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North York City Centre (Yonge & Sheppard)

For comparison, what would be the pros and cons for condos located near or having direct access to the three subway stations below? Are these 3 neighborhoods below quite similar or are they actually quite different?

-Sheppard
-North York Centre
-Finch

Thanks
 
From Finch to Empress it's purely residential and restaurants (almost all of which are Korean/Chinese/Japanese). South of Empress there are a fair number of offices, lots of fast food and generic food options, and decent retail. Maybe this is just my bias, but the southern area (from Sheppard to North York Centre) feels more like a city, while the northern area (NYCC to Finch) feels more like an urban playground.
 
I agree with the above; But that doesn't mean the near Finch section isn't as vibrant, heck its typically busier pedestrian wise ! At least after 7pm as the restaurants are very popular
 
“Right now it has very little in the way of character or soul or connective tissue. Can you think of any other area in Toronto where you'd go for a walk along a six-lane highway?..."
Click to expand...

This quote makes it sound like John Filion hasn't walked on his ward's main street in more than a decade. Or on University Avenue a block away from his office, for that matter.

I support this project and the bike lane proposal on Yonge, but quotes like that make me really want to oppose it. I'd love it if someone could quit the bull and be honest about the situation - Yonge Street in North York is already busy & vibrant, but there's more that can be done to make it a nicer place to live, like extending the median farther north & south, limiting left turns, adding some more traffic lights/crossings and encouraging people to bike around the area, perhaps with some bike share expansion.
 
bussub said:
For comparison, what would be the pros and cons for condos located near or having direct access to the three subway stations below? Are these 3 neighborhoods below quite similar or are they actually quite different?

-Sheppard
-North York Centre
-Finch

Thanks
Click to expand...

Minor things I’d say about each subway station: Finch I’d say is the most congested feeling and also the dirtiest (but is a huge hub as far as buses go, including YRT, GO transit, etc.), Sheppard where you’d probably find the highest condo premiums due to it being on two subway lines and right by the 401, and North York Centre is the least busy station of the three but you’re getting direct access to Empress Walk (the Yonge-Eglinton Centre equivalent for the area) and you’re right across the street from Mel Lastman Square, North York Library, etc... also, being smack in the middle of the area, it’s an easy walk in either direction to the other two stations. Empress running East from Yonge is also a great neighbourhood with some beautiful homes.
Personally I’d want a condo near North York Centre.
 
I think prices are pretty much the same all across these neighbourhoods, with the sole exception of the Hullmark and Emerald Park condos that are inexplicably at $850-900 per square foot - that's not much cheaper than the newer condo buildings at Yonge & Bloor.
 
I looked at renting in the area about a year ago - didn't end up moving up there, but at the time there was a noticeable premium for condos immediately around Mel Lastman Square. Not as sure about sale prices.
 
Sale prices are a bit more complicated because of maintenance fees. Older condos have higher maintenance fees, which drive down prices a bit, and that accounts for part of the high price for buying newer buildings. I still find it a bit weird though that condos at the corner of Yonge & Sheppard cost just as much as at the corner of Yonge & Eglinton or Yonge & Bloor.
 
I think in terms of livability, North York Centre is the preferred area for those that live in the community. The Yonge and Sheppard area is still very land locked by the highway and there's not much more as you walk a block or two south. The economics change pretty dramatically as you go North of Finch as well.
 
This area has a lot to offer. Part of it is the legacy of North York. North York was a thriving suburban city like Mississauga. It invested heavily in its civic amenities and received various investments from the province so that its residents didn't have to go to downtown Toronto to go to a large library, work at a big corporate head office, see a play, visit Service Canada, go to court, or go to a nice park or public square.

Some people want a downtown-style walkable neighbourhood with lots of shopping options, restaurants, transit, and amenities, but have to get on the 401 and drive to work each day. The area is valuable because it offers excellent amenities to people with different needs: easy 401 access for drivers working in the suburbs, easy subway access for commuters heading midtown and downtown, GO transit connections, and a wide variety of housing options.

For many people, this neighbourhood suits their needs better than Yonge and Bloor or Yonge and Eglinton. That reality drives up demand. Downtown residents who believe that most people outside of the downtown core work in the Financial District may be surprised that there are thousands of other commuting patterns--many involving thriving businesses and well paying jobs in the suburbs. The region's economic strength drives demand and prices in areas with varied housing options and good amenities outside of the downtown core like this one.
 
WislaHD said:
Yup. You can use North York's skyline as an indicator to that point.

It is a denser, more compact skyline than many middle-size American cities!
Click to expand...

But it's really more of a "North York Strip" than a "North York Centre". Basically everything is on Yonge.
 
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