Downtown

The Downtown Heritage Conservation District is a designated area of about 400 properties. Municipal Council adopted the district on 11 April 2012. It was designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act on 18 June 2013. The London Plan puts Downtown at the top of the hierarchy of strategic growth areas.

The district is not everything people call downtown, and it is not the Downtown Business Improvement Area. A hire that says downtown has to say which map it means. Write that down, then start at The London Realtor.

The district line, including what it leaves out

The City's district page draws the boundary. On the west, the line is the centre-line of the Thames River from the Canadian National Railway tracks to Blackfriars Bridge. On the north, it is the south side of Fullarton Street between Ridout Street North and Richmond Street, then north along Richmond Street to include properties fronting the south side of Dufferin Avenue between Richmond Street and Wellington Street, including the west side of Wellington Street, where it abuts West Woodfield. On the east, it is the west side of Waterloo Street. On the south, it is King Street between Waterloo Street and Wellington Street, Dundas Street between Wellington Street and Clarence Street, and the Canadian National Railway tracks, excluding CitiPlaza.

Eldon House, Harris Park, and Ivey Park are inside the district. CitiPlaza is not. The Downtown Business Improvement Area is a separate map. The City lists it on the business improvement area page and does not publish that boundary here. Do not hire as if the two lines were the same.

A Heritage Alteration Permit follows the classes in the Downtown district plan, and only for a lot inside the district. The photograph above is Covent Garden Market. The photograph below is Dundas Street near Talbot Street, facing east. Neither caption is a finding that the frame is inside the district. Confirm the lot on CityMap.

What to ask before you hire

Ask whether the lot is inside the Downtown Heritage Conservation District or only near the name. Districts are marked by blue street signs with white text and a decorative top. The sign is not the business improvement area, and it is not a reason to ignore the CitiPlaza exclusion. West Woodfield abuts the north edge. Blackfriars/Petersville is a different district, though this district's westerly edge reaches Blackfriars Bridge.

Ask which class of alteration needs a Heritage Alteration Permit under the Downtown plan. The classes are not copied here. A listed property that is not designated is a different case.

Ask whether the written agreement names who represents you. It has to be in writing before services. See RECO's page on signing a contract with a brokerage. Market figures are on the LSTAR statistics page. This site prints no sold price. The other notes are on the neighbourhoods page.