For years the scruffy area around Bloor and Landsdowne has been an affordable outpost for artists and students, but these days young first-time homeowners are moving into the tree-lined sidestreets and fixing up the slender Victorian semis.
A similar refurbishment is taking place on the Bloor retail strip, where art galleries, vintage clothing shops and cafes are moving into the spaces vacated by hardware and used-appliance stores.
An improving status often calls for a new name and recently the area has become known as Bloordale, though some of the locals just call it Blandsdowne.
Thinking of joining the migration? Here’s how Bloordale rates on some key measures:
It gets high marks for...
A sense of community: Rose Guarnieri and Anthony Menna were planning their wedding when they decided to invest the money in overhauling a grubby old diner at Bloor and Lansdowne instead. The couple wanted to provide the casual boite they’ve longed for the whole 10 years they’ve been there, Ms. Guarnieri says.
Now she crafts cappuccinos and iced Americanos at the front of the Bloordale Cafe while Mr. Menna is the man in the kitchen. The slender space has become a hang-out for artists, curators and the Sunday brunch crowd.
The couple’s fellow pioneers have opened the Ping Pong vintage shop, Holy Oak cafe and Toronto Free Gallery in the midst of the long-established Mercer Union artists’ co-operative, Economy Fruit and Salvation Army Thrift Shop.
Transportation: The Bloor subway line zips commuters straight to Yonge & Bloor. There are also streetcars on College and buses on Landsdowne. Wesley Rickert, proprietor of the Toronto Free, opened the interdisciplinary art space in a former hardware store partly because of its proximity to the subway. Now a broader public is discovering the events Mr. Rickert holds for rising artists.
Green lifestyle: Dufferin Grove Park provides 14 acres of green space, an organic farmer’s market on Thursday afternoons and skating in winter. Cyclists have an easy cruise on bike lanes along College St.
There’s room for improvement in...
Neighbourhood security: The area’s back alleys and twisting laneways provide good cover for the nefarious activities of drug addicts and prostitutes, which is one reason why this area has been known for a high crime rate in the past. But the young families moving onto the side streets have little tolerance for finding syringes in their parking spots. Ms. Guarnieri at the Bloordale Pantry has had drunks, drug dealers and addicts hauled off her doorstep. “When we first opened up I called the police twice a week at least,” says Ms. Guarnieri, who held firm even after the ruffians hinted at throwing a brick through her window.
But she adds that all of that sketchy activity is being pushed out.
“There are definitely a lot more children playing in the streets,” says Ms. Guarnieri. “You get landlords that actually care because they live in the neighbourhood.”
Schools: Homeowners aren’t moving to the neighbourhood years before their kids reach kindergarten just so they can be positioned for the highest-ranked school. But there are plenty within a short walk, including Brock St. Public School, Bloor Collegiate Institute, Shirley St. Junior School, Pauline Johnson Junior Public School and Kent Senior Public School.
Nightlife: The bar scene is, let’s say, nascent. But it’s not too far to stumble home from livelier scenes on College, Dundas and Ossington.
Harbingers of Change
Three Speed is another cool bar from the owners of the Communist’s Daughter, who were way ahead of the curve when they opened at Dundas West and Ossington. This time they’ve taken over a former Vietnamese karaoke bar - the throngs have followed.
The Holy Oak Cafe is the place for artfully-crafted lattes. Holy Oak has also just started serving locavores their Tuesday night dinners with a prix fixe menu that offers organic, seasonal fare for vegetarians and carnivores.
New homeowners browse Ping Pong and HAUS for a panoply of finds, such as mid-century furniture and vintage glass. Vintage Depot has an amazing array of clothes, all organized by colour.
Market values:
First-time buyers can pick up a loft or condo around the $299,000 mark while a nicely-updated semi-detached on one of the side streets can be found for less than $600,000. Detached houses are harder to find and can sell for more than $800,000.
