One Bloor

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.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5]

On July 22, 2009, the Toronto Star reported that Bazis had 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. 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 Canada, after nearby Aura.[7]

The building is designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, overseen by David Pontarini. Number One Bloor features over 2,500 m² (27,000 sq ft) of resort-inspired amenities on the sixth and seventh floors designed by Cecconi Simone. On the seventh floor terrace, there is 1,800 m² (19,000 sq ft) of outdoor amenity space designed by Janet Rosenberg + Associates, Landscape Architecture/Urban Design. The six-storey podium includes 9,300 m² (100,000 sq ft) of retail space.[8] One major tenant, the Seattle-based Nordstrom Rack chain opened a 3,700 m² (40,000 sq ft) store in May 2018 and closed it in May 2023. It was the chain's first Canadian location.[9]

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.[10][11]