Annex, Toronto real estate

Living in The Annex

The Annex sits just north of downtown, traditionally bounded by Bloor Street to the south, Dupont Street to the north, Bathurst Street to the west and Avenue Road to the east. Its southern edge meets the University of Toronto's St. George campus, and its eastern edge brushes Yorkville, so the neighbourhood feels both residential and right in the middle of things.

The area was laid out as a subdivision in the 1880s and annexed by the City of Toronto in 1887, which is where the name comes from. Its early residents included some of the city's best-known merchant families, and later waves of newcomers, students and academics shaped its lively, bookish character. In the 1960s and early 1970s, Annex residents were central to the fight that stopped the Spadina Expressway, a big reason the neighbourhood's tree-lined streets survived intact.

The signature home here is the "Annex style" house: a substantial red-brick and stone semi or detached home blending Richardsonian Romanesque and Queen Anne details, with deep front porches, turrets and rough-cut stone arches. Many were divided into flats over the decades, and they sit alongside mid-century apartment buildings and a growing number of newer mid-rise and tower developments near Bloor.

Getting around

The Annex is one of the best-connected neighbourhoods in the city. Line 2 Bloor-Danforth stops at Bathurst, Spadina and St. George stations along the southern edge, and Line 1 Yonge-University runs beneath the area with stops at St. George, Spadina and Dupont. Spadina and St. George are both interchange stations, so switching lines is easy.

Streetcars run south from Bathurst and Spadina stations toward the waterfront, and buses serve Avenue Road, Spadina Road, Dupont Street and Bathurst Street. Most errands can be done on foot, cycling is popular, and downtown is a short subway ride or bike trip away.

Parks and things to do

• Bloor Street between Avenue Road and Bathurst is the main strip for cafés, bookshops, pubs and casual restaurants, with Koreatown just to the west of Bathurst.
• The Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema at Bloor and Bathurst is a long-standing home for documentary film.
• The Bata Shoe Museum at Bloor and St. George, and the Royal Ontario Museum just beyond Avenue Road, are within walking distance.
• Casa Loma and the Spadina Museum sit on the hill just north of Dupont, reached by the Baldwin Steps.
• Small parks such as Taddle Creek Park and Jean Sibelius Square offer playgrounds and green space, and the Spadina Road library branch is a neighbourhood anchor.

Homes you'll find here

Most of the housing stock is Victorian and Edwardian, built between the 1880s and the early 1900s. Expect semi-detached and detached homes on narrow, deep lots, often three storeys with tall ceilings and original woodwork. Many houses have been converted to multiple units, so buyers will see everything from grand single-family homes to legal duplexes and triplexes. Some streets have laneways behind, which can open up garage or laneway-suite possibilities.

Parts of the neighbourhood are protected by heritage conservation districts, including the East Annex HCD and the Madison Avenue HCD (West Annex Phase I). The City has also been studying a further West Annex district between Bathurst and Bedford Road. Mid-century apartment buildings and newer condos cluster near Bloor, Avenue Road and Spadina.

Who it suits

• Car-free households, thanks to multiple subway lines and a walkable main street.
• Academics, students and university staff, who can walk to campus.
• Buyers who love character homes and want period details rather than new builds.
• Investors interested in multi-unit houses, given the many converted homes, provided the units are legal.
• Culture lovers, with museums, cinemas and live music close by.

Good to know before you buy

• Check heritage status. If a home is in a heritage conservation district, exterior changes such as additions, windows and porches usually need a heritage permit. Ask the City's Heritage Planning staff before you plan renovations.
• Confirm unit legality. Many large homes have been split into apartments over the years. Verify that the units were permitted and that the property complies with fire and building codes, and review the City's multi-tenant (rooming) house licensing rules if relevant.
• Older houses need inspection. Knob-and-tube wiring, older plumbing, stone foundations and aging roofs are common in homes of this age; budget for a thorough inspection.
• Parking is limited. Many homes have no driveway, and street parking often requires a City permit; check permit availability for the specific street.
• Short-term rentals are restricted. Toronto only allows short-term rentals in your principal residence, so don't count on Airbnb income from a secondary unit.

Thinking about buying or selling in The Annex? Talk to Mehran for a free, no-pressure conversation.

Neighbourhood guide by Mehran Salehian, Sales Representative.