A Live/Work Brownstone On The Danforth

If your property search matrix includes a calibre location to serve you personally and professionally, paired with an equally top-notch dwelling renovated to a high spec and at a fair price, the opportunities are quite rare to market in Toronto. Luckily, we’ve just found a match:

Welcome to 1483 Danforth Avenue!

Properties along the Danforth – particularly between Pape Avenue and Woodbine Avenue – offer the convenience of proximity to transportation, shopping, green space, and great schools. It’s a precious pocket that boasts fair value for the dollar and a sense of community pride that’s almost palpable. Neighbourhoods all have their life cycles – just like people – and, today, the blossoming of a new generation of families is giving The Danforth a resurgence of vivacious variety. As entrepreneurs open shop and Starbucks take root (just steps away), this location is fast emerging as a destination with all of life’s necessary amenities within arm’s reach. Currently, the residents are mixed; seniors comprise some of the original residents, but – over the past 15 years –  young professionals have been drawn here by the affordability and easy access to downtown (here’s one of my most popular posts called Why Toronto’s East Side Real Estate Has Historically Been Cheaper).

The housing stock in this part of the city –  a mix of two-storey brick detached and semi-detached dwellings constructed between the 1920s and 1940s – was originally built for the burgeoning working classes when Toronto was a magnet for immigration between the two World Wars. The housing stock is modest but solidly constructed, and often well-kept and maintained. It’s a neighbourhood well-suited to family life, in large part due to the abundance of parks and community activities in the area.

The area boasts a wide range of flavourful shopping along the Danforth, including unique boutiques and speciality retailers that are mixed in with conveniently located box stores like the Sobeys and Shopper’s Drug Mart; you don’t have to go far to get any essentials you need in a pinch! There are numerous bakers, butchers and fruit markets, conveniently located throughout the community, as well as stellar restaurants. The Danforth may have once been the ‘go-to’ area for Greek food, but today it offers a wide range of other cuisines, sure to please the whole family! Some of our nearby favs include nostalgic home cooking at Bus Terminal Diner, French pastry perfection at Patisserie La Cigogne, unbeatable apps and cocktails at The Wren, and Red Rocket for a good cup of java. And of course, we’ll never turn down Allens’ succulent fare, or the healthy organic offerings of Carrot Common! Yum!!

This ‘hood also serves the active person very well. You can work out your body out at Tidal Crossfit right down the street, and then treat it at Hand & Stone Massage and Facials a few doors over! (And if you like to treat your pet too, Family-Run Wag On The Danforth will be your one-stop pet shop!) There’s plenty of green space in the area to exercise or enjoy, including Robertson Parkette just a hop, skip and a jump away, and gracious East Lynn Park at Woodbine. But the real gem of this neighbourhood is idyllic Monarch Park, just a couple blocks west! Whether you walk, run, play, or picnic, having a sprawling park like this one just steps from your front door is what we realtors call “priceless”. Beyond the glorious greenery, Monarch Park offers an off-leash dog area, an outdoor pool, a wading pool, and a children’s playground! How sweet is that?

Have kids? This residence is just a few blocks from two reputable high schools: Monarch Park Collegiate and St.Patrick Catholic Secondary. A bit further east is Earl Haig, which services JK to Grade 8. If you’re looking for French immersion, Georges-Etienne-Cartier French Catholic is right nearby. Just north of the Danforth, there’s Earl Beatty Junior & Senior Public Schools, and St. Brigitte Catholic School. There are also specialized education centres within a short walk, like Kumon Math & Reading Centre!

1483 Danforth Avenue, boasting up to FOUR car parking at the rear, is zoned as both residential and commercial, and was most recently used as a physician’s office before its transformation in 2014. It can suit a multitude of purposes, including an easy reversion of the main floor into a dedicated work space, while the upper level could be converted into a self-contained suite (the middle bedroom, currently used as an art studio, has a sink, so converting this into a kitchen is possible). As a result – for those who have a specific requirement – the property offers a unique opportunity for customization. Fronting directly on Danforth Avenue, this is a property any business owner would love to have, especially being able to conveniently reside on the second floor! Talk about flexibility! (Note: The $3,608 property tax bill for 2017 reflects a residential tax variance.)

Detached but abutting its neighbours, this two-storey dynamic property underwent a significant renovation with permits in 2014, transforming it into a 3bed residence. In its current residential configuration, one enters from Danforth Avenue into an open plan Kitchen/Diner. Awash in light from north-facing windows, this is the perfect space to gather family and friends for a communal meal or an intimate meeting. The stylish kitchen is well-proportioned and efficient, boasting stainless steel appliances (including a stunning gas range and vent hood), stone flooring, and stone countertops. From the recessed lighting and chrome fixtures to the dual-toned cabinetry, this space is chic and contemporary – the attention to detail is sublime.

We particularly like the separation between the convivial kitchen/diner and the private lounge area at the rear. An art gallery hallway with stone floors takes you past a convenient powder room/storage area and opens into an expansive sun-drenched living room. Boasting generous windows on two walls, this entertainment space has wood floors, excellent proportions, a coat closet and a walk-out to the rear deck, shed, and laneway parking for up to 4 cars! This tranquil respite is the ideal place to unwind after a long day!

Upstairs, the light-filled Master bedroom with wood floors features a large double closet able to store all your seasonal wear! Steps away, the sparkling 5-piece family washroom is an oasis of rest and relaxation, featuring a modern glassed-in shower, large soaker tub and a vanity with two sinks! We love the wealth of white marble! Completing the floor are two more bedrooms, each with its own double, and a full-size stacking washer/dryer. Currently the middle bedroom – outfitted with a small sink – is used as an artist studio! And the back bedroom boasts a bonus – a walk-out to a sun-drenched balcony! In fact, the former fire stairs located behind the shed could be reconnected to this perch, to create additional access. How amazing is that?

This special property has been upgraded with loving care. The comprehensive list of 2014 improvements encompasses all new buildings components, fixtures, and fittings – completed with permits – including plumbing and sewage drainage, 100amp wiring, heating/cooling systems, doors plus mostly new windows, spray foam insulation in most walls and the ceiling, a roughed-in central vac system, a rear deck/shed, and even a new roof after 6 layers were removed. The entire property is also hard wired for an alarm system, internet, and cable.

**For those who are purchasing for the long-term, or have an eye towards future development potential, this commercial/residential zoned property is located in an area with a 14-metre height limit. Neighbouring buildings have expanded up and out, and any prospective purchaser should complete their own due diligence to confirm they can realize their own vision for the site**

Offering enormous versatility, this dwelling is well-suited to the discriminating buyer who covets classic contemporary with a touch of cool, but also values having life-improving amenities just steps away! If you’re a lover of the urban spirit and pedestrian lifestyle, it doesn’t get any closer to the action than this!

Have Questions? Want to learn more, or book a private viewing? Contact Steve@urbaneer.com!

Are you familiar with this neighbourhood? Check out our Danforth Neighbourhood Page, including flavour videos, the city census data on the areas, plus several past blogs on area amenities! Or view our other Neighbourhood Pages! We love Toronto’s diversity!