80-storey mixed use building approved for the corner of Yonge and Bloor

Local residents association argues developer Sam Mizrahi rushed development process

An 80-storey mixed-use building on the southwest corner of Yonge Street and Bloor Street was approved with conditions by Toronto City Council last month. 

The luxury condominium tower, dubbed “The One,” will be located at 1 Bloor St. W., the former site of the Stollerys department store. The One will include retail space on the first nine storeys, along with 416 residential units.

The final report by city planning was met with considerable opposition from local residents’ groups and the Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area (BIA). In letters addressed to city staff, several groups criticized the project for being rushed.

Developer Sam Mizrahi said the entire process has been meticulously planned over the past year and a half, taking into account the concerns of all stakeholders at six working group meetings.
“It was the exact opposite of rushed.… And we actually addressed all of the concerns through roundtable discussions,” said Mizrahi.

Outstanding issues listed by local stakeholders include requests to reduce the density, to more sensitively address the existing heritage building and to resolve wind issues exemplified by the Four Seasons facility nearby.

The Greater Yorkville Residents’ Association (GYRA) also opposed the installation of traffic lights at Balmuto Street and Bloor and argued for the need for an underground pathway to the TTC subway station.

“There’s going to be a lot of pedestrians, a lot of traffic, and we feel strongly that there should be an underground connection to the subway,” said Alan Baker of GYRA.

Ward 27 councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam said the approval is subject to Mizrahi’s ability to secure parkland and an underground PATH connection.

However, according to Coun. Wong-Tam, the property owner to the north of Bloor St., KingSett, has to agree to the connection and share costs. So far, negotiations have not been successful.

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