I’m Steve Fudge, and I sell real estate in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Welcome to my blog on housing, culture and design, where I explore all the facets of real estate, shelter and home. Today I’m sharing my thoughts about the benefits of living in a fantastic central city location.
The ideal lifestyle for me isn’t about living behind gilded gates removed from the masses, but about being in a perfect pad engaged in a dynamic neighbourhood that offers immediate access to all the must-haves an urbanite could want – including cafes, retailers, purveyors of extraordinary delights, leisure & culture hot spots, plus every mode of transportation to all points north, south, east and west. And I thought a great way to demonstrate this is by sharing what I like about a condominium we have listed for sale in Market Wharf II in the St Lawrence Market Neighbourhood – where you’re rarely wanting for anything.
One of the pillars of urban living is enjoying superior convenience and choice just beyond your front door. Depending on your daily wishes or needs, you should be able to stroll or roll easily to where they’ll be fulfilled! And when life requires you to head a little further afield, having quick and easy access to public transit is a must – so you can spend more time where you need to be, and less time getting there.
After all, isn’t that what downtown dwelling is all about?
There are numerous benefits to a pedestrian lifestyle, which I have written about several times, including in this post about The Real Financial, Emotional And Health Costs Of Commuting. Being able to walk or bike – as a means of transportation or simply for fresh air and exercise – contributes in no small way to mental and physical health. (It’s also good for the health of the planet!)
Walkable neighbourhoods are known to foster greater community, as well. It makes sense; instead of being cloistered behind the wheel of a car (individually, in gridlock), connected neighbourhoods allow you to spend more hours interacting and immersed in your community in real time.
One of the lessons that urban planners are taking to heart from the pandemic is the myriad of benefits for traffic flow, infrastructure, and public health when walkable and bike-friendly areas are the hub of your urban core. Programs like ActiveTO – a suite of programs that include Major Road Closures, Cycling Network Expansion, and Quiet Streets – demonstrate the City’s commitment to improving the health and well-being of Toronto residents by providing the space to be physically active.
Ultimate Urban Experience – Defined
I think that we can all agree that living in the ‘centre of it all’ is highly desirable. It’s one thing to discuss that experience in ideological terms, but how does one determine the potential ‘level’ of benefit at a given address?
Easy! You employ the metrics that have been created to reflect just that: walk scores, bike scores, and transit scores! I’ve written how these metrics are determined in this post: Walk Score: The Measure Of A Pedestrian-Friendly City.
With just a few quick taps on your phone, these scores can give you a broad sense of how connected a location is, and what the movements and patterns of daily life might look like for those who live there.
So what does it mean to reside at an address with nearly perfect Walk, Transit and Bike Scores? It means having a lot of choice and convenience at your fingertips- that is for sure!
Take the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood, for example. We have a listing in that community, in the Market Wharf II building at 1 Market Street. Imagine, for a moment, that you live there, where your home has a Walk Score of 99, a Transit Score of 100, and a Bike Score of 98. (It doesn’t get much better than that!!!)
What’s in store today? For one, you can enjoy the confidence of knowing that all your daily errands can be completed within a 5-minute walk! Shoppers Drug Mart is attached to the rear of the building, and the fresh food options of the Market are one block away! So, cross off those ‘To-Dos’ lickety-split!
Doctor appointment across the city? Meeting friends for dinner and dancing? Plentiful public transit options are nearby to get you there quickly and easily! From your St. Lawrence Market abode, you can hop on the Yonge-University Subway Line at Union Station by walking 10 minutes West. You can also grab the 503 Streetcar two blocks away at Church & Wellington. Or simply hop on the 75 Sherbourne bus or the 121 Esplanade bus at the top of the block!
Bike lanes beckoning? If you prefer to cycle to your date, it’s easy when you live at this address! You can commandeer one of 10 to 15 Bike Share cycles situated in the Green P covered parking area in the complex beside the lobby. And for those times when you need a little more storage space (that IKEA dresser isn’t going to fit on your handlebars!), there’s a Zipcar location in that same parking area!
Time to travel? When heading out of the city – whether it’s a few days at a cottage or a week-long adventure to a tropical destination – the last thing you want is to stress over departure times when laden with luggage. Luckily, you can Uber yourself and your suitcase to Billy Bishop Island Airport in just 9 minutes, or to the Union Station ticket line for Via Rail, the Go Train, or the Union Pearson Express in just 4 minutes!
