don’t worry, despite its status as Toronto’s only historic neighbourhood, you won’t feel like you’re in the middle of a history re-enactment. The strains of jazz wafting from a café’s open door and a piece of modern art hanging in a nearby gallery will let you know you’ve got your feet planted firmly in 2008.

What you won’t find in the Distillery District is a chain restaurant or a franchise anything. Originality and authenticity rule here, from hip restaurants to eclectic boutiques to theatre and dance companies, even a bona fide chocolate factory.

But this downtown enclave is more than arts and entertainment. For many, it’s a haven for home and work. The upper floors of a number of buildings have been leased to artists as studio spaces and office tenants with creative pursuits. Several condo and loft developments encircle the central hive of activity, many of which have breathtaking views of the city, yet offer respite from the fast-paced hustle the downtown core embodies.

The Distillery District’s is situated on 13 acres that were once home to Gooderham and Worts, the largest distillery in the world. Though much of the district – and its residents – are as modern as it gets, they live among North America’s largest and best-preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture.

Clear Spirit
One of the newest condo developments in the district is Clear Spirit, a 40-storey glass point highrise that is both elegant and contemporary. Like the Distillery District itself, Clear Spirit gets the details right. With only high-quality fixtures and finishings, such as granite countertops, engineered wood flooring, floor-to-ceiling glass panels and luxurious bathroom tiling, luxury is built in. Wrap-around terraces and balconies are standard, offering an endless connection with the outdoors by sun and moonlight.

Reflective water pools will make the transition from the Distillery District courtyard to the lobby entrance and, blurring the lines between the outdoors and in, will be professionally landscaped grounds, a rooftop garden and sunset terrace with outdoor bar and fireplace. Media/screening rooms and well-equipped exercise facilities, including indoor and outdoor yoga and pilates studios, ensure residents have choice and luxury.

For the ultimate urban dwelling experience, King West Village is the place to be. It’s the up and coming vibrant neighbourhood populated with funky shops, trendy restaurants and the all-important artist studios offering real urban credibility. Over time, the area has transformed itself from a manufacturing wasteland to become the destination for Torontonians who want to live to a more bohemian beat.
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In an effort to revitalize the city’s busiest transport hub, Union Station is getting a $388 million facelift.

The mayor and his crew have planned an underground shopping mall of a massive 12,500 square metres, architectural upgrades and transportation improvements.

While many think any facelift for decaying Union Station is a great idea, the shopping mall idea leaves most skeptical. To be located at basement level, the mall will require costly excavation to accommodate its size and feature claustrophobic low ceilings. Will this actually be somewhere people would want to go and spend their hard earned money? With the increased number of condo developments in the area, and the increasing number of people calling the neighbourhood home, I hope developers plan to include anchor stores like grocers and drugstores. Or, will it end up like another one of those shopping arcades that just serve workers on Bay Street, and only stays open from Monday to Friday, 9-5?

The renovations and expansion have not been fully approved, yet. If it does, the project will take up to 7 years to complete.