Bloorcourt, is the area along Bloor between Christie Pits and Dufferin has seen new life in the past few years as galleries, restaurants and other businesses have flocked here in search of cheaper rents and access to the Bloor subway line. The mix of restaurants here reflect the diversity of the local community including cuisine such as, Portuguese, Ethiopian and Indian.
Living in Bloorcourt
Located along Bloor Street West, from Montrose Avenue to Dufferin Street, Bloorcourt, which has been an established BIA since 1979, is well known for being a well-balanced neighbourhood with a great variety of shops and services.
The multicultural community includes Portuguese, East African, Italian, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Ukrainian, and Jamaican to name just a few.
Successful events in the area include the Bloorcourt Arts and Crafts Fair, which takes place in the Bloorcourt BIA on Bloor Street West. The festival is one of Toronto’s largest gatherings of artists, musicians, artisans, and masters of all crafts.
The buildings along Bloor Street are typically two or three stories tall, with retail commercial on the main floor, and offices or rental housing on the remainder. These converted residential structures are the oldest in the district and some are in poor repair. Pigeon infestation remains an issue for tenants.
The Bloor-Gladstone branch of the Toronto Public Library, dating from 1912, is situated at Bloor and Gladstone Avenue, one block east of Dufferin Avenue.
Bloorcourt Real Estate
Most of the single-family homes in Bloorcourt were built between 1900 and 1925. The nature of the demographic here led to a good majority of these Edwardian style homes being converted into multi-unit buildings by investors who saw the opportunity in renting multiple smaller spaces. More recently, these homes are being returned to single-family dwellings, as the area has grown in popularity in recent years due to relatively affordable prices compared to some of the more popular southerly neighbourhoods. Clean streetscapes lined with mature trees and above-average neighbourhood curb appeal are changing the demographic searching here more recently as well.
There is irony in the slow and steady gentrification here. Most of the buildings along the Bloor street stretch are two and three-story mixed-use commercial and residential buildings that see storefronts on the street with office or more likely residential space above. These buildings are some of the oldest in the area, and often in varying levels of disrepair. There are also a number of low and mid-rise apartment buildings in the area that are rental-focused and address the lower and middle-income housing need that is strong here.
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Parks
Schools
Please click here for a comprehensive list of schools in Bloorcourt..
Restaurants
Little Sito: Traditional Lebanese food, including sharing platters, served in relaxed spot with industrial décor.
La Bella Managua: Casual storefront offering traditional Nicaraguan dishes & cocktails in a colourful setting.
Vit Beo: Bowls of pho & other lesser-known Vietnamese snacks dished out at a snug counter serve open late.
Cafés
Filosophy Pastry and Espresso Bar: Sweet and savoury Greek pastries, plus other baked goods, soup & espresso served in a snug space.
Field Trip Café: Cheery hangout serving coffee, baked goods, sandwiches and craft beer in casual digs with a patio.
Nova Era Bakery: Family-owned business for Portuguese and other European pastries, cakes, breads, coffee and sandwiches.