One Old Mill, 1 Old Mill Dr: Tridel Quality at the Humber, Read the Fees

One Old Mill is the building I show buyers who want Bloor West Village and the Humber River without giving up a concierge, a pool and Tridel construction. It is the first and taller of the two Tridel buildings at Bloor and Old Mill Drive, finished in 2014, and it trades at a premium most of its neighbours cannot touch. Whether that premium is worth it depends on the suite and on a fee that has climbed a long way since launch. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A boutique Tridel pair at the edge of the valley

One Old Mill and Two Old Mill were built as a pair by Tridel and designed by Kirkor Architects and Planners. UrbanToronto reported One Old Mill complete and occupied in spring 2015, with Two Old Mill following a few months behind. They sit a short walk from the historic Old Mill Inn and the Humber River, at the point where Bloor West Village’s shops give way to the valley.

The buildings are deliberately modest in height for this stretch of Bloor, which is mostly low-rise and mid-rise. One Old Mill is the taller of the two, finished in beige stone and concrete with large, black-framed windows. It reads as a quiet, traditional building rather than a glass tower, and that is a large part of why it appeals to people who already live nearby.

Sources disagree on the exact size. Condos.ca lists 13 storeys and 279 suites, while UrbanToronto and strata.ca give 12 storeys and 278 suites. The difference is likely how the penthouse and ground floors are counted, but if precise numbers matter to you, the condo’s declaration will settle it.

Layouts, ceilings and the larger suites

Strata.ca lists suites from about 549 to 2,200 sq ft, in one-bedroom, one-bedroom-plus-den, two-bedroom, two-bedroom-plus-den and three-bedroom plans. Ceilings are listed at nine feet. Finishes are typical of a 2014 Tridel building: hardwood or engineered flooring, granite counters, stainless appliances, floor-to-ceiling windows and ensuite laundry.

What distinguishes the building is the upper end. There are genuine family-sized and downsizer suites here, with larger terraces on some upper floors, and those are rare on this part of Bloor. The one-bedrooms and one-bedroom-plus-dens are what come up most often for sale, and right now every active listing falls into that group.

When Two Old Mill launched, The Globe and Mail reported that Tridel had made many of its one-bedroom-plus-den plans larger than usual, at around 780 to 800 sq ft, with two full bathrooms. That article was about the sister building, so check whether the One Old Mill plan you are viewing has the same feature. A one-bedroom-plus-den with a second bathroom lives very differently from one without.

The rooftop and the green building story

The landscape architects, Janet Rosenberg & Studio, designed the green roof on the amenity terrace for both buildings, mixing grasses, shrubs and trees with mostly native, drought-tolerant planting watered by harvested rain. The firm says the project met Toronto Green Standard Tier 2 and LEED Gold, and the roof won a 2018 Green Roofs for Healthy Cities design award.

Inside, listings and building profiles describe an indoor pool, a gym, a party room, a media room, a meeting room, a visitor lounge, guest suites, a 24-hour concierge and visitor parking. For a building of under 300 suites, that is a full package, and the rooftop is the part people remember after a showing.

What the fee covers, and why it has climbed

Condos.ca lists the fee as covering common elements, building insurance, parking, water and air conditioning. Strata.ca says none of hydro, heat, air conditioning or water is included. When the pair launched, The Globe and Mail reported that utilities would be individually metered, which supports the view that you pay your own hydro, and possibly your own heating and cooling. Confirm it in the status certificate before you budget.

That same article quoted launch fees for Two Old Mill at about 51 cents per square foot. Current listings at One Old Mill now work out to roughly $1.03 per square foot. Fees nearly doubling in the first decade is common in Toronto buildings with pools and full concierge service, but it is a reminder that a launch-day fee estimate is not a forecast.

Pricing: a premium for Tridel at the Humber

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $997 per square foot. That is a clear premium over older condo buildings nearby; The Southampton in Swansea, a 1992 Tridel, averages about $659. The gap reflects newer construction, the Tridel name, nine-foot ceilings and a location with Bloor West Village on one side and the Humber valley on the other.

There are four active listings at the time of writing, all one-bedrooms or one-bedroom-plus-dens, asking roughly $619,000 to $729,000. One suite is listed for rent. Larger two- and three-bedroom suites come up much less often, so if you need one, expect to wait and be ready to move when it lists.

One Old Mill and Two Old Mill trade close together, with Two Old Mill slightly higher per square foot. If you are deciding between them, compare the specific suites on layout, exposure and terrace, rather than the building average.

Building specifications

Amenities at One Old Mill

A pool, gym and a landscaped rooftop in a building of under 300 suites gives you a lot to use without the crowds of a downtown tower. The rooftop is the standout; strata.ca describes it as shared with Two Old Mill, so ask how bookings and rules work between the two corporations.

Jatin’s honest take on One Old Mill

One Old Mill — frequently asked questions

Looking at High Park-Swansea more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.