One Bloor

One Bloor, previously One Bloor East and Number One Bloor, is a mixed-use skyscraper at the intersection of Bloor Street and Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The project was initially launched by developer Bazis International Inc. in 2007, before being cancelled and re-developed by Great Gulf Homes. As of 2018, it is the 10th tallest residential building outside of Asia and the 40th tallest residential building in the world.

One Bloor
View of the building from north-west
General information
StatusComplete
TypeResidential and retail
Location1 Bloor Street East
Toronto, Ontario
Coordinates43.6702°N 79.3865°W / 43.6702; -79.3865
Construction startedAugust 2011
Topped-outFall 2015
CompletedLate 2017
Height
Roof257 m (843 ft)
Technical details
Floor count76
Floor area68,634 square metres (738,770 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architecture firmHariri Pontarini Architects
DeveloperGreat Gulf Homes
Main contractorTucker Hi-Rise Construction

History

There have been several attempts to build a residential building at No. 1 Bloor Street East. In 2005, a 60-storey tower was proposed by Young and Wright.[1] The site was sold to Bazis International and then to Great Gulf Homes. The site was formerly a two storey retail building with a Harvey's and City Optical on the ground floor, which was demolished once the One Bloor project proceeded.

Bazis proposal

In 2007, an 80-storey proposal was announced with much fanfare by Bazis International. The existing two-storey buildings located on the site were demolished in December 2008.

It was to be approximately 275 metres (902 ft) tall and was designed by Rosario Varacalli.[1] The proposal called for a semi-transparent metal and glass tower with environmentally friendly and efficient technology. The building planned to include 189 hotel rooms and 612 condominium units.

In July 2009, both the final scope and the eventual fate of the project were called into question. News reports stated that the height would be reduced to 67 storeys to reduce the construction costs.[2] The Toronto Star also reported that a group of lenders sought to have their $46 million loan be repaid, or that the court allow them to buy the vacant land. The lenders reportedly made a failed bid of $50.5 million to Bazis for the land.[3] Bazis purchased the site for $63 million in 2007, and cited the global lending crisis as a reason for the height reduction and the loan being in default.[4]

Sale to Great Gulf

On July 22, 2009, the Toronto Star reported that Bazis has sold the property to privately held Great Gulf Homes, who have expressed interest in building a skyscraper on the site.[5] The Bazis proposal died as a result of the sale. Great Gulf Homes relaunched the plans to build a condo tower there with a new design, reduced height (initially 91 to 80, but then 80 floors to 65), and a new name. Buoyed by strong sales, One Bloor grew from the downsized 65 floors to 70 floors and again to 75 floors. The skyscraper's final height is 257 metres (843 ft), making it the second tallest residential tower in Toronto and Canada, after Aura.[6]

The building is designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, overseen by David Pontarini. Number One Bloor features over 27,000 square feet (2,500 m2) of resort-inspired amenities on the sixth and seventh floors designed by Cecconi Simone. On the seventh floor terrace, there is 19,000 square feet (1,800 m2) of outdoor amenity space designed by Janet Rosenberg + Associates, Landscape Architecture/Urban Design. The six-storey podium includes 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) of retail space.[7] One major tenant, the Seattle-based Nordstrom Rack chain opened a 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2) store in May 2018. It is the chain's first Canadian location.[8]

Chick-fil-A controversy

American chicken sandwich chain Chick-fil-A opened its first standalone Canadian location at street level on September 6, 2019 amid protests over the homophobic beliefs held by the evangelical owner of the restaurant chain and donations to anti-LGBT organizations,[lower-alpha 1] especially given the location's proximity to Toronto's main LGBT community of Church and Wellesley.[9][10]

Construction

The final scheme comprises a 76-storey condominium tower built by Great Gulf Homes. The two-storey buildings located on the site were demolished in December 2008. Construction began in August 2011,[11] and the tower topped out in late 2015.

  • One Bloor site, September 2009
  • Foundations of One Bloor in January 2013
  • One Bloor construction site in April 2015

See also

Notes
  1. According to American civil rights organization Southern Poverty Law Center's definition of anti-LGBT organizations

References
  1. Bentley Mays, John (September 11, 2015). "Yonge-Bloor reinvention is indeed special: As One Bloor takes shape, it is revealed as robust, dramatic and briskly urbane". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. G2.
  2. Donovan, Kevin (July 18, 2009). "Yonge-Bloor development on the brink". Toronto Star. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  3. Wong, Tony (July 14, 2011). "One Bloor finally breaks ground". Toronto Star.
  4. Daly, John (April 11, 2011). "One Bloor East reveals T.O.'s unquenchable thirst for condos". The Globe and Mail.
  5. Donovan, Kevin (July 22, 2009). "Tower's future up in the air as Yonge-Bloor site being sold". Toronto Star.
  6. "One Bloor East Urban Toronto Database". Urban Toronto. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  7. Hume, Christopher (February 13, 2015). "Bloor Street may be messy, but it's vital". Toronto Star. p. GT 4.
  8. "Nordstrom Rack launches first Canadian Location at One Bloor" (Press release). First Gulf. February 23, 2016.
  9. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/chik-fil-a-toronto-opening-1.5273381
  10. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/09/06/protesters-rally-at-chick-fil-a-opening-in-toronto-over-owners-record-on-lgbtq-issues.html
  11. "Number One Bloor". MENA Report. May 19, 2015.
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