Moss Park Homes & Real Estate Toronto

Moss Park — the area of downtown Toronto extending north from Queen Street East to Shuter Street and west from Trefann Street to Jarvis Street — was once part of 100 acres of parkland, owned by William Allan, one of the wealthiest men in town in the early 1800s. In 1830, Allan commissioned construction of a vast mansion on his estate, and named it Moss Park. The mansion stood were the city park of the same name is today.

On William’s death in 1853, the Moss Park estate passed to son George, a future Mayor of Toronto. George lost no time in sub-dividing the land, and the neighbourhood became one of the young city’s more affluent areas, known for its handsome Victorian houses.

Little remains of this original community. In 1962, the old homes fell to the wrecking ball. In their place, The Toronto Community Housing Corporation built a massive public housing project — the trio of 16-storey, 300-unit subsidized apartment towers that today characterize Moss Park and generate a negative reputation for the area.

Despite the neighbourhood’s acknowledged social ills, however, the many small streets and the areas on the periphery can surprise. Berkeley Street, for example, with its row of attractive gabled homes and landscaped plots... Wilkins Avenue, a street of just 20 houses and its own residents-only parking... or the mix of old and new townhomes on Trinity, just north of Eastern Avenue. Home-buyers looking for a fixer-upper might do well to check Seaton to the north of Dundas Street, where homes awaiting a renovator owner mix with already renovated Edwardian style homes.

The neighbourhood’s negative reputation produces deals unlikely to be matched elsewhere in downtown; meanwhile, the continuing gentrification of adjacent neighbourhoods such as Cabbagetown, Corktown and The Garden District makes Moss Park a solid bet to see appreciation considerably above average.

For shopping, residents of Moss Park homes are close to the Sherbourne, Queen Street East and Parliament retail strips, and within walking distance of St. Lawrence Market.

The area is served by three public and two Catholic elementary schools and two high schools.

For recreation, the John Innes Community Center offers an indoor swimming pool, gym, weight room, running/jogging track, and woodworking/craft room.

For current information on available listings for Moss Park homes and real estate, please see the column at the right of this page. Listings are updated daily, so we recommend that you bookmark this page and check back frequently.