A new proposal could shake up the landscape of Bloor Street West across from Toronto's lush High Park, planned to rise 17 storeys on the doorstep of the popular public space.

Plans were filed with City planners last month seeking the go-ahead to redevelop a group of properties at 1930 through 1938 Bloor Street West as well as 3, 5 and 21 Quebec Avenue, directly south of High Park Station on the TTC's Line 2 Bloor-Danforth.

Developer Clifton Blake seeks to redevelop the approximately 1,420 square-metre site with a 17-storey condominium development designed by Baron Nelson Architects, featuring contrasting white and orange volumes that would pop against the foliage of the park just across Bloor.

The project proposes 132 condominium units — the vast majority planned as multi-bedroom suites geared towards families — along with 12 rental units to replace existing housing on-site, in accordance with the City's rental replacement policy.

While there will almost certainly be pushback from the local community over the vast increase in scale compared with the proposal's surroundings, there are some strong arguments supporting a development of this stature in this location.

The site is situated directly south of the existing High Park Station, on valuable lands that could support higher densities currently occupied by a trio of low- and mid-rise rental buildings.

The developer's intention to rebuild displaced rental units and the inclusion of retail will bring the debate down to that of the building's ambitious height and massing. Similarly-scaled buildings exist on blocks to the north, though the surrounding scale of Bloor Street is predominantly low-rise.

The planned development proposes 379 square metres of ground-floor retail space, roughly in line with the existing pharmacy on site. This presents a potential opportunity to bring in a retailer that can feed off of the park's energy with quirky offerings or patio space.

A relatively light parking component of 63 spaces would be offset by 159 bicylce parking spaces for local commutes, and the adjacent subway station expected to handle residents' broader commuting needs.