Toronto's Entertainment District a prestigious destination on the rise
February 01, 2021
If you haven’t visited Toronto’s Entertainment District lately, you might not recognize this booming neighbourhood.
Long a Toronto hot spot filled with some of the city’s best theatres and restaurants, the Entertainment District is in full-on transition mode – now also into becoming one of the most prestigious condo destinations.
A place to live
The Entertainment District, a condo community?
Yes, that same area punctuated by such landmarks as Roy Thompson Hall, the Princess of Wales Theatre, TIFF Bell Lightbox and Canada’s Walk of Fame and known as a place to play and eat, is now becoming known as a place to live.
Numerous large and high-profile condo developments and population growth is now leading to further expansion. More businesses are moving offices into the area, and – at least before COVID interrupted all our plans – bars and restaurants continued to expand.
Essentially born in 1990s as an entertainment and tourist hub, with a burgeoning nightclub scene elbowing its away among the existing theatres and restaurants, the early 2000s brought the first wave of a condo boom.
More recently, SoHo Metropolitan Hotel & Residences and Festival Tower are among some of the notable condo projects that are up and running.
Abuzz with excitement
One key cultural attraction is TIFF Bell Lightbox, which opened in 2010 on the northwest corner of King Street and John Street. The first five floors of this 42-storey tower serve as headquarters for the Toronto International Film Festival, while the Festival Tower residences sit atop. With TIFF Bell Lightbox serving as host to countless international stars and pre-screenings during the annual festival (again, during non-COVID times), the area is often abuzz with excitement.
Add to this, more recent landmark developments such as Bisha Hotel and Residences, and Nobu Residences, and you have an expanding array of exciting residential opportunities.
And all of it is a stone’s throw from the Rogers Centre, Ripley’s Aquarium, the CN Tower, Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Soctiabank Arena.
All of it adds up to an area in transition indeed – to excitement and excellence.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Bordered by Spadina Avenue, King Street West, University Avenue and Front Street
KEY LANDMARKS
Canada’s Walk of Fame
Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada
Rogers Centre
Roy Thompson Hall
Scotiabank Arena
Steam Whistle Brewing
Toronto Railway Museum
TIFF Bell Lightbox
SELECT CONDO DEVELOPMENTS
400 King West Condos
By Plaza
pureplaza.com
543 Richmond
By Pemberton Group
pembertongroup.com
Empire Maverick
By Empire Communities
empirecommunities.com
King Blue Condos
By Greenland Group
kingbluecondos.com
No55 Mercer
By CentreCourt
55mercercondos.com
Studio2 on Richmond
By Aspen Ridge Homes
aspenridgehomes.com
Theatre District
By Plaza
pureplaza.com
About Wayne Karl
Wayne Karl is an award-winning writer and editor with experience in real estate and business. Wayne explores the basics – such as economic fundamentals – you need to examine when buying property. wayne.karl@nexthome.ca