Weston Village Toronto: A Neighborhood on the Rise
Discover Weston Village Toronto, a historic community with character-filled homes, strong local roots, and growing potential. Explore Weston Toronto real estate, transit connections, new developmen...
9 min read
Weston: 7 Humberview Cres $1.339M - $1.130M - 5 BR - 3 WR - 50 x 120 ft. lot
An incredible opportunity to restore this stately 1920s residence to its former glory! Tucked away on picturesque Humberview Crescent, one of Weston's most distinctive and rarely available enclaves, this substantial five-bedroom brick home sits on a generous 50 x 120 ft lot in an extraordinary setting overlooking the Humber River valley.Surrounded by mature trees, lush greenery and parkland, the cottage-like ravine setting offers a peaceful haven within the city. Situated on a quiet cul-de-sac, the property enjoys proximity to the Humber River walking trails, greenbelt and Weston Golf and Country Club.Built circa 1928, this grand old dame showcases the character, generous proportions and architectural presence of a bygone era. Spacious principal rooms, four second-floor bedrooms, a third-floor bedroom and a full-height basement with a separate entrance provide an exceptional foundation for a thoughtful restoration.Adding to its intrigue, the sellers report that the home may have been built by the builders of Toronto's iconic Maple Leaf Gardens and Eaton's College Street, a fascinating historical connection that has yet to be verified.Requiring significant renovation, this distinctive property presents a rare opportunity for a contractor, renovator or discerning buyer with the vision to restore its original grandeur.More than a renovation project, this is an opportunity to preserve and reimagine a piece of old Weston in one of the neighbourhood's most remarkable settings..In addition, this home also enjoys the benefits of nearby local amenities, shopping, resaturants and excellent transit including TTC, Go and Up Express. Minutes to the 401 and 400.
Nick's Notes:
Where do you move when you want to raise a family, need more space, or are ready to leave condo life behind? When the ‘it’ neighbourhoods are out of reach, or you're willing to explore somewhere less obvious in search of value? Where does a curious Torontonian move when every neighbourhood has already been discovered?
Perhaps the answer is a neighbourhood that has been overlooked rather than undiscovered. One with beautiful old homes, a strong sense of community, and enormous potential, but without the recognition or prices of its more fashionable counterparts.
I propose Weston Village may pique your curiosity.
A couple of years ago, I helped readers of this newsletter (and now good friends) purchase a home in Weston Village, the historic heart of the broader Weston neighbourhood. All indications are that the move has gone very well. Even in a real estate market that has turned against them, it is the neighbourhood that is growing and providing great value in their lives. It is the pride of ownership they and their neighbours have in their homes. It is the roots of the neighbourhood, formerly the Town of Weston, that provide a canvas of detached, character-driven, heritage-worthy homes on well-sized lots. It is a community theatre group called South Station Live working to bring live theatre to the area and secure space at one of the MANY condo projects proposed in the neighbourhood. And it is places like their local coffee house, the Rosemount Cafe, helping bring everyone together.
There seems to be a bit of an elbows-up attitude in Weston, where the people who live there stay there, or find their way back. There's a certain pride and protectiveness about the neighbourhood. People have each other's backs, because it isn't perfect, hasn't always been this good, and still has a way to go. It’s less likely in Weston that your neighbour is going to be looking in your window to see if you have the proper permit for your renovation, or if you have a permit at all. If you are a nitpicking, stick-in-the-mud asshole, don’t move to Weston. They don’t want you.
The transformation coming to Weston is potentially enormous. With the GO Train and UP Express connecting the neighbourhood to Union Station in as little as 16 minutes, and Pearson Airport in about 12, Weston has become a target for high-density development. The City has designated the area surrounding the station for significant population growth, and developers have responded with proposals for towers reaching 40 and 50 storeys. According to the City's own planning documents, there are 14 high-density developments in various stages of completion, construction or approval in Weston, representing approximately 10,300 new homes. Potentially 18,000 new residents. That's an enormous amount of development for a relatively small neighbourhood, and I have to wonder if there is another neighbourhood in Toronto with this much proposed construction relative to its existing size.
Of course, proposals are one thing, actually building them in this market is another. But the direction is clear, and if even a fraction of these projects materialize, Weston will look and feel very different in the years ahead. The question is whether all these new residents will help deliver the businesses, restaurants and amenities the neighbourhood is still missing.
Weston is the poster child for a neighbourhood in transition. The wealth gap between areas within the community is visible, and the affordable roots of the neighbourhood are deep. Touring the neighbourhood earlier this week, I could have just as easily been in an affluent midtown neighbourhood, with kids riding scooters in the middle of the street and parents following closely behind. I mention midtown because the original housing stock is not overly dissimilar to what you would find at Yonge & Lawrence, yet we are at Jane & Lawrence. On a particular short side street, my friend pointed out there are 26 kids living next to each other.
In the historic residential streets surrounding Weston Village, particularly between Lawrence and Church, the value proposition is undeniable. There are two streets in particular that you may want to target: King Street and Queens Drive (see below), but there are also plenty of character homes in the surrounding area.
If you are used to the downtown lifestyle, what you will miss is a great local sit-down restaurant. There is a lack of options within walking distance for restaurants that cater to families while serving great food. A lovely bistro or trattoria you will not find, yet. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t great food in the neighbourhood, especially takeout. Some of the best Mexican in the city is nearby at Comal y Canela, and there is quality Chinese at Pelmo Family Restaurant. There is also a popular spot called Old Nassau, which claims to be Toronto’s only authentic Bahamian restaurant.
