Our Featured Home of the Week

12/5/2008

Toledo, Ohio offers a wide range of homes for sale, from new construction with all the amenities to century homes whose very walls are imbued with history.

Toledo was originally two villages, Vistula and Port Lawrence. In 1837, they joined forces, incorporating as Toledo. The area which was Vistula is located just north of downtown; Port Lawrence was located in the southern portion of what is now downtown Toledo.

Downtown Toledo, a hub of business, has seen a surge in housing options in recent years. Lofts and condominiums are luring young professionals and empty nesters who want to be near the waterfront, Fifth Third Field, and downtown nightlife.

Just down Monroe Street, across from the famed Toledo Museum of Art, is the Old West End Historic District. It is the largest neighborhood of late Victorian, Edwardian and Arts and Crafts homes east of the Mississippi, a rare treasure. Homes here are known for their large size six bedroom homes are fairly common. Outstanding craftsmanship, beautiful woodwork, and intriguing details abound throughout these homes.

Follow the Maumee River just south of downtown, down Broadway toward the Toledo Zoo. River Road homes run the gamut from very modest to mansions. Neighborhoods along this thoroughfare include some of the finest parks in the city. Across from Walbridge Park, the Ivy League neighborhood, so-called because the streets are named for Ivy League schools, is undergoing a revitalization as young families are discovering and renovating these beautiful older homes.

Farther along River Road is the Beverly neighborhood, the jewel of South Toledo. This area includes many Colonial style two-story homes, as well as brick ranch homes, framed by mature shade trees.

North Toledo s neighborhoods include Point Place. Once a town of its own, it still retains its small town feel. With its proximity to the Ottawa River and Maumee Bay, it is a boater s paradise. Waterfront and waterview homes are always available.

North Toledo s Polish Village is another area that has its own, small-town feel. An area once inhabited mainly by Polish immigrants, homes here are, for the most part, small and economical.

West Toledo encompasses a wide variety of neighborhoods. Westmoreland, created for the wealthy business magnates who moved from the Old West End, is another neighborhood of large, beautiful homes, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The streets are named for cities in Virginia; the rolling hills throughout the neighborhood were thought to be reminiscent of that state.

As one follows Bancroft Street toward the University of Toledo, Bancroft Hills is bordered on one side by Ottawa Park. With its walking trails, tennis courts, picnic grounds, golf course, ice rink, amphitheater and nature center, the park provides many recreational opportunities for residents.

Closer to the university is Old Orchard. Stately homes, tall mature trees, and easy access to shopping and cultural events make this one of the area s most desirable neighborhoods.

West Toledo also encompasses many other neighborhoods. BUMA, or Bancroft-Upton-Monroe area, was once a hub of commercial activity. This neighborhood of Arts and Crafts style homes is undergoing a resurgence, with new investments leading to a comeback for this older part of the city. Farther north, the Deveaux neighborhood is solidly middle class, yet features the curving streets and mature trees found in many more upscale neighborhoods.

North of this is the Whitmer-Trilby area. Part of the Washington Local school system, many of these homes were built in the 1950s and 60s, and styles include the bungalows, ranches and split-levels so popular in that era.

Across the Maumee River, East Toledo is experiencing the biggest building boom of any part of Toledo. New homes have been built adjacent to International Park, where The Docks lures diners and boaters to the restaurants. Nearby, the old Sports Arena has been bulldozed to make way for the Marina District, a 125-acre project that will include a 5,000 seat amphitheater, boat docks, a river walk and bike path, and as many as 1,100 homes.

While many of East Toledo s neighborhoods have seen some decline, this area boasts many bargains for those looking for quality homes.

This space could not possibly cover every community within the city. In a nutshell, Toledo s many neighborhoods offer housing for nearly every budget.