1 Bloor East, DEAD AND BURIED (Bazis, -2s, Varacalli)

[MajorComplainer]

Every project goes up, there's always some complainers

 

[caltrane74]

I am terrified that they are going to kick these "junky" tenants out and demolish the buildings only to have an empty, boarded up lot sit untouched for years (decades?) when they have trouble selling such a massive project. This has the potential to make the legendary Metropolis hoarding seem like a piece of public art if the condo market goes south.

The way Bazis is moving, I really dont think they care if they can move even 1 unit. This building is going up.

 

[casaguy]

whats needed is a balance, not too rich, not too poor, not to many chain stores, but at the sametime not let it become filthy run down strips of dollar stores, the natural world always supports diversity.

But isn't this EXACTLY what Yonge Street is between Bloor and King? (although perhaps a little too heavy on the run down dollar/electronics stores)

I think the argument is that one of Canada's most famous intersections deserves to be glammed up a bit... Just the intersection. Everything else will run off of it.

 

[casaguy]

The way Bazis is moving, I really dont think they care if they can move even 1 unit. This building is going up.

I'm willing to wager 1 Bloor will sell just as quickly and easily as The L Tower.

Remember those long, overnight line ups for "Beyond the Sea?"

People need a gimmick.

1 Bloor's got it.

 

[AndreaPalladio]

Is Yonge & Bloor famous in Canada? I'd say it's little though of beyond the next concession lines in any direction, let alone further out. I doubt people in Moncton, or Yellowknife, or Victoria spend much time thinking about Stollerys + CIBC + RBC + City Optical, and why would they?

 

[casaguy]

I doubt people in Moncton, or Yellowknife, or Victoria spend much time thinking about Stollerys + CIBC + RBC + City Optical, and why would they?

They don't... but I guarantee you they've heard of Yonge & Bloor.

 

[wyliepoon]

I guess anybody who's been to Toronto and takes the subway to go downtown have heard of Yonge and Bloor. They might not have been outside of Bloor-Yonge station, but seeing the two subway lines intersect there would give them an idea of how important the intersection above is.

whats needed is a balance, not too rich, not too poor, not to many chain stores, but at the sametime not let it become filthy run down strips of dollar stores, the natural world always supports diversity.

Perhaps what's needed is a whole strip of independent bubble tea shops, fusion restaurants and Asian fashion stores... Pacific Mall style. I think the entrepreneurial spirit there (which is similar to what you would find in Asian cities) would work really well downtown.

 

[AndreaPalladio]

They don't... but I guarantee you they've heard of Yonge & Bloor.

Really? Why? Nothing of importance happens there...why would they have heard of it, any more that most Torontonians think of intersections in Vancouver or Halifax or Ottawa.

 

[allabootmatt]

Re: the potential of having an empty lot--

Keep in mind the different investor profiles of the companies responsible for 1 Bloor and Metropolis/TL Square. For the latter, it was a pension fund; extremely conservative in its investments and thinking on a long timescale. Thus to them waiting it out on Metropolis was no big deal, and indeed necessary if there were a slight chance it wouldn't be an immediate success.

For the former, you have an aggressive developer backed by people in Kazakhstan whose wealth is largely immune to supply and demand, except as it applies to oil. Combine that with the fact that Bazis is clearly looking to make a big push into North America with 1 Bloor as a flagship development and they're not going to go at this conservatively. Construction will be very quick indeed, is my prediction--especially since, oil or no oil, selling units at the corner of Yonge and Bloor (!) is going to be no problem.

 

[casaguy]

Really? Why? Nothing of importance happens there...why would they have heard of it, any more that most Torontonians think of intersections in Vancouver or Halifax or Ottawa.

Maybe you are new to Canada? I'll give you some leverage for that.

If not, then ask your friends in Vancouver and Halifax and Ottawa if they know what Yonge & Bloor is. You might be surprised.

I was born and raised in a small Canadian town and I'm pretty sure I was familiar with the term before I reached puberty. I'm sorry to have to inform you that it's probably just as familiar as the term "Times Square".

 

[Sir Novelty Fashion]

I dunno. I've heard of Portage and Main, despite never having been. And that's Winnipeg, for chrissakes.

 

[interchange42]

Lord Foppington muttering "chrissakes"? You've been into the sherry!

42

 

[caltrane74]

Portage and Main..

One of the world's finest intersections....oddly enough, its in Winnipeg.

 

[ShonTron]

Just about everyone's heard of Portage and Main who knows anything about Canadian geography. That was certainly a place to see the first time I've been to Winnipeg. It's better known than nearly any other intersection in Canada, I might guess more than Bloor and Yonge, though everyone would know Yonge (like how people are familiar with East Hastings or Granville in Vancouver, George Street in St. John's, Ste-Catharine in Montreal.) Winnipeg merely has an intersection.

 

[Yorked]

I think in recent years you're probably right that not much happens at the corner, but going back for me, I associate the corner with the uptown theatre (and the 2 or 3 other theatres around there 10-15 years ago). remember when TIFF used to do screenings there? red carpet and all.

the corner used to be a lot nicer than it is today.