King of Kensington
Senior Member
This is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Toronto. I've updated the wikipedia article. It's not really on the radar for many Torontonians; realtors been calling houses on Robert and Major etc. the "South Annex" for as long as I've been paying attention to these things. The name is of course highly problematic, not only given that while it shares many characteristics with the Annex it's mainly made up of tall Victorian rowhouses on smaller lots rather than the larger houses north of Bloor, but it was part of the original City of Toronto when it was incorporated in 1834 (part of the Liberties), so it was never "annexed" in the first place!
It's not as "polished" as prime Cabbagetown (and has a more mixed social composition), but Lower Brunswick, Willcocks and Robert St. have received heritage designation. The HVRA also launched an interesting initiative of naming the laneways after local residents.
It was for most of the 20th century an immigrant reception area. Until the 1960s it was a predominantly Jewish community and elements of that history are still evident with First Narayever on Brunswick, the Harbord Bakery, etc. Dr. Joe Greenberg legendary physician and president of the synagogue on Markham St. only recently retired at age 90. His brother Mort Greenberg the "Jewish Santa" still lives in the house they grew up on Major St.; sometimes I take Mort's mail to the mailbox on Harbord.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/mike_strobel/2008/12/19/7799951-sun.html
During the 1960s and 1970s Portuguese and Chinese immigrants moved into the neighborhood, as well as a growing middle class academic and professional element, though by the 1980s the latter had come to dominate the area. It has become a very desirable area close to U of T and downtown.
It's also home to this bench:
http://spacing.ca/magazine/section/hidden-gems/an-honest-bench-in-the-annex/
For those more interested in condo developments...the B Street Condos are within the boundaries of Harbord Village.
It's not as "polished" as prime Cabbagetown (and has a more mixed social composition), but Lower Brunswick, Willcocks and Robert St. have received heritage designation. The HVRA also launched an interesting initiative of naming the laneways after local residents.
It was for most of the 20th century an immigrant reception area. Until the 1960s it was a predominantly Jewish community and elements of that history are still evident with First Narayever on Brunswick, the Harbord Bakery, etc. Dr. Joe Greenberg legendary physician and president of the synagogue on Markham St. only recently retired at age 90. His brother Mort Greenberg the "Jewish Santa" still lives in the house they grew up on Major St.; sometimes I take Mort's mail to the mailbox on Harbord.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/mike_strobel/2008/12/19/7799951-sun.html
During the 1960s and 1970s Portuguese and Chinese immigrants moved into the neighborhood, as well as a growing middle class academic and professional element, though by the 1980s the latter had come to dominate the area. It has become a very desirable area close to U of T and downtown.
It's also home to this bench:
http://spacing.ca/magazine/section/hidden-gems/an-honest-bench-in-the-annex/
For those more interested in condo developments...the B Street Condos are within the boundaries of Harbord Village.
