Condos for Sale in St. Lawrence, Toronto, ON

Foodies may rejoice at any chance they get to visit the St. Lawrence Market, however this neighbourhood is important for more than just its namesake market. St. Lawrence, which consists of the area between Yonge and Parliament, from the Gardiner Expressway to Queen Street, also has a long and significant history.

Upper Canada’s first parliament buildings were set up the neighbourhood in the 1790s, plus Toronto’s first city hall was built here in 1834. The latter eventually became part of the St. Lawrence Market once a new city hall was built in 1899, and today it houses the Market Gallery, an exhibition space that showcases the history, culture, and art of Toronto.

The current St. Lawrence Market building may only date back to 1902, but the tradition of a farmer’s market being hosted in the neighbourhood has a much longer history. An outdoor market became a regular Saturday occurrence for the St. Lawrence neighbourhood starting in 1834. Even to this day, the St. Lawrence Market is bustling with tourists and shoppers looking for the freshest meat, fish, cheese, and baked goods in town. The weekends are especially lively at the market, with a farmer’s market held on Saturdays and an antiques market on Sundays.

Heavily industrial until 1960s, St. Lawrence only became residential in nature about a decade later, under the direction of then-mayor David Crombie. Many of the condos for sale in St. Lawrence available to modern-day buyers were constructed during this time. Even Jane Jacobs had her say on the neighbourhood’s redevelopment, which was only completed in the 1990s. While it took a few decades to accomplish, the urban planning involved in St. Lawrence’s redevelopment is considered hugely successful — and mimicked in other North American cities — to this day.

Toronto condos for sale in St. Lawrence are aplenty, as this is a particularly high-density, downtown neighbourhood. What’s more, new buildings seem to appearing in St. Lawrence every year, contributing to the density and diversity of the neighbourhood. For example the 80-storey Sugar Wharf Condos, when completed in 2022, will contain nearly 2,000 units.

Prospective buyers interested in St. Lawrence condos for sale with a hint of history can focus their searches on the lofts in the neighbourhood. Thanks to the former industrial character of neighbourhood, there are plenty of authentic conversions to go around. The St Lawrence Market Lofts are particularly old: the homes are situated in a warehouse that dates back to before Canada’s confederation.

As for contemporary condos, it doesn’t get more impressive than the L Tower. Designed by celebrity architect Daniel Libeskind, the largest units in the building cover a startling 11,000 square feet. And while not all buyers are able to shell out the cash for such an opulent unit, even those in the more standard suites have access to the generous lineup of amenities, which includes a pool, sauna, gym, cinema, yoga room, and guest suites.

Thanks to its locale in the centre of downtown Toronto, residents who have purchased condos for sale in St. Lawrence have no trouble getting around the city. Those who prefer to avoid traffic jams and parking fees can use streetcars that carry passengers east and west along Queen and King. Journeys into neighbourhoods to the north, on the other hand, are as easy as hopping on the subway at Queen, King, or Union Station.

Drivers will also love living within such close reach of two major highways: the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway. The former allows one to travel along the southern edge of the city with ease, while the latter can be used to reach the 401 in no time.

The Locals: They appreciate a good history lesson — especially when all they have to do is take a stroll around the neighbourhood.

Code of Conduct: Locals just know when to visit St. Lawrence Market in order to avoid the crowds.

What You’ll Find: Some of the oldest buildings in the city.

What You Won’t Find: Empty streets, any day of the week.

The Homes: Impressive, whether old or new.

Sealing the Deal: The proximity to the best food market in the city.