From The Toronto Life Real Estate Guide:
As gentrification continues its bold march west, first-time buyers eager to find a home near the subway line have been snapping up homes in this up-and-coming area (which is actually a collection of smaller neighbourhoods: Bloorcourt, Dovercourt, Bloordale, Wallace, Emerson). New art galleries, bars, vintage stores and indie coffee shops have followed, sparking rumours that the Bloor strip between Lansdowne and Dufferin is the second coming of West Queen West. A lot of the residences in the northwest corner of the area were originally constructed for workers employed in the factories that once lined the railway. Development proposal signs dot formerly industrial lands and old factories are being reworked into condos. The western border is still a little dodgy (think empty storefronts and rooming houses) though house prices in the east have vaulted high enough to nearly close the gap between Bloorcourt and neighbouring Seaton Village. Some streets are a combination of recently renovated homes and places sorely needing some TLC. A large number of parks (sprawling Christie Pits creates the nabe’s verdant eastern border) help ease the slightly claustrophobic feel, but the narrow streets also add vibrancy.