Townhouses For Sale in Moss Park, Old Toronto

One name, several neighbourhoods

Locally, Moss Park usually means the blocks between Jarvis and Parliament, south of Dundas and north of Queen, named after the Allan family estate whose mansion once stood on Sherbourne. The City's official boundary is much larger.

That matters when you search, because a listing filed under Moss Park could be a row near Allan Gardens, a unit near the park and armoury on Queen East, or a townhouse south of King near the Distillery District. Each has a different feel and different price position.

Garden District rows near Allan Gardens

The northern part of the area, around Allan Gardens and up toward Carlton, has some of the oldest housing in the east downtown: Victorian rows and semis, many converted into multiple units over the years, some restored back to single houses.

Inspection priorities are the classic inner-city ones: shared walls, continuous rooflines, rear access and the legal number of units. Several streets here sit close to shelters and social services, and buyers should spend time on the specific block at different hours before deciding.

Queen East, the armoury and the 1960s rebuild

Much of the original Moss Park was built as worker housing for nearby industry. In the 1960s, many of those buildings were cleared for a public housing project, and part of the old estate became the large park with its community centre. Three Toronto Community Housing towers stand near Queen and Parliament, and the Moss Park Armoury occupies the northeast corner of Jarvis and Queen.

Along Queen itself, buildings are mostly three to five storeys with shops below and apartments above. Townhouses near this stretch are usually infill or older rows on the side streets.

Two Ontario Line stations in one neighbourhood

Moss Park station will sit under Queen East between George and Sherbourne, connecting to the 501 Queen streetcar and the 75 Sherbourne bus. Distillery District station, at King and Berkeley just west of Parliament, will serve the southern part of the area.

Until they open, the 501 Queen and 505 Dundas streetcars are the main east-west links, with buses on Sherbourne and Parliament. King Street's streetcar is close for anyone south of Queen.

Who buys in Moss Park, and what to ask first

Townhouse buyers here are usually people who want to be downtown at a lower entry point than the neighbourhoods to the north and west, and who are comfortable with a mixed, changing area. The newer units near King East and the Distillery tend to suit professionals who walk to work. The Garden District rows attract renovators and people who like older houses.

The area will change substantially as the two Ontario Line stations open and as nearby sites are redeveloped. That cuts both ways: more services and transit, but also more construction and density.

Spend time here at different hours and talk to neighbours. The feel of the area can vary a lot from one block to the next.

Questions worth raising on any unit here:

• For newer stacked or condo towns near King East, ask about the garage, roof terraces and the reserve fund plan.
• Check whether the unit faces a main street with streetcar or truck traffic.
• Confirm whether parking is included or on a separate title.
• Ask how far along nearby station construction is, and what the staging areas will be.