King West village was originally part of the Military Reserves of the town of York. By the 1850’s the arrival of the railway to Toronto changed the character of this neighbourhood dramatically as it evolved into a busy industrial and manufacturing center. By the 1990’s most industry and manufacturing had moved out from King West and the area became the tipping point of gentrification. The City of Toronto stepped in and enacted the King-Spadina Plan to attract new investment in order to revitalize this area. The plan worked brilliantly and developers began to build new condominiums that catered to young and hip urban professionals. Restaurants, nightclubs and The Thompson Hotel were added and now King West is one of the most vibrant areas in Toronto. Boutique gyms, food emporiums and artisan bakeries now help to line the streets.
King West Homes
King West has one of the best selections of condominium buildings in the city. Most are low and mid rise buildings. Many of these are designed as soft lofts with units that feature lots of light and open spaces with high ceilings and balconies. Some of these buildings contain two-storey loft condominium townhomes. There are also a handful of authentic hard loft buildings in the neighbourhood which are characterized by brick extreriors, large windows and architectural accents. The lofts in these types of units may feature concrete floors, exposed wood beams and exposed brick. There are also a handful of historically designated row houses on Draper Street which date back to the 1880’s.
King West Schools
Ogden Jr Public School
Ryerson Community School
A.L.P.H.A Alternative
Central Technical School
King West Transportation
Streetcar routes on Bathurst Street connect with the Bathurst subway station at Bloor and Bathurst, Spadina Avenue connects with Spadina subway at Bloor and Spadina, King Streetcar connects at Yonge University line and Dundas West Subway station at Dundas West and Bloor.
Motorists are just minutes away from the Gardiner expressway and Lakeshore Boulevard which link to all major highways leading into and out of the city.
