Number One Bloor

Number One Bloor is a condominium development at the southeast corner of Yonge Street and Bloor Street in Toronto. The development replaced the former 1 Bloor East plan by Bazis International. The building will have 687 units.^[2]

History

In the past, there has been attempts to build a residential building at 1 Bloor Street East. The site was formerly a two storey retail building with a Harveys and City Optical on the ground floor, which was demolished once the One Bloor project proceeded.

One Bloor East

In 2007, the 80-story One Bloor East (also 1 Bloor East) was announced with much fanfare by Bazis International with marketing by Montana Steele.^[1] The existing two-storey buildings located on the site were demolished in December 2008.

It was to be approximately 275 m (902.2 ft) tall and was designed by R. Varacalli Architect Inc. 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.^[3]

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.^[4] The Toronto Star also reported that a group of lenders sought their $46 million loan be repaid or that the court allow them to buy the vacant land. Bazis purchased the site for $63 million in 2007 and have cited the global lending crisis as a reason for the height reduction and the loan being in default.^[5]

Number One Bloor

Number One Bloor site, September 2009.

Number One Bloor construction site in April 2015.

On July 22, 2009, the 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.^[6] The Bazis proposal died as a result of the sale. The site was sold to Great Gulf Homes, who relaunched the plans to build a condo 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 will be 257 m (844 ft), making it the second tallest residential tower in Toronto and Canada, after Aura.^[7] The first move in date is projected to be by early 2015.

^[1]

The building is designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, overseen by David Pontarini.^[2] 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.^[2]

The six-storey podium will include 100,000 square feet (9,300 m²) of retail space.^[1]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Number One Bloor.

• Number One Bloor
• Great Gulf Homes