There are plenty of neighbourhoods in Toronto that, while off the beaten path, are among the most interesting and lively communities in the GTA. One of these neighbourhoods is The Junction, centred around the meeting place of major rail lines near the intersection of Dundas and Keele Streets. The Junction is home to an eclectic mix of shops, studios, restaurants, and cafes which occupy a mix of often well-preserved heritage building stock. The tree-lined side streets offer a mix of apartments and houses, most older and character-filled, with newer residential developments mixed in.

The Junction's unique feel is thanks to a now-lifted prohibition on the sale of alcohol in the area. Lasting from 1904 to the turn of the millennium, the ban on selling drinks kept restauranteurs and barkeeps away, and led to the decline of Dundas Street retail strip. With the first drink poured in a neighbourhood establishment in 2001, Dundas has slowly but surely seen its formerly frozen-in-time gems turned into hip hangouts with real charm, and the street has taken off. The creative class live on the surrounding streets and now socialize and shop on Dundas. Community spirit means that lots of events occur throughout the year now, and that includes the Junction Music Festival which will take place this Saturday, September 20th, 2014.

Photo from the 2013 The Junction Music Festival, image courtesy of The Junction Music Festival

This year's festival will feature musical performances from several artists, and is being sponsored in part by developer TAS, who is bringing a new mid-rise condominium development to the emerging art and design-oriented neighbourhood with DUKE Condos. Designed by Quadrangle Architects, DUKE—named for the Dundas (DU) and Keele (KE) intersection it will be built near—is offering 85 units, including 2 townhomes and 5 laneway live-work units ranging in size from 750 square-feet to 1,600 square-feet.

Rendering of DUKE Condos, image courtesy of TAS

DUKE's ground floor live-work units, geared towards small businesses and entrepreneurs, will be especially attractive to business owners looking to cut the often-impossible Toronto commute out of their daily routine, instead using a single flight of stairs to get from the "live" portion of their unit down to the "work" portion.

Rendering of live-work unit at DUKE Condos, image courtesy of TAS

As of mid-August, suites at DUKE were 77% sold, with only a few remaining opportunities to purchase in to the hip, up-and-coming neighbourhood located west of downtown. Residents of DUKE will enjoy several energy efficiency features which will save them a pretty penny on energy costs. In addition to energy saving touches including a largely brick-clad exterior with minimal use of glass, all units at DUKE come equipped with standard in-suite energy recovery ventilation (ERV) systems.

Rendering of DUKE Condos, image courtesy of TAS

Additional information and renderings can be found in our DUKE Condos dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment in the space provided at the bottom of this page.