Ah, King Street West! Formerly an industrial district, this neighbourhood has since experienced staggering urban development from the early 2000s onward. Today, it’s an area where boutique condos, stylish ad or marketing agencies and Toronto’s Fashion District meet a veritable mass of en vogue restaurants, buzzworthy bars and all-the-rage clubs. This is where much of the city comes to play, especially after dark. It’s also where I have the privilege of working from most days, since my brokerage is headquartered right in its heart. Which means I’ve seen it all along this strip, whether getting into the office early during those tranquil King Street West mornings… or heading home upon completing a late deal and after it’s transformed into an intoxicating (quite literally) nightlife nexus.

The Real Estate Scoop


As I mentioned earlier, King Street West is ground zero for some of the nicest boutique condominium complexes in all of Toronto. And this remains an ongoing development, no pun intended. That’s because in addition to helping kick off Toronto’s condo boom with a dizzying array of vertical living availability, King Street West is arguably still leading said condo boom. Thank the Mirvish + Gehry, King Blue, Nobu and Kingsly pre-construction projects for that, in addition to several more. Although it’s not just one big glass jungle, I assure you! King Street West has actually got some beautifully renovated heritage homes. These can be found along both Portland and Draper. And to be certain — with Orde Street Junior Public School, Ogden Junior Public School, Niagara Street Junior Public School, Queen Victoria Junior Public School and Ryerson Community School all in the applicable boundaries — King Street West certainly runs the gamut in quality schooling options.

The Neighbourhood


Where does one begin? I already hinted at the restaurants, bars and clubs — which themselves encompass everything from the the most current global cuisine and tantalizing tastes, to boisterous pubs and chilled out speakeasies, to in-demand underground clubs and hip electronica havens, respectively. Or if you favour a swanky rooftop pool scene, it’s absolutely got that — go visit Thompson Hotel and Lavelle!

Then again, should you instead desire to trade that kind of lifestyle up for a bit of arts and culture, the TIFF Bell Lightbox — and Toronto International Film Festival as a whole — has called King West home since 2010. Plus, the street boasts leading art exhibition rooms like the Nicholas Metivier Gallery and Christian Gallery. Trust me, whatever you fancy, you won’t be spoiled for choice.


The Neighbourhood in Photos (photo by Karyn)