Homes for Sale in Dovercourt | Wallace Emerson-Junction, Toronto, ON

The Dovercourt and Wallace Emerson-Junction area is a west end Toronto neighbourhood that’s currently enjoying that perfect grace period between exciting growth and complete gentrification. For one, homes are moderately affordable, a rare prospect for a cool Toronto neighbourhood. As well, businesses run by long-time residents from various backgrounds have yet to be compromised.

The borders of Dovercourt and Wallace Emerson are fairly straightforward — Dupont to the north, Bloor to the south, and moving from east to east, Christie to the Canadian Pacific Railway line just west of Lansdowne. The Junction Triangle, however, is where things get a little more complicated. This triangle-shaped neighbourhood is formed by three overlapping rail lines: Metrolinx, the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the Canadian National Railway.

Dovercourt and Wallace Emerson-Junction is undoubtedly one of the more closer-knit communities that can be found in Toronto today. A number of Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) have emerged to advance the character and quality of these neighbourhoods through commerce.

The Dovercourt Village BIA focuses on Dovercourt Road just south of Bloor, as well as Hallam Street, Salem Avenue, and Shanly Street. The Bloordale Village BIA focuses on the businesses along Bloor Street, between Lansdowne and Dufferin. As a result, the area has seen a rise in street festivals, newsletters and general assembly meetings in order to keep community members in the know — and even the installation of solar powered street lamps.

Based on information from the 2006 census, backgrounds of those living in Dovercourt and the Wallace Emerson-Junction area are mainly South Asian, East Asian, European, Portuguese, and Chinese. This wide range of cultures creates a vibrant community, with local businesses showcasing diverse offerings for their neighbours to experience and enjoy.

The demographics of this area will likely continue to change as they have over the past 140 years. Dovercourt has come a long way since its origins as a shantytown, founded in the 1870’s by poor English settlers who constructed homes from found items such as tar and paper. Once annexed by the city in 1912, the municipal government began aiding in efforts to improve the area’s infrastructure. Today, older families who were once newcomers themselves welcome youthful, happening, and creative neighbours to share their land.

The future of Dovercourt and Wallace Emerson-Junction has yet to be set in stone, but that makes it all the more exciting. For example, the Galleria Shopping Centre, a sizeable structure at Dufferin and Dupont, was sold to a developer in 2015 for use as Dovercourt condos. Innovative proposals for the space’s reclamation include not just residential units, but large outdoor public spaces as well as a park and community centre.

Dovercourt condos and lofts are continuously being developed in order to meet the demands of smart young families who have scoped out the real estate scene and decided that this is it. Although the areas maintain a slightly rougher aesthetic due to the maturation of many buildings, this means prices here remain more in reach than in neighbourhoods with shinier streetscapes.

Much development of large factories and warehouses has occurred in recent years; seven acres of what previously functioned as an industrial warehouse has since become the Wallace Emerson Park, complete with a designated BMX area, bocce ball courses, artificial ice rinks, and more.

Unlike many neighbourhoods which have clusters of residential buildings, properties are fairly dispersed throughout the neighbourhood and all residents enjoy a great location— though Dovercourt condos are some of the more desirable and pricier properties, with desirable hard lofts like West 40.

North of Bloor, homeowners or potential buyers will find many single family homes, as well as a number of apartments, condos, and lofts. The Bartlett Loft Towns at 6 Bartlett Avenue exist within a space once used as a twine mill, then automotive garage, and finally a fishing tackle manufacturer before its 1985 residential redevelopment.

Besides industrial loft conversions, other aged architectural delights have been preserved and offered up as housing. The Urban Church Lofts once the Dufferin Street Presbyterian Church, was originally constructed in the early 1900’s and converted into homes almost a century later.

With Bloor Street West acting as the southern border of much of the Dovercourt and Wallace Emerson-Junction neighbourhood (the tip of the Junction Triangle reaches just south of Bloor), residents living here have quick and easy access to the subway, even from this west end neighbourhood.

From west to east, travelers can use Lansdowne, Dufferin, and Ossington Stations in order to hop onto trains moving along the Bloor-Danforth line. These streets also all happen to have buses of their own, which comes in handy for those heading north or south.

The Locals: A mixture of backgrounds speaking a variety of languages, plus younger families with great urban intuition.

Code of Conduct: Movie and takeout nights involve Authentic Portuguese churrasqueiras and craft brews.

What You’ll Find: Growth, progress, and evolution.

What You Won’t Find: Prices may not remain affordable for long.

The Homes: Plenty of single-family homes, a sprinkling of industrial loft conversions, and an increasing number of apartments and Dovercourt condos.

Sealing the Deal: It’s still a hidden gem — for now.