Finally, if you have even a cursory familiarity with this ‘hood, you know that it has myriad pedestrian-friendly destinations; there are unique spots for shopping, dining, and entertainment peppering these historic streets, including the iconic St. Lawrence Market.
Next time you’re bored on a sunny Sunday afternoon, or you’re eyeing a long list of pragmatic errands to run here, there, and everywhere, take a moment and imagine how different your life might be living within a connected ‘hood and enjoying ultimate convenience!
Carpe Diem!
*Photos and vector illustrations by the digital artist ‘Viktoriia’.
You can create this lifestyle by living in the right place at the right time, and we have a fresh-to-market listing worthy of your consideration! Beyond being perched amid a central, supportive, & convenient ‘hood, this sunny 1bed, 1bath stylish unit with a west-facing balcony – NOW SOLD – is the type of unit guaranteed to fulfill a lot of your shelter wishes, wants and needs!
We called it: A Sunset Suite In Toronto’s Historic St. Lawrence Market!
Completed in 2013, Market Wharf II is a mixed-use development at 1 Market Street that rises 34 storeys and houses 357 units in the base and tower combined. Suite 1001 is one of their ‘Water Suites’ and boasts an intelligent space plan, superior attention to detail – and a panoramic view of the CN Tower!
Check out our SOLD listing: A Royal Suite At King’s Court Condominium, Steps To Toronto’s Beloved St. Lawrence Market!
Also, check out this pretty penthouse we SOLD last year in the St Lawrence neighbourhood: A Panoramic Penthouse Perch In The St Lawrence Neighbourhood!
Seeking space to spread out and truly enjoy downtown living? This crisp and contemporary suite could be just what you’re looking for! Penthouse 3 is situated at the south-west corner of 39 Sherbourne Street, occupying two-storeys on the 16th and 17th floors. Originally designed as a 2bed + den, 2bath suite, it was reconfigured with the builder – King Plus Development Group Corp – to become a spacious 1-bed, 1.5-bath urban oasis!
And this 1bed 1bath urban pad was perfect for the urban professional! We called it, Culture & Contemporary Living In St. Lawrence Market! Now Sold!
For those who love to live modern, this clean ‘n crisp urban residence is the perfect marriage of style and function! Well-situated in the Toronto’s coveted St. Lawrence Market – where Old Toronto charm meets elegant contemporary living!
Want to have someone on your side?
Since 1989, I’ve steered my career through a real estate market crash and burn; survived a slow, painful cross-country recession; completed an M.E.S. graduate degree from York University called ‘Planning Housing Environments’; executed the concept, sales & marketing of multiple new condo and vintage loft conversions; and guided hundreds of clients through the purchase and sale of hundreds of freehold and condominium dwellings across the original City of Toronto. From a gritty port industrial city into a glittering post-industrial global centre, I’ve navigated the ebbs and flows of a property market as a consistent Top Producer. And I remain as passionate about it today as when I started.
Please consider contacting me at 416-845-9905 or emailing me at Steve@urbaneer.com. It would be my pleasure to introduce our services personally.
We’d love to introduce our services to you.
Serving first and second-time Buyers, relocations, renovators, and those building their long-term property portfolios, our mandate is to help clients choose the property that will realize the highest future return on their investment while ensuring the property best serves their practical needs and their dream of “Home” during their ownership.
Are you considering selling? We welcome providing you with a comprehensive assessment free of charge, including determining your Buyer profile, ways to optimize your return on investment, and tailoring the listing process to suit your circumstances. Check out How Urbaneer Sold An East York Bungalow ‘Estate Sale’ For Redevelopment to learn more about our work!
Consider letting the Urbaneer Team guide you through your Buying or Selling process, without pressure or hassle.
The pleasure would be ours.
Thanks for reading!
-The Urbaneer Team
Steven Fudge, Sales Representative
& The Innovative Urbaneer Team
Bosley Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage – (416) 322-800
– we’re here to earn your trust, then your business –
Celebrating Thirty-Five Years As A Top-Producing Toronto Realtor
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*Love Canadian Housing? Check out Steve’s University Student Mentorship site called Canadian Real Estate, Housing & Home which focuses on architecture, landscape, design, products, and real estate in Canada!