Markham Street, Toronto

Character

House numbering on Markham Street begins at Queen Street West. Walking north from Queen to Herrick Street, it is a two-lane street with traffic one-way down from north to south. The street is residential on both sides consisting of mainly of two-storey semi-detached or row houses north to College Street. Very few houses look alike. Many homes have Victorian or Edwardian architectural styles. At College, the street has multi-storey commercial buildings, including the former warehouse Pedlar People Building at 473-489 College St which contains many offices and Snakes and Lattes. On the south-east corner, is Ideal Lofts condominium. On the north-west corner at 474 College St. is a medical centre building. North of College, the street is lined with two-storey buildings, although further to the north, the homes are larger, and some are three storeys tall and Edwardian in vintage. North of Harbord, the homes continue in their eclectic mix of styles, generally three storeys, and semi-detached. North of Herrick Street, the traffic is one-way from south to north, part of the "traffic maze" in the neighbourhood implemented to reduce traffic flows through the neighbourhood. North of Lennox Street, the Mirvish Village block is two-way. Along this stretch, the former homes are all converted to art-related uses or retail, or restaurant uses. At Bloor, the large Honest Ed's west building dominates the intersection.

North of Bloor, the street intersects with the Bathurst Street subway station's west entrance and a municipal parking lot atop the subway on the west side. Further north on the east side is St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church and its associated buildings which dominate the block to London Street. Traffic is one-way north along this block, and it is one-way south along the rest of its length. On the next block north is Monsignor Fraser College on the full length of the west side. It is a modernist two-storey structure with brick facade like the neighbourhood. The homes along this stretch are typically two-storey semi-detached. North of Barton, the west side of the street is dominated by the 38 Barton Street apartment building, which is three and a half storeys in height (its first floor is elevated a half floor to give light to basement apartments). The street ends one block north at Folis Avenue.

The street intersects with several neighbourhoods consisting mainly of residential side streets full of semi-detached homes, mostly built in the early 20th century. The major cross streets Bloor Street, Harbord Street, College Street, Dundas Street and Queen Street West run east-west, are mainly commercial in nature and are two to four-lane arterial roads. To the east is Bathurst Street, running north-south, another four-lane arterial road with mostly residences along both sides. To the west is north-south Palmerston Boulevard.

Mirvish Village redevelopment

Mirvish Village is a commercial enclave on Markham Street that runs one block south of Bloor Street.

In March 2015, developer Westbank Properties, which had bought the Mirvish Village and Honest Ed's properties in 2013 announced their plans for the area. Markham Street from Bloor to Lennox Street would become a "pedestrian-friendly" street with restricted vehicular access. The roadway would be replaced with paving from paving stones, with added trees and expanded room for patios. Fourteen of the existing former homes along Markham would be retained, with new buildings at Bloor Street.

Landmarks

Political Electoral Districts

Municipal: Ward 19. Provincial: Trinity-Spadina. Federal: University—Rosedale.