The Lowdown on Wallace Emerson

Your Typical Neighbour

Heavily European neighbourhood with some East Asian presence. Wide socio-economic demographic, increasingly including young families attracted by the lower-priced modest homes. Maybe a house under renovation, recently bought by flippers or handy end users.

What We

The changes that allude to the second coming of Queen West are really giving character to this neighbourhood. And it’s only going to get better as it matures. Plus proximity to the subway is a huge bonus.

What We Don't

There are still some gritty pockets to drive through coming and going that may make Mom and Dad question what you were thinking when you bought here.

Property Statistics in Wallace Emerson

Source: TREB Statistics

Wallace Emerson is still a neighbourhood where a healthy chunk of the residential stock is made up of homes that have been divided into rental apartments. Today, many of these are being--or are potential opportunities to be--re-converted back to single-family houses, with a little creativity and side of sweat. People are already betting heavily on the neighbourhood’s future: take a quick drive around and you’ll see municipal notices everywhere advising of development proposals, or construction underway where they once were posted. Old factories are giving way to newer loft condo builds or conversions, while flippers and renovators are hard at work doing the same to houses. Gradually, fewer and fewer streets house the lingering combination of homes needing attention.

The blue-collar industry that existed here when the residential boom first began in the late 1800s resulted in a mix of detached and semi-detached houses that are quite modest in size compared to adjacent neighbourhoods. Made largely of narrow brick houses on narrow lots lining narrow streets, with an extensive network of laneways behind for parking access.

The northern end of this area continues to see some warehouse and light auto business lingering in the area, while single-family row houses live alongside low-income rental space. As demand for housing in the core spreads North and West, this neighbourhood is likely to continue to deliver growth to those considering it now, especially considering the central location bordered to the south by the Bloor subway line.

Area: 4km

Population: 34,635

Demographics

Kids: 13%

Youth: 13%

Seniors: 12%

Visible Minority: 37.1%

Average Family Income: $60,650

Education

Lower Education: 37.5%

Higher Education: 61%

Home Ownership

Owned Homes: 53%

Tenanted Homes: 47%

The growing family dynamic here is evidenced in the number of schools both separate and public that are all easily walkable in the area.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

St. Rita Catholic School
St. Luigi Catholic School
St. Sebastian Catholic School
Pauline Junior Public School
Perth Avenue Public School

By definition of its borders, this is a relatively small neighbourhood where public transit is walkable from virtually everywhere. Dufferin is the route of choice for drivers wanting to get north or south, and Dupont and Davenport are your choice routes heading further into the core or west to the Junction.

About Wallace Emerson

Touted as the “Next West Queen West” Wallace Emerson is a neighbourhood that has evolved–and continues to evolve–from working-class roots to expensive tastes. It’s a formerly low-income neighbourhood with traditionally Portuguese, Italian, and Korean, influences. In recent years it has become home to more avant-garde establishments and an influx of first time home buyers who have supercharged the demand for real estate in the area by investing in modern upgrades and artistic, eye-catching finishes that make many homes in the Wallace Emerson neighbourhood stand out places for anyone to live.

Streets in the Wallace Emerson area are generally narrower than other areas of the city. The plethora of laneways offer quiet–or busy–passage from one ‘neck of these woods’ to the next – depending on which one you choose. A reflection of the area’s mixed-use landscape, Wallace Emerson combines grit with quiet, arty, glamour. Homes that look traditional on the outside are often filled with sleek new minimalist kitchen renovations, wide hardwood flooring, electric fireplaces and quirky finishes unique to the owner’s individual tastes. Local condos and loft conversions also mix old-with-new and offer a variety of options for people looking for funky alternatives.

The Wallace Emerson Community centre on Dufferin, South of Dupont (slated for redevelopment and expansion), provides an ideal outlet for the neighbourhood. Swimming facilities, gym, and games rooms are available for use year-round. Outside tennis courts and ice rinks are attractions for local families and house leagues. The pride of the community can be seen in its embrace of this centre and the locals who cherish it.

The overall vibe of Wallace Emerson is casual, artistic, culturally-rich, and hip. It is a neighbourhood that excels at the art of variety. Tattoo parlours, daycares, wig shops, greasy spoons, upscale pubs, and local specialty shops coexist in harmony. Busy Bloor street sits comfortably beside quiet parkettes and unassuming residential side streets. Gone are the days when the area was considered a ‘diamond in the rough’, but there are still ‘hidden gems’ to be found within this diverse and unique area of Toronto real estate.

 

Note that Wallace Emerson falls within the Toronto Real Estate Board’s larger neighbourhood of “Dovercourt-Wallace Emerson-Junction.”


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