Boundaries
Yorkville is bounded in the south by Bloor Street, in the north by Davenport Road, in the east by Avenue Road, and in the west by Yonge Street.
History
Yorkville was established in the earlier half of the 19th century as a village. Even today, Bloor Street pays homage to the founder Joseph Bloor. Even though the original village is close to two centuries old, the character of Yorkville has always remained as it is today. In the Victorian era, you could see small houses and gardens in the area. Today, they may have been replaced by flashier counterparts but Yorkville's reputation as a cultural centre of Toronto remains as it was then.
Over the decades, Yorkville has been a great centre for arts culture as well as movements in the city of Toronto. From musicians and writers to eminent playwrights, Yorkville has been home to them all. Additionally, it played an important role as an epicentre in the hippie movement. The Rochdale College established on Bloor street was a radical new idea in education for the time that it existed. The list of eminent personalities from Yorkville is long and illustrious.
Neighbourhood Characteristics
If you want to splurge on nothing but the best, Yorkville is the place to head to in Toronto. Fine dining, art and, of course, shopping, make Yorkville the heart and soul of trendy Toronto. Yorkville has become synonymous with ultra high end living.
The single biggest factor in transforming Yorkville to a desirable commercial centre has been the Toronto subway. It won't be an exaggeration to say that the presence of the subway has transformed Yorkville from what it was to what it is. The opening of the Bloor-Danforth subway could be considered as the onset of the transformation of Yorkville. Slowly, the whole region transformed from the quaint Victorian district that it was to a full fledged office and commercial district. Large retail spaces also emerged. Today, Yorkville is the foremost destination for shoppers in the city of Toronto. It can compete with any area in North America.
Bloor Street forms the main shopping district in Yorkville. It is upscale, exclusive and plays host to a large number of top fashion stores from all over the world. Not only will you find great shopping options along the entire stretch but also expensive cafe's, top-notch restaurants , art galleries and the like. If you have money to burn and a taste for the best, Yorkville is the place to head to.This is reaffirmed by the fact that Yorkville played host to the very first luxury five-star hotel in Canada.
Surveys over the years have shown that Yorkville has some of the most expensive retail spaces in the entire continent. Rents in the region can be as much as $300 per square foot. Even at such atmospheric prices, there is no lack of takers for the space. That is because the popularity of Yorkville ensures that any commercial venture in the region will rake in a lot of profit, even with such high rents.
