With the real estate market in Niagara as hot as ever, people are buying, selling and relocating like crazy. Whether you are new to St. Catharines or you are a local looking for the best new neighbourhood to move to, I have a tip — check out midtown.
The Rise of Midtown St. Catharines
Midtown St. Catharines is an area that I think is often, and unfortunately, overlooked, but last year started to see its rise to the top. Located between Geneva Street, Carleton Street, Vine Street and Welland Avenue, many young professionals and out-of-towners were going head to head to score a home in the newly sought after area.
In fact, 2016 saw an increase of homes being sold in midtown, from 54 to 71, with the average sold price seeing a 20% increase! It felt like every listing was seeing multiple offers, driving sales up over asking with century-old homes starting in the $220,00s and now seeing prices in the $300,000s! And with The Fountains, an 18-unit luxury townhome development, coming soon, I’m sure we’re going to see even more locals and out-of-towners relocating to midtown!
Why Midtown is the Place to Be
First of all, the location can’t be beat! Proximity to Downtown St. Catharines aside (who doesn’t want to be close to our amazing, revamped downtown core?), you’re close to the highway, minutes to shopping and conveniently located in the middle of it all. Although, with its urban charm, classic and bohemian architecture, you might not want to leave.
Now, let’s talk schools — Midtown has three amazing schools, a new elementary school, a completely retrofitted middle and school and a beautiful century-old, historic high school. The highlight is the brand new Harriet Tubman Elementary School opened its doors in September 2015, the result of the amalgamation of older, underpopulated neighbourhood schools. Featuring state-of-the-art classrooms, innovative programs that meet the needs of all of their students, Harriet Tubman Public School is a huge asset to the families in the neighbourhood.
Midtown is filling up with tonnes of young people who are into an active lifestyle, and it’s pretty obvious why. The Russell Avenue Community Centre hosts programs for all ages, with a splash pad, playground and dog park on site as well. The Terry Fox Trail runs through the middle of the neighbourhood, perfect for family walks and bike rides!
What’s to Come to Midtown
With every zoning imaginable, Midtown is already home to an old school variety store, financial investment offices, a high-end appliance store, wellness offices, and some class commercial plants thriving in the middle of the city. And as Midtown grows in popularity for homebuyers, I’m confident we’re going to be seeing more to come.
