Downtown
St James Town
History of St James Town
St. James Town began in the 1870's as a desirable upper middle class neighbourhood. It was filled with picturesque Victorian houses and remained popular with Toronto home buyers until well into the 1900's.
A turning point for the St. James Town neighbourhood occurred in 1953 when the City of Toronto announced major zoning amendments for the downtown core. The new zoning significantly increased building coverage in St. James Town making it an instant target for private developers.
By the end of the 1950's, a consortium of developers had bought up and demolished St. James Town's entire housing stock in order to build Toronto's first high-rise residential apartment towers.
The St. James Town apartments were originally planned and designed as a neighbourhood for upwardly mobile singles and professionals. However, almost from the start St. James Town has been populated by low to moderate income families.
Upcoming Events
Feb 4, 2012 · Arts Lua Shayenne: Afro-Roots Dance Workshop and Performance at Harbourfront CentreFeb 10, 2012 · Arts Meet Me at the Market: St. Lawrence NeighbourhoodFeb 19, 2012 · Family HarbourKIDS SK8Mar 12, 2012 · Family Harbourfront Centre’s March Break Camps