Avenue Road Oldies

[Andrew3D]

Some of the old apartment buildings on Avenue Road North of Dupont.

And another pic I wanted to post from today but didn't want to start a new thread for.

 

[Spoonman]

Gorgeous. Avenue Road is among the more architecturally inviting routes up to the 401 from downtown (I drive by often on my way to Guelph). Anyone know the history behind this unusually large concentration of pre-war apartment complexes on Avenue?

Also, don't you mean "north" of Dupont?

 

[Andrew3D]

Fixed it thanks.

 

[Chuck]

In the early 1900s, it was actually wealthy professionals that lived in apartment buildings. Another good spot to look for apartment buildings of this type is just south of College, west of Beverley.

When I was looking for an apartment in the area, I saw two units in these buildings.

This one:

had a working fire place in each apartment, hardwood floors, decent upgrades, and a large walk in closet. The apartment I saw had one of the bay windows you see above. The party room would not have looked out of place in the Royal York Hotel. The person who showed it to me did not know the rent.

This one:

had a two year waiting list, and 1 bedrooms started at $2500 per month.

 

[RJR123]

The buildings are really nice, however the bright blue awnings that many of them sport are so ugly and ruin the look. Why not tasteful black awnings with white lettering.

 

[flar]

Those are nice buildings.

 

[Long Island Mike]

Avenue Road-it almost looks like a NYC locale!

A3D: Good AR apartment building pics! These look like 20s or 30s era buildings that look nice from the outside and are good places to live. It has a Manhattan-or certain areas of Brooklyn-feel to it. Not bad! LI MIKE

 

[ganjavih]

Very Montreal-like.

 

[allabootmatt]

Thanks---nice shots of a pleasant part of town. In addition to some rather handsome apartment buildings that area has a number of streets lined with what I would argue are some of the nicest stretches of single-family homes (some detached, others not) on the continent if not the planet--I'm thinking Macpherson, Roxborough, Alcorn, Walker, Balmoral, Rathnelly and so on. I know we're all supposed to believe the gospel that Toronto's ugly, and indeed in some of its major streets it certainly is, but it has some side-street residential that's gobsmackingly gorgeous.

 

[Conrad Black]

I wonder why more strips like this didn't develop?

 

[allabootmatt]

While the city certainly isn't covered in them there *are* a number of examples of similar areas...a big stretch of Bathurst, Eglinton from about Spadina to Bathurst, Forest Hill Vill etc. And probably more I don't know about. I wish there were more...especially more of the sort of 4-5 story apartment buildings you see on Lonsdale by Spadina, or Bathurst around Claxton. They're wonderful, almost like something out of Sim City.

 

[Chuck]

I think that if I ever accumulate enough wealth to own a detached house downtown, the street that I would choose is Roxborough. The homes are spectacular, they actually have front lawns, and you are right on Yonge St.

 

[allabootmatt]

Similarly, if I ever accumulate enough wealth to go into the demolition business, my first project will be getting rid of the awful strip mall at the corner of Rox and Yonge.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

I think that if I ever accumulate enough wealth to own a detached house downtown, the street that I would choose is Roxborough. The homes are spectacular, they actually have front lawns, and you are right on Yonge St.

I'd go a block north to Chestnut Park...it might be the most attractive street in the whole city. I'd have to win the lottery first, though.

 

[Redroom Studios]

to the east, Bayview Village (south of Eglinton) is another area that has this sort of mix of early 20th century apartments and large detached homes. Some great remnants around the old City of Toronto borders...