WELCOME TO ST LAWRENCE MARKET

HISTORY

The St Lawrence Market neighbourhood was originally known as Old Town when the Town of York began expanding in the early 1800’s. Old Town was planned in a ten-block gridiron pattern, including the Parliament buildings of Upper Canada and land used for military purposes. Unfortunately, much of the town was destroyed by a series of fires, most notably the Great Fire of Toronto in April of 1849. The southern parts of the neighbourhood were later intended to serve as a public promenade with a grand Esplanade along the waterfront. However, the city turned the land over to the railways which in turn attracted industry to the St Lawrence area.

OVERVIEW

The St Lawrence Market has been the community’s beating heart and culinary focal point of the City of Toronto. The venerable red-brick South Market building stands prominently on the south-side of Front Street East, drawing droves of Torontonians and tourists alike looking to plunder its aromatic treasures. Close proximity to the Toronto core makes this neighbourhood attractive to young professionals as well as those looking for a more pedestrian-friendly experience in the Corktown and Distillery Districts.

HOMES

The neighbourhood is filled with buildings predominantly two or three-storeys tall. Along the main streets of Front, King and Queen are numerous first-floor restaurants and stores with walk-up apartments. The area also has numerous older warehouses that have been converted to lofts or offices and numerous heritage buildings that date back to the 19th century. Construction of new development condominiums has begun in the neighbourhood, blending the old with the new.