The Many Attractions Of Living In Queen West

Highlighted in Vogue’s September 2014 issue as the globe’s second chicest and hippest neighbourhood, Queen Street West is a big artery of fashion shops, galleries and indie music bars set against a backdrop of historic buildings. The area extends along Queen Street West, between Simcoe Street and Bathurst Street, just south of the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Ontario College of Art and Design.

Indeed, in the midst of a city currently enjoying newfound prominence, Queen West is an area where art meets commerce. The neighbourhood is Toronto’s unofficial design, art, and music district, home to hallmarks of hipness as well as the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art and famed “art” hotels including The Drake and Gladstone Hotel housed in a 19th-century Victorian building. Other notable attractions of the neighbourhood include Soho House, occupying a landmark Georgian building and Graffiti Alley, which is the city’s most popular area for graffiti art. It includes the attack of artist Spud on Mayor Ford himself.

An eclectic shopping and cultural destination by day, Queen West is also a hub for nightlife fun. It is, in effect, the home base for Toronto’s thriving music and subcultural scenes where downtown sophisticates, tourists, and other Torontonians come together at a wide range of pubs and bars. The neighbourhood also offers lively patios and internationally renowned live music venues for a vibrant nightlife.

In terms of residential attraction, Queen West is a hugely desirable and affluent residential area in Toronto. Residences here are designed for all-inclusive and stylish urban living. Take the Bohemian Embassy for example. Located at 1169 and 1171 Queen Street West, this industrial-chic condominium community lies steps away from the famous Drake Hotel and features a host of coveted building amenities for a superior quality of life. Other notable residences in the area include Origami Lofts by Symmetry Developments and Q Loft located at 1205 Queen Street West.

In addition to combining an excellent location with good quality housing, Queen West also boasts excellent transport links to the communities nearby, the downtown core and beyond. The neighbourhood is served by the Osgoode subway station, while the Queen, Bathurst and Spadina streetcars lines operate on a number of different routes. Other amenities of the area include independent shops, restaurants, and local supermarkets that residents can enjoy with Trinity Bellwoods Park lying in the immediate vicinity.