simuls
Senior Member
First off, there is nothing industrial about Liberty Village except its heritage. There are no factories, etc. at all and it is instead populated by well paying high end design companies, retail and tv/film/internet production companies in areas as diverse as children's animation and porn. It is sandwiched between two train tracks, but for the most part, they disappear into the background.
But I think the real key to understanding Liberty Village and its popularity is its proximity to pretty much everything one can ask for - tons of green space, waterfront, restaurants, grocery stores, clubs, bars, yadayadayada. It's been written about at length in these forums so I won't repeat it all, suffice to say, with the exception of St. Lawrence Market, there simply isn't a better situated area in all of the downtown core that has anywhere near the number of amenities from high end to low end within a 2km radius that also offers you incredible public transportation options and almost instant access to the Gardiner (on a weekday afternoon/weekend, it's 18 minutes to Pearson). That plus future development plans (now including a stop on the finally being studied "Relief" subway line) make it an incredible area because once this land is built on, it's done. You simply can't find land to build on anywhere west of the core after this/cityplace and fort york area is done and they're almost maxed out.
It's true that there will be more condo's built on site (about 6 more to come after Liberty Towers-95%sold/Bliss-95%sold/Liberty On The Park-85%sold/King West Condos-25%sold/Tower@King West-20%sold/Liberty Market Lofts-97%sold), but according to plans, that will only add another 2200 units (and another 3000 people, not tens of thousands) - not that much considering it will take place over the next 8-10 years. If the core continues to grow at its current pace those will more than easily be absorbed. You're right in that you have to believe in the vision, but considering I've seen what LV was only 6 years ago (literally a dusty industrial wasteland with some businesses and a lot of abandoned warehouses), I definitely do.
I'd have another walk through and talk to people who live in the area. I know tons across all ages and none of them want to live anywhere else.
But I think the real key to understanding Liberty Village and its popularity is its proximity to pretty much everything one can ask for - tons of green space, waterfront, restaurants, grocery stores, clubs, bars, yadayadayada. It's been written about at length in these forums so I won't repeat it all, suffice to say, with the exception of St. Lawrence Market, there simply isn't a better situated area in all of the downtown core that has anywhere near the number of amenities from high end to low end within a 2km radius that also offers you incredible public transportation options and almost instant access to the Gardiner (on a weekday afternoon/weekend, it's 18 minutes to Pearson). That plus future development plans (now including a stop on the finally being studied "Relief" subway line) make it an incredible area because once this land is built on, it's done. You simply can't find land to build on anywhere west of the core after this/cityplace and fort york area is done and they're almost maxed out.
It's true that there will be more condo's built on site (about 6 more to come after Liberty Towers-95%sold/Bliss-95%sold/Liberty On The Park-85%sold/King West Condos-25%sold/Tower@King West-20%sold/Liberty Market Lofts-97%sold), but according to plans, that will only add another 2200 units (and another 3000 people, not tens of thousands) - not that much considering it will take place over the next 8-10 years. If the core continues to grow at its current pace those will more than easily be absorbed. You're right in that you have to believe in the vision, but considering I've seen what LV was only 6 years ago (literally a dusty industrial wasteland with some businesses and a lot of abandoned warehouses), I definitely do.
I'd have another walk through and talk to people who live in the area. I know tons across all ages and none of them want to live anywhere else.