Towering above the city at 80 storeys, a proposed skyscraper that would be built on the site of the former Stollery's building in downtown Toronto is getting some pushback from local residents who say the design isn't a reflection of the city's identity.
Dubbed "The One," the luxury condominium to be built at the southwest corner of Yonge and Bloor Streets will soar 318 metres high and will have eight floors of retail space once it's completed. It will also have approximately 600 parking spots, and will be the second tallest building in Toronto after the CN Tower.
The man behind the project, developer Sam Mizrahi, calls the building "iconic." He believes the condo at the heart of the city will help shape the fast-changing area in the years to come.
"This is one of the most important intersections of the city, if not the country," Mizrahi told CTV Toronto Thursday night, during the first community consultation for the project. "(Being) iconic is about addressing what the community needs -- to address them not only for today, but for the next 100 years."
The condo also has the backing of the neighbourhood's business owners. The Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area has previously endorsed the skyscraper, saying it will add value to the neighbourhood.
"There's a lot of positives about it (including) a world-renowned architect creating a condo that people can be proud of," executive director of the BIA Briar de Lange said earlier this year.
But not everyone is on board with the project. Despite recent modifications to the design that include moving the development back from the street and preserving the façade of a heritage building, some residents at Thursday's consultation meeting said they were concerned the condo isn't suited for the neighbourhood.
"I guess I feel that the area needs something that belongs to Canada, belongs to Toronto and I don't feel that this does. I don't think it represents what this city's about," Babs Church said.
The area's look and identity, however, is quickly changing.
The Bloor-Yonge condo is just one of many buildings that are being considered by the city. If they are approved, they will drastically change Toronto's skyline.
While some of these buildings are still far from being officially approved, residents and community leaders in the area have already voiced concerns about them, saying they will potentially overtax the city's infrastructure.
"Certainly we know that the subways are already quite at capacity during peak hours of travel and certainly we know that our parks are deficient. We don't have enough green space. The waiting list for childcare is quite long," said Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam. "So there's quite a bit of concern on whether we can handle this additional residential load."
If "The One" is approved, the developer has previously said they would like to see the retail space open by 2018 and the residential part by 2020.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Scott Lightfoot
