Front lawn landscaping is de rigueur in
this affluent suburb in the city

Real Estate Guide › Central

Lawrence Park South

Average 2008 sale price:

$1,021,634

Property crime:

average

Crime against people:

very low

Neighbourhood map:

See map

The area retains some of its original character from the 1880s, when it was developed by the Metropolitan Street Railway as the northern end of its five-cent Bloor rail line. Some houses date from 1903, but most were built after 1912, when the area was annexed by the city. The narrow but deep lots and sensible Edwardian architecture are reminiscent of Unionville. Though it’s close to many things bright and beautiful—the Rosedale Golf Club, the Granite Club, Toronto French School—the facilities within its own boundaries are more modest. Allenby Primary School, the first in Toronto to offer French immersion, has been here since 1931 and is a selling point for many parents. Muir Park and Blythwood Ravine are small but well kept, with a wide variety of native trees, including black cherry, mulberry, crack willow and silver maple, some of which are the result of a 1996 naturalization effort. Burke Brook and McDougall Stream run under much of the neighbourhood, making for unpredictable (and entertaining) topography, such as the dip in the courtyard of the 3080 Yonge Street shopping plaza at the corner of Lawrence.

HOUSING STOCK: Brick and stone cladding is the order of the day, with renos and rebuilds taking their cues from the older houses interspersed among them. Front-lawn landscaping and addresses spelled out on porticos are the norm.

BARGAIN ZONES: The best deals can be found in the former neighbourhood of Allenby, around Avenue and Eglinton, on streets such as Castlefield and Burnaby. Prices increase as you get a little farther north and east.

THE VERDICT: It’s the perfect neighbourhood for people (increasingly young families, according to the latest census) who like the quietude and big-lawned openness of suburban life, with all the amenities and excitement of the big city within a five-minute drive.

NEIGHBOURHOOD HOT SPOTS:
Alex on Yonge This outpost of one of the best cheese mini-chains on the planet offers more than 400 cheeses and the help of knowledgeable fromagophiles. 2500 Yonge St., 416-488-8000.
The Butcher’s This is where locals get their organic sausages, game hens and other high-quality cuts. 2636 Yonge St., 416-483-5777.
Civello Uptown The sleeker instalment of the classic Toronto spa and salon provides all the buffing, polishing and pampering you’ll ever need. 2620 Yonge St., 416-487-3535.