And while Weston Village has plenty of potential, finding value here still requires a willingness to accept some compromises. Which brings me to this week's featured property, 7 Humberview Crescent. Located a little farther south, still within Weston, this house in many ways represents both the opportunity and uncertainty that comes with buying in the neighbourhood.
Humberview Crescent is a peculiar little pocket of just 10 lots, tucked between Weston Road and the Humber River. You would be forgiven for not knowing it exists. A few of the homes, like this one, are positioned along the edge of the ravine, with access from a lane. The fronts of the houses face the valley rather than the street, making the backyard seem like the front yard, and vice versa. Humberview Crescent was meant to extend around onto the ravine, creating a road in front of these homes, but today it stops at the ravine. It feels like a little hamlet, with some beautiful old homes, including a particularly interesting stone house at the end of the crescent.
I have found out that an investor owns four properties in this little enclave. The holdings have been assembled over decades, allegedly with ambitions to build apartment buildings. Those plans haven't materialized, and the investor continues to rent out at least one of the properties, specifically the rather dilapidated house beside 7 Humberview Cres. A suitable land assembly would have to take into consideration the mature trees and ravine setting. So the redevelopment potential is real, although hardly straightforward.
Meanwhile, there are still private homeowners here who take pride in their homes and that's part of the appeal. It has managed to retain its character despite sitting in an area that has long been considered for redevelopment. The investor assembling this land seems like a natural buyer for 7 Humberview, especially with their ownership of the property immediately next door. But they may not be the most motivated buyer or waiting for a better price. As I noted earlier, Weston has an immense number of delayed development proposals in the pipeline, and it's possible the moment has passed on this land assembly, which started in the late 1980s. Nevertheless, a new owner should know that the land next door could be redeveloped, with or without them.
The main floor has generously sized principal rooms with French doors, original hardwood floors, a wood-burning fireplace, leaded glass and plenty of architectural detail. The floors appear salvageable, as does much of the plaster, although in many places it is bulging or cracked. There are all kinds of interesting nooks and storage spaces tucked into otherwise unused areas. The four second-floor bedrooms are well proportioned, and you could potentially reconfigure them into three to create a much larger primary bedroom. There is also an enclosed sunroom on this level, which is above the mudroom off the kitchen. Figuring out what to do with this addition, if anything, is a conundrum. The third floor provides a finished attic, which could easily become an office or children's playroom, with perhaps an opportunity to squeeze out some additional usable space.
One of the biggest opportunities, in my opinion, is improving the natural light. The property is so heavily wooded that very little direct sunlight reaches the main floor, particularly with the substantial front porch overhang. There are also plenty of small windows throughout that aren't being used to their full potential. I would start by removing the window shades, as privacy isn't much of a concern here, and consulting an arborist about what could be selectively trimmed back, subject to the City's tree protection rules. Combined with some thoughtful landscaping, I suspect this would make an enormous difference inside and out. There are wonderful ravine views waiting to be opened up, and potentially even views of the Humber River at certain times of year. The large covered front porch was designed to overlook the ravine, and with the trees properly managed, I can imagine it becoming one of the best features of the property.
As for the condition of the house, there is work to be done, although not everything appears to be a lost cause. While the kitchen needs to be re-done, it is large enough to work with. The roof looked to be in reasonable shape from what I could see, and the full-height basement appeared relatively dry at the time of my viewing, with good ceiling height. The main electrical panel has been updated, but I suspect there is still knob-and-tube wiring in the house. Heating is an issue. The house currently has an oil-fired radiant heating system, and while some neighbouring properties with street frontage have natural gas, not all do and neither does this one. One neighbour has apparently converted entirely to electric. Bringing in natural gas is costly when you are set so far back from the street and it isn't clear where Enbridge would want to drill from (laneway or around the ravine) The property is being sold in as-is condition, so proper inspections and due diligence are needed.
Access is another unusual aspect of the property. You enter from a City lane, which has an overhead light and slopes slightly downhill away from the house, providing what appears to be good drainage. I'm told the lane is salted in winter and plowing isn't generally needed except for big dumps. It is shared by three homes, although only two currently use it regularly. There is parking for two cars, and where a garage once stood, there is now a rather dilapidated gazebo. It looks as though there may be room to move the fence inward to accommodate additional parking.
Living here obviously comes with a few compromises, plus the hum of traffic from busy Weston Road is noticeable, as are the GO and UP Express trains passing nearby. But I was surprised by just how serene the property felt, surrounded by mature trees and overlooking the ravine. I suspect much of that background noise would become less relevant once you were living here for a while. On the positive side, you have quick access to the 401, excellent transit and plenty of shopping within a five-minute walk. On the negative side, making a left turn onto Weston Road to head north from Humberview Crescent could become a daily frustration.
What interests me most about this property is the combination of its size, character, land and setting. You're getting a substantial old home with generous rooms, a private wooded lot and ravine views, all in a location with excellent access to the rest of the city. But you are also taking on a meaningful renovation, an unusual access arrangement and the possibility that the neighbouring properties may eventually be redeveloped. The renovation could easily become expensive, and the surrounding uncertainties will limit the pool of buyers willing to take it on. But there is something compelling about the opportunity to restore a nearly 100-year-old house in a setting like this.
Perhaps this is what makes Weston worth exploring. There is value here, but not always in the most obvious places, and certainly not without compromise. For someone with the budget, patience and imagination to take on a project like 7 Humberview Crescent, there is an opportunity to create something special. The question is what price makes taking on that risk worthwhile. Please give me a call to discuss.
