Live Bold & Beautiful At The Broadview Lofts In Riverside

Celebrating Riverside & Leslieville

The neighbourhoods known as Riverside & Leslieville – formally known as South Riverdale – were, from the early 1900s to the 1970s, home to predominantly working-class folks, many of whom were employed in the industrial Port Lands to the south, or at the many commercial/industrial properties lining Carlaw and Eastern Avenues near the railway lines. Spanning east of the Don Valley to Leslie Street, and from Eastern Avenue north to Gerrard Street, it has predominantly Victorian and Edwardian housing stock constructed between the 1880s and 1920s, as well as a number of infill dwellings ranging from townhomes to small apartment buildings that were constructed in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.

Home to many immigrants of different ethnicities spanning the years, beginning with English, Irish and Scottish immigrants in the early 1900s; Italian, Greek, and other European arrivals in the 1960s; the Chinese in the 1970s; and more recently people from the Philippines, China & India, its diverse multi-cultural community is evident by the wonderful array of retail and culinary businesses in the area. For a brief history of this area’s evolution, here’s one of our most popular posts called –> Why Toronto’s East Side Real Estate Has Historically Been Cheaper.

Like many of Toronto’s City of Neighbourhoods, this area began a new lifecycle in the mid-1990s when the City of Toronto proactively anticipated the shift to a post-industrial global economy focused on services, information, research & technology by rezoning large swaths of industrial lands in the central core to ‘Live/Work’ zoning. In place of the vacant parking lots and obsolete factories, over the past three decades, the central core of downtown Toronto has become a glittering collection of modern skyscrapers which serve as places of domesticity and employment for educated urban professionals – many of whom are first-generation Canadians. Coinciding with the downtown core’s transformation, most of the surrounding urban fabric comprised of Victorian and Edwardian housing stock has also undergone reinvention, appealing to progressive liberated pro-urban households. For more about this, here’s–> Realtor Steven Fudge Has A Nose For Leslieville, On Toronto’s East Side.

Another reason Riverside and Leslieville rejuvenated was the changes in the use of the industrial lands to the south, including the arrival of several large film studios, including Cinevillage and Showline Studios, and, in the Port Lands area, the massive new Pinewood Toronto Studios. Another inciting force in the evolution of this location was the popularity of adaptive reuse conversions in the 90s and 00s – where former factories across the original City of Toronto were transformed into new condominium housing. Such is the case with Broadview Avenue – where this listing is located – as well as Carlaw Avenue, which has seen a dramatic transition from a row of century factories to contemporary ‘homes for the hip’! Today the neighbourhood is unquestionably considered a desirable destination for busy professionals, artists and makers, and young families seeking great fantastic amenities with easy access to the downtown core.

Which Vibrant Engaging Neighbourhood Shall We Explore Today?

Surrounded by the fine purveyors of Riverside & Leslieville, the foodie destinations and farmer’s market in Corktown, the one-of-a-kind boutiques of the historic Distillery District, the recreation and respite of the Don River & Cherry Beach, and the imminent reinvention of East Harbour which will include new Ontario Line and GoTrain transit stops, this location is everything.

A host of special and spectacular destinations are available to serve you and yours as you stroll up Broadview Avenue. Just one block north is Queen Street East with its collection of shops, cafes, and everyday amenities like an LCBO and a Shopper’s Drug Mart. Continue to Gerrard East you’ll find the fresh produce of East Chinatown dots the street in full support of a pedestrian lifestyle, where there is colour and conversation on every corner! Strolling northward, past picturesque Riverdale Park is The Danforth, where pubs, cafes, and specialty stores abound! Pressed for time? Hop on the 504B King streetcar that will take you from Queen Street past 8 stops to the Broadview Subway Station in 6 minutes.

Riverside is home to multiple amazing culinary destinations representing diverse ethnic foods that reflect Toronto’s genuine diversity. We love savouring every breakfast bite at Bonjour Brioche on Queen Street East or enjoying perfectly cooked eggs at Lady Marmalade on Broadview. White Lily Diner just around the corner on Queen is also a top-notch choice for brunch!! If we need to grab bread or desserts, it’s from one of the two best bakeries in the neighbourhood: Blackbird or St. John’s Bakery! Always on the lookout for the perfect pint? Try Eastside Brewing Co or Brickworks Ciderhouse!

