Grange Park

[ponyboy]

Yesterday I was walking through the Grange Park neighbourhood (just east of Spadina, south of College and north of Queens). The location is ideal (proximity to U of T, AGO, Queen West, downtown, etc), but many of the houses are ramshackle. I know that there is a lot of affordable student housing (student ghetto) in this hood, and also lots of Chinese immigrants. Does anyone know why property owners in this hood have not sold? Perhaps there hasn't been enough demand? Is someone buying up property here and letting it weather hoping to do a large development later? I know there are a few nice homes here and there, but there are so many that are wasting away. I'd love the opportunity to purchase something because its great location for me.

[cabbagetowner]

ever hear of the projects.

[ponyboy]

public housing? yes, I've heard of public housing, but I am not aware of any significant public housing east of Spadina in the Grange Park neighbourhood. Where is it? (Baldwin?)

I know there is some SW of the Dundas/Spadina intersection.

[cabbagetowner]

sorry dude, i thought you meant grange ave. (alexandra park)

[mjl08]

I always got the sense that the housing stock was in a more decrepit state than other downtownhoods, making making even the most ambitious of investors move on to another block.

[cabbagetowner]

the properties bordering the park are pretty pricey, but at some point when you're walking west you'll see you're now in chinatown and it becomes a dump. i go by there everyday and i find it remarkable how quickly the neighbourhood changes.

[Felino]

As someone who grew up in Chinatown, it's sad to see what's happened to the place.

An old beat up semi-detached victorian in Chinatown would set you back $650k, plus another $100k-$200k to do a proper gut job, can you seriously flip it for $1 million to make a profit? Maybe, but it'll be difficult.

Although the area is much loved, there aren't many people willing to fork over $600k for a beat up townhouse or $900k for a refurbished victorian. Even someone (with kids) who loves the area would have plenty to consider: crack, the local kids (where?), schools, etc... Crack in the area is out of control, most of the kids are from single moms in the hidden pockets of city housing. Not exactly welcoming to anyone with money.

In the end, I can see why the area isn't gentrifying like the south Annex (Brunswick, Major and Robert St) did in the last 2 decades.

[Felino]

public housing? yes, I've heard of public housing, but I am not aware of any significant public housing east of Spadina in the Grange Park neighbourhood. Where is it? (Baldwin?)

I know there is some SW of the Dundas/Spadina intersection.

There is a ton of city/public housing in the area, much of it hidden. Some of it is on Baldwin, and many of the old homes on Beverly between College and Queen are projects. Plus throw Alexandra Park housing into the mix and the numberous sites, the crack addiction centres along Queen St and now a new one near Chinatown and you quickly get the picture.

If you venture onto Stephanie St (just off Beverley) and there is a city housing complex, and a few smaller ones that are better hidden. There are dozens around this area and the offspring from the single moms attend many of the schools in the area.

I know what I've said above sounds harsh, but it's true. Sorry, that's the reason why upper middle-class white folks prefer not to buy in the area. I don't blame them.

[AlvinofDiaspar]

As an aside - Alexandra Park is next up the TCHC rebuild list.

AoD

[Glen]

As an aside - Alexandra Park is next up the TCHC rebuild list.

AoD

Any information on that?

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Glen:

Very little - See page 4 of PDF:

http://www.torontohousing.ca/webfm_send/5453/1?#

AoD

[jaborandi]

There is a ton of city/public housing in the area, much of it hidden. Some of it is on Baldwin, and many of the old homes on Beverly between College and Queen are projects. Plus throw Alexandra Park housing into the mix and the numberous sites, the crack addiction centres along Queen St and now a new one near Chinatown and you quickly get the picture.

If you venture onto Stephanie St (just off Beverley) and there is a city housing complex, and a few smaller ones that are better hidden. There are dozens around this area and the offspring from the single moms attend many of the schools in the area.

I know what I've said above sounds harsh, but it's true. Sorry, that's the reason why upper middle-class white folks prefer not to buy in the area. I don't blame them.

Nearby public housing didn't prevent anyone from buying into Cabbagetown. With its narrow tree-lined streets and Victorian housing stock, this neighbourhood has the potential to be as attractive as Cabbagetown.

[chriskayTO]

Nearby public housing didn't prevent anyone from buying into Cabbagetown.

Nor did it prevent people from buying in the St Lawrence Market area, either.

[Urban Shocker]

Or Riverdale.

[Archivist]

I have no idea why, though certainly the Grange area is a bit decrepit. Even in comparison to some of the streets in the near east downtown (Seaton, for instance, is chock-a-block with really nice, well cared for homes, even though the back alley is full of crack pipes).

It's always interesting how neighbourhoods congeal into what they are. For instance, how did Church Street become so very gay? I've heard explanations, but none that seemed truly satisfying.