Via Bloor, 575 Bloor St E: Tridel’s Rosedale-Edge Tower Reviewed

Via Bloor sits on a wedge of land where Bloor Street East bends toward the Prince Edward Viaduct, with Rosedale to the north and St. James Town to the south. Tridel built it with architectsAlliance, and it brings Tridel’s usual finish level and a full amenity package to a corner that has not had much new ownership housing. The catch is a higher fee than most of its downtown peers. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Two towers on a wedge-shaped block

The Via Bloor site is the narrow eastern end of a wedge-shaped block bounded by Bloor, Sherbourne, Howard and Parliament. Lanterra first assembled land here; Tridel bought the eastern properties and brought in architectsAlliance. Construction started in early 2018.

The plan is two towers on a shared podium: a 38-storey tower with 372 suites and a 46-storey tower with 397 suites. Condos.ca’s figures for 575 Bloor East match the 38-storey tower. The taller tower has a rounded triangular floor plate that follows the shape of the block and sits over the podium on sculptural columns, which gives the base an open public space at grade.

About 16,000 square feet of retail was planned along Bloor. For a part of Bloor East that has long been short on street-level shops, that is a meaningful change.

An unusually wide range of suites

Suites here run from about 395 square feet to more than 3,100. Very few downtown buildings span that range. At the bottom you have studio and compact one-bedroom plans aimed at investors. Most resale stock is one-bedroom, one-plus-den and two-bedroom suites between 500 and 1,000 square feet.

At the top, Tridel marketed five two-storey penthouses with private in-suite elevators. Those are a different product altogether and trade rarely, so treat any comparison with the rest of the building carefully.

In the mid-size two-bedrooms, look at the floor plan rather than the bedroom count. The 700 to 800 square foot two-bedrooms are efficient, but the 900-plus square foot plans are the ones that feel like a home rather than a compact suite.

What the amenity package covers

Tridel buildings usually lean on amenities, and Via Bloor does too. Marketing listed a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, fitness centre and party room, along with concierge. Condos.ca records the pool as outdoor; confirm the setting and season with management, because an indoor and an outdoor pool are very different in a Toronto winter.

Smart home technology was marketed as standard in each suite. In a building now a few years old, ask what the system actually controls and whether it still has software support.

How Via Bloor compares with nearby options

The closest alternatives for a buyer here are the older towers along Bloor East toward Sherbourne and the new towers further south in Moss Park and Corktown, such as Home Power Adelaide. The older Bloor towers are often cheaper per square foot and sometimes have larger suites, but they come with older systems and finishes.

The Moss Park and Corktown towers are similar in age and price per square foot, and some carry noticeably lower fees. What Via Bloor offers in return is Tridel’s construction and warranty track record, wet amenities and a location closer to Rosedale and the ravines.

For an owner who will use the pool and sauna, that is a fair trade. For an investor who will never use them, the higher fee is a cost that tenants will not pay for, and I would look harder at the alternatives before choosing Via Bloor.

Bloor and Parliament day to day

This is a crossroads. Rosedale and the ravines lie to the north, Cabbagetown is down Parliament to the south, and the Prince Edward Viaduct carries Bloor east into the Danforth. St. James Town, one of Canada’s densest neighbourhoods, is directly south, so the sidewalks are busy at most hours.

For daily errands, the new retail at the base should help over time, and the Yonge and Bloor area is reachable to the west. The panel on this page has the transit and walkability figures.

Pricing and fees at Via Bloor

The building averages about $829 per square foot. That is in line with other recent towers in this part of downtown, and well below what Tridel’s launch-era marketing suggested, which was above $1,100 per square foot. Downtown condo values have softened since 2022, so a buyer today is paying less than the original buyers did.

On current listings, one-bedroom and one-plus-den suites are asking between about $449,000 and $599,000, and two-bedroom suites between about $695,000 and $798,000. Those are asking prices; the sold report on this page shows what has actually closed.

Fees are the issue. Across current listings they run from about $476 to $891 a month, roughly $0.96 per square foot, which is higher than most 2020s towers nearby. Part of that is the pool and amenity package. Before you buy, ask for the budget and fee breakdown in the status certificate to see what is included, because the listing data I have does not confirm it.

Parking and lockers are also worth pricing separately. In many downtown towers a space adds to both the purchase price and the monthly fee, and not every suite here will have one. A suite with parking in this location is easier to sell later, so factor that into what you are willing to pay.

If you are comparing suites inside the building, look at the fee per square foot rather than the monthly total. Smaller suites tend to carry a higher fee per square foot, which can make a compact one-bedroom look cheaper on price but more expensive to hold.

Building specifications

Amenities at Via Bloor

The pool, sauna and steam room are what set Via Bloor apart from most new towers in this area, which have tended to drop wet amenities. That is a real lifestyle plus, and a real reason the fee runs higher.

Jatin’s honest take on Via Bloor

Via Bloor — frequently asked questions

Looking at Church–Wellesley, Corktown, Moss Park and Cabbagetown more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.