“I immediately understood that an opportunity like this would not come again for the city of Toronto, “ says Sam Mizrahi, founder and president of Mizrahi Developments, recalling the moment he acquired the southwest corner of Yonge and Bloor where The One will reside. “We talk about how a home reflects its owner. I also think a building should capture the spirit of the city in which it is built.” That is just what The One will do.
The One, designed by Foster + Partners, a celebrated architectural firm responsible for reshaping the skyline of many cities in the world, is a sculptural residential tower with shimmering bronze trusses climbing the exterior.
Residences in The One, which will be the tallest residential building in Canada, have already set record-high prices per square foot at the Toronto Real Estate Board, according to Katy Torabi and Nancy Saedi of Royal LePage. Full-floor units as well as four-storey penthouses are without comparison in Canada, destined to appreciate as an investment. “For savvy investors with a vision, this is gold,” says Torabi. “Compared to similar condo residences in New York, units at The One are vastly under-priced.” To date, the rental waitlist for the building sits at more than 300 people.
With 85 floors and only 416 residences, the building provides the utmost privacy for residents. “We thought carefully about the psychology of home: what people want and how they want to feel,” says Mizrahi.
The hybrid exoskeleton allows sunlight in through sheer glass walls with a minimum of obstructing pillars, and windows that open in the residences. A large garden terrace creates a green oasis in the sky 300 feet above street level.
“What’s really exciting about architecture is the ability to transform people’s lives,” says Giles Robinson, lead architect for The One. “In the computer age, we have the ability to create and analyze structures that are way beyond the imaginations of previous generations.”
The One is located at a key focal point in the city, marking the intersection where Toronto takes pause, catches its breath, and indulges in the pursuit of beauty and leisure. Galleries, museums, restaurants and flagship stores for the world’s leading luxury brands are all within easy walking distance. The University of Toronto campus and the charming, historic neighbourhood of Yorkville are minutes away. Living here can be car-less, as the major hub of north-south and east-west subway lines is directly below. If residents wish to drive, valets will park and retrieve their cars from the underground garage.
Residents don’t even have to leave the building if they want to eat out. An entire level in the six-level podium will contain several best-in-class restaurants. A cozy bar in the boutique hotel, Andaz, is the perfect stop for a drink at the end of a busy day. Amenities include club rooms for private occasions as well as large event spaces, a fitness retreat and the ability to order food from the restaurants for parties anywhere in the building.
High above the activity of North America’s fourth largest city, the penthouses are unprecedented in Toronto. Conceived to give homeowners complete freedom in design, they are serene palaces of light where anything is possible: a personal lap pool, your own garden terrace, multilevel residences connected by private elevators, grand spiral staircases. In an iconic tower with the city spread out below like an intricate work of art, the residences will be as unique as the people who live in them.
“We felt an enormous responsibility in developing this property,” says Mizrahi. “There is no other location like this in Toronto, and we wanted to design a tower that would be legendary now and for years to come.”
