Calling this area the Riverside District is a slight bit misleading: The Don River is not far to the west, to be sure, but about eight lanes of traffic on the Don Valley Parkway stand between the water and the new infill housing.
Still, the neighbourhood's funkiest lofts, antique stores and cafes owe their existence to the Victorian-era warehouses that once transported goods along the waterway.
The area is a slice of South Riverdale. You'll find yourself there immediately upon traversing the DVP on the Queen or Dundas St. bridges. The eastern boundary blurs into Leslieville at about Logan.
It's a good place for:
Recreation (humans and dogs): The Royal Canadian Curling Club is undergoing renovation but is set to show off the new ice bed in November.
How many times have you wished you could take your dog swimming at an indoor pool? Fit Dogs on Broadview has one. If your pooch prefers to play outside on the grass, Riverdale Park on Broadview is not only vast, it has a view of the downtown skyline.
And the Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre has an indoor pool for humans.
Transportation: Streetcars rumble right through this neighbourhood on the main streets. Drivers are well-connected with the DVP, Lakeshore and Gardiner just a hop away.
Schools: There's some creativity in education here: First Nations School of Toronto and SEED Alternative Secondary School are two of the unconventional choices. There's also Dundas Junior Public School, Withrow Avenue Junior Public School, Bruce Junior Public School, Queen Alexandra Middle School, Quest Alternative School and East Alternative School.
What took so long?
At one time, there was a stigma to living in proximity to a notorious prison. In days past, Munro Street was home to the hangman at the Don Jail, local lore says. A row of cottages on that street housed the wives and families of prisoners after the jail was built in the late 1850s. But the former jail building and the old Riverdale Hospital have been incorporated into the enlightened vision for Bridgepoint Health, which is under construction at Broadview and Gerrard.
Also in the murky past, the segment between the DVP and Broadview was the domain of jobbers and auto parts suppliers. Those brownfield sites have been redeveloped and rows of new townhouses are filling in the area.
Broadview and Queen has the adult entertainment lounge Jilly's, which is a place you may not feel like boasting about to your folks - unless you're talking about the architectural merits of the building.
Harbingers of Change
Java joints, brunch spots and bohemian art galleries are joining long-established diners such as the Real Jerk. F'Coffee on Queen has a sweet backyard patio. Celebrity chef Lynn Crawford is drawing foodies to Ruby Watchco.
A restored 1905 bank building on Queen now accommodates the fashion boutique and studio of Stephan Caras Design.
Merchants of Green is an off-the-beaten-path coffee lounge for the Macbook Pro set. You'll find it on Matilda St. in an antiquated red brick warehouse just above the Parkway. You're likely to encounter three or four web content specialists operating from the wooden tables.
Some of the highly-caffeinated patrons check in at their digital imaging studios and galleries on Davies Ave., where Mercedes and BMWs line the curb. On one recent afternoon, a chauffeur-driven Town Car pulled up to the curb and a well-known venture capitalist headed inside one of the revamped offices.
Market values
Many developers are cashing in on the demand for living space close to downtown. Lofts and townhouses can be found for less than $500,000. On the side streets, old workers cottages and row houses can still be found in the $350,000 range.