Taking the family out for lunch? Dinner date? We love Wynona, Eastside Social, Frankie’s Italian Kitchen & Greta Solomon’s Dining Room. In the mood for some Middle Eastern deliciousness? We recommend the fine fare at Tabule! And when we need a java fix, Rooster Coffee on Broadview is our go-to, where a quaint patio offers panoramic views of downtown. But some of the best views can be enjoyed from the rooftop of the famous Broadview Hotel – one of our favourite Go-Tos for catching up with friends over drinks!

This loft is just west of Jimmie Simpson Park located on Queen East which has become a community hub for Leslievillers. This large 2.6-hectare park, features a ball diamond, sports fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, a wading pool, picnic areas, and a playground. It’s the perfect complement to an active lifestyle! The park is also home to the Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre, which offers a host of programming and recreational activities and facilities for all ages. It’s also just east of Underpass Park and Corktown Commons – an 18-acre park designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates and completed in 2013. A former industrial brownfield, it features a marsh, sprawling lawns, urban prairies, playground areas, a splash pad, and a variety of inviting features like a fireplace, permanent barbeque, large communal picnic tables, and washrooms.

Love to connect with the natural environment to decompress? This is the ideal location for nature, water, and fitness lovers; as this stellar property is just a short stroll, bike, or blade away from the sanctuary of Tommy Thompson Park on the Leslie Street Spit, the recreation of the Beach, and the winding bike paths to the Evergreen Brick Works. Plus this loft is situated near the significant sustainable transformational Don Mouth Naturalization & Port Lands Flood Protection Project! Imagine, this is a location with accessible cardio cleansing, contemplation, and daydreaming in every direction from your door!

Going somewhere? Getting around the City is easy peasy, with two streetcar lines taking you to Broadview Station or the downtown core (504 King & 505 Dundas) while the 501 Queen streetcar, at the top of the street, runs east and west. For those who commute by car, this property has speedy access to Front and Richmond Streets East, Lakeshore Boulevard, and the Don Valley Parkway north! And if you don’t have your own car, pick up a ZipCar just one block away at 111 Broadview Avenue (where there’s also a convenient BikeShare!) Hopping on a plane? If you’re flying on Porter from the Billy Bishop Island Airport grab an Uber for as little as $15! If you’re heading to Pearson to skip town on vacation, grab an Uber to Union Station for as little as $12 and take the UP Express – easy peasy!

Constructed in 1914, the imposing 5-storey U-shaped warehouse – with its unique rooftop water tower – has long served as a visual anchor to the original industrial fabric of this area. Serving as a pharmaceutical warehouse – in later years it was a location operated by the Rexall trade name. From 1920 through to 1943, L.K. Liggett Druggists ran a pharmacy and soda fountain on the ground floor of 68 Broadview.

In the 1990s the building contained live-work rental spaces catering to an eclectic range of creative types, including artists, musicians, actors, and designers. The interiors were painted white, with radiant heating, no air conditioning, and few operable windows. The original rickety old elevator with the gate was still in use. It didn’t fully meet the building code. It was Toronto’s own version of the quintessential New York artists lofts.

In 2006, the Sorbara Group redeveloped the building – artfully integrating a 5-storey ‘concrete ‘n cool’ loft extension on the southeast corner of the site & incorporating a 2-storey collection of industrial-styled penthouses on the top level resulting in a superb 153-unit adaptive reuse condominium conversion. Being U-shaped, the building has an East Wing Elevator and a West Wing Elevator to serve the residents. This loft is accessed by the West Wing Elevator.

The complex features a lush courtyard garden of mature trees, a pleasant accommodating 24-hour concierge, 23 surface visitor parking spaces on the south, west & north sides of the building, and a fantastic Party Room with panoramic city views, both from within the space and from its rooftop terrace (with gas barbecues) located under the historic water tower. It’s accessed from the East Wing Elevator.

Would you like to know more? Contact steve@urbaneer.com!