Uptown Toronto
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Uptown Toronto is the area between Lawrence Avenue to the south, Steeles Avenue to the north, Bayview Avenue to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west, in the northern end of Toronto, Ontario, Canada (north of Midtown.) It is centralized along Yonge Street between Finch Avenue and Sheppard Avenue, in a neighborhood commonly known as North York Centre.
[edit] Southern portion
The southern portion of Uptown is the area below Highway 401, around York Mills Avenue and Lawrence Avenue. It has 2 major communities, York Mills and Lawrence Park, which both remain quite distinct from the northern portion of Uptown. These neighborhoods more resemble the traditional wealthy enclaves of Old Toronto like Rosedale, Forest Hill and The Beaches. The area is home to many large homes, a stretch of retail along Yonge st. and a few luxury apartments.
Several high-rise condominiums have recently been built north of York Mills, closer to highway 401.
[edit] Northern portion
The northern portion of Uptown is strikingly different than that of the southern portion. Most of the area is made of tree-lined streets, dotted with both suburban bungalows and 'McMansions'. Along Yonge st., the centre of the region, there is a bustling scene of a 6-lane boulevard, enclosed on both sides by both large and small retailers. Lined by trees and wide sidewalks, this stretch has also had a massive transformation, with dozens of high-rise condominiums and office towers. The subway has been the main factor for development in this area.
Bathurst is much more toned down, with a sharp turn from a somewhat 'suburban' paradise to regular Toronto suburbia, mixed in with high-rise, low-rent complexes resembling those a few kms away at Jane and Finch. Bayview is a mix of Bathurst and Yonge, with much less of a low-income slant.
[edit] Subway
There are 6 subway stops on the Yonge-University-Spadina and Sheppard lines, including Lawrence, York Mills, Sheppard, North York Centre, Finch, and Bayview. The subway is, arguably, the main reason that Uptown's high-rise boom exists.
