UrbanToronto forum users have been closely following The One's rise, regularly posting photos and updates to document his progress. Lately, the discussion has centered on when the tower would surpass the height of its immediate neighbor, One Bloor East, which stands 800 feet tall and 76 stories high. While some images cause debate, the latest photos, like the one from Southwest below from October 11, appear to show that The One has now overtaken One Bloor East, making it the tallest building at the busy intersection of Yonge and Bloor Streets sixth tallest skyscraper in Toronto.
One's elevator core abuts One Bloor East, image by AHK, UrbanToronto Forum contributor
In UrbanToronto's last major update in February 2024, it was mentioned that The One was reaching 50 floors and preparing for its third mechanical stage. Designed by Foster + Partners and Core Architects, originally for Mizrahi Developments, the tower is now nearing its fourth mechanical stage on the way to its final number of – probably 85, not 91 – floors and 308.6 m. A year ago, in October 2023, the project was seen below after reaching the second mechanical stage.
Looking southeast at The One in October 2023, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor jer1961
From the same vantage point, The One has risen to the height of One Bloor East this month and is mostly hidden behind it on the left. Visible are the two completed two-story sloped mechanical sections, variously covered in blue netting, one over the 18th floor and one over the 38th floor. The tower's megacolumns and hangers are the building's main architectural gesture, with the repeating pattern of three sets of six floors forming 18 residential floor sections: the cladding expresses the actual structural system that lies behind it. The Rail Climbing System (RCS), seen above the second mechanical section, a weatherproof area behind which the fairing is installed, aids in efficient installation.
The One, a year later, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor jer1961
In this distant view looking north along Yonge Street, taken on October 10, The One and its tower crane, now the tallest crane in Canada, are clearly to the left. On the right, One Bloor East still appears slightly higher, reflecting the ongoing debate in the UrbanToronto Forum, although the top of the elevator core, slightly further from the camera, is difficult to clearly see from this vantage point.
A distant view looking north from Yonge Street at The One (left) and One Bloor East (right), image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Paclo
From Cumberland Avenue, The One and One Bloor East stand side by side, providing a clearer visual comparison of their heights. Forum users have been debating their height based on the shadow that The One's core casts directly on the upper levels of One Bloor East, although the sun doesn't tend to stay still, as we've noted.
Looking southeast at The One and One Bloor East from Cumberland Drive, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Rascacielo
This northeast-facing view below highlights the current upper section of The One, reaching approximately the 73rd or 74th floor, although the exact floor is obscured by the blue security shapes that begin on the 70th floor. Above is a red concrete boom pump actively working on the core. The third mechanical section is visible further down and is surrounded by more blue shapes. Further down you can see the second mechanical section under the RCS and three levels of window panels.
From this angle, the tower's height now appears to exceed One Bloor East on the right. The construction team is just a few floors away from the fourth and final sloped mechanical section. The structure will then culminate with a final residential section and a mechanical penthouse.
Looking northeast at the core of The One, now slightly surpassing One Bloor East on the right, image by jer1961, UrbanToronto Forum contributor
In this view from the street, The One stands prominently on the right. Since the last update, the white facade on the ground floor has fallen away, revealing the dark curtain wall of the ground floor retail space.
Looking southwest at the ground floor retail area, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor jer1961
As construction progresses, The One moves ever closer to its next goal – surpassing First Canadian Place at 298.08m and securing the title of tallest building in Canada. From then on, it approaches reaching “supertall” status at 300m and is on its way to its final height of 308.6m – or possibly the revised height of 328.4m if a potential new partner, the the recipient is currently looking, decides to build as high as is permissible.
UrbanToronto will continue to monitor the progress of this development, but in the meantime you can learn more in our database file linked below. If you'd like, you can join the discussion in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the designated area on this page.
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UrbanToronto has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area – from proposal to completion. We also offer instant reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from the first application.
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