Via Bloor 2, 585 Bloor St E: Tridel’s 45-Storey Tower at Parliament

Via Bloor 2 is the taller, rounder half of Tridel’s two-tower project at Bloor and Parliament, and it was planned differently from most downtown condos of its era. At launch it was pitched around two-bedroom and three-bedroom suites rather than small one-bedrooms, and that shapes who buys here today. It is a 2021 building from a developer with a long track record, which is a good starting point but not a reason to skip the paperwork. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

The second tower, and why its shape matters

Via Bloor was built in two phases. The first tower, 38 storeys with 372 suites, sold quickly enough that Tridel brought the second one forward. Via Bloor 2 sits immediately east of it, on the narrow tip of the site where Bloor Street meets Parliament Street.

That tight eastern frontage is the reason for the form. architectsAlliance gave the tower a rounded, roughly triangular plan to address the corner, which is why many suites here have curved or angled glass instead of the flat slab walls you see on most towers along this stretch. It reads as a landmark when you come west along Bloor from the Prince Edward Viaduct.

Tridel described the project as a gateway extending Bloor Street’s shopping strip east toward Rosedale, Cabbagetown and Riverdale. The tower is at the edge of the Rosedale Valley ravine, so upper floors facing north and east look over trees rather than other buildings, which is not something every downtown address can offer.

A suite mix built for more than one person

When the second phase launched in 2017, UrbanToronto reported a suite mix of two-bedrooms, two-bedroom-plus-dens and three-bedrooms, with no one-bedroom plans. The standard Via Collection ran roughly 700 to 950 square feet, and a Signature Collection from the 40th floor up ran about 950 to 1,360 square feet with upgraded finishes.

The reality on the ground is a little different. Condos.ca records suites from about 395 to 3,114 square feet, and current listings include a one-bedroom, so some plans were changed or split after launch. If a one-bedroom matters to you, there are options, but the building’s centre of gravity is still two-bedroom suites in the 800 to 1,000 square foot range.

At the very top are two-storey penthouses. UrbanToronto described five penthouses spanning the top two levels of each tower, all over 1,000 square feet, some with private in-suite elevators and Miele appliances. These trade rarely and should be valued on their own, not against the standard floors.

What Tridel promised, and what to confirm

The launch materials described more than 26,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenity space designed by II BY IV DESIGN: a fitness centre with spin and yoga rooms, a spa area with steam room, sauna and whirlpools, a theatre, a party room with outdoor grilling, a games room and a fifth-floor outdoor pool and terrace. They also mentioned two lobbies with 24-hour concierge and about 17,000 square feet of retail at grade.

Condos.ca’s own amenity list for the building is much shorter: concierge, gym and party room. That gap usually means the data source is incomplete rather than that the amenities were cut, but in a two-tower project you also need to know which facilities belong to which corporation and how the shared costs are split. Ask for the shared facilities agreement along with the status certificate.

Tridel also marketed Smart Suite wall pads for heating, cooling and door locks, electric vehicle charging in the garage, licence plate recognition at the parking entrance and a LEED Gold target. These are useful features, but nine years on from launch, check that the in-suite systems are still supported and who pays when they need replacing.

Daily life at Bloor and Parliament

This is the quiet end of Bloor Street. You are a short ride from Yonge and Bloor and Yorkville, but the immediate block is residential, with the St. James Town towers to the south and west and the ravine to the north and east. Buyers who want restaurants at the door will find more choice further west or across the viaduct on the Danforth.

The upside is green space and access. The Rosedale Valley ravine system, Riverdale and Cabbagetown’s side streets are all close, and the Bloor-Danforth subway runs under Bloor Street. The data panel on this page shows the transit, parks and grocery options in detail.

What Via Bloor 2 costs to own

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $957 per square foot. That is a premium over the older towers immediately around it, which is what you would expect for a 2021 Tridel building with a larger amenity package and corner views, and it sits below the newest towers closer to Yonge Street.

Four suites were listed for sale when I checked, asking from $499,000 to $799,000. Maintenance on those listings averaged about $0.91 per square foot. I do not have a confirmed list of what the fee covers, so before comparing it with other buildings, find out whether heat, cooling and water are included or separately metered, and whether parking and a locker carry their own charge.

Nine units were listed for rent at the same time, which tells you a meaningful share of owners here are investors. For an end user, that means leasing activity in the elevators and on the amenity floors; for an investor, it means you will be competing with other landlords on price.

Building specifications

Amenities at Via Bloor 2

If the full launch package was delivered as described, this is one of the larger amenity offerings east of Yonge on Bloor, with a pool, spa and spin room that save a household a gym membership. Confirm on a tour which spaces are in this tower, which are shared with phase one, and what the corporation budgets to run them.

Jatin’s honest take on Via Bloor 2

Via Bloor 2 — frequently asked questions

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