iN PHOTOS: More than 500 storeys of new highrises in pipeline for downtown Kelowna
It took only a couple of days this week to add 19.5% more highrise storeys to the inventory of planned towers in downtown Kelowna.
That puts the tally of those under construction, approved or in the approval process at 558 storeys. Combine that with 124 storeys completed in the last couple of years for a total of 682 floors in 25 towers that will dramatically change Kelowna’s skyline if they all get built.
On Monday, the week started off with a mere 467 storeys under construction, approved or in the process of seeking support at Kelowna City Hall.
On Tuesday, an application was filed with the City of Kelowna for three towers on Coronation Avenue at 20, 26 and 33 storeys tall, totalling 79 storeys.
READ MORE: Three more highrises planned for downtown Kelowna
Thursday morning, May 12, an announcement was made that the design of a 13 storey highrise on Doyle Avenue had been altered to push it to 25 storeys.
READ MORE: Redesign of tower on former Kelowna RCMP site grows to 25 storeys
So, in two days, 93 new floors were added.
In 2020, two downtown residential towers were completed, the 14 storey Ellis Parc next to Prospera Place and the 20-storey Ella, a few blocks to the south.
This year, the two towers of One Water Street, at 36 and 29 storeys, are nearing completion, as is the Brooklyn on St. Paul Street at 25 storeys.
Mission Group has started construction on the second and third towers in what it calls the Bernard Block project. The Bertram, at 34 storeys, will surpass the Brooklyn in height while The Block is 16 storeys of office and commercial space.
Also under construction are the first two of three towers in the Water Street by the Park development at Water Street and Leon Avenue.
They include what will become the tallest highrise in Kelowna at 42 storeys and another at 24 storeys. The third tower is planned to be 30 storeys.
READ MORE: Kelowna city council approves massive downtown housing project
Still to come is another three-tower grouping at St. Paul Street and Doyle Avenue with a proposed UBCO campus/residential tower at 34 storeys flanked by two residential highrises of 17 and 30 storeys.
READ MORE: 2 highrise towers to be 'jewel-like centrepiece' of UBCO’s downtown Kelowna campus
Earlier this week, council gave its support to rezone land across the street from that project for a proposed 35-storey tower.
READ MORE: No public hearing needed for Okanagan’s next 35-storey highrise
Also on the books is a nine-storey building at the corner of Clement Avenue and St. Paul Street. While short in comparison to these others, it qualifies as a highrise because it’s more than eight storeys.
B.C. Housing is looking at a 20-storey affordable housing project on nearby Bertram Street.
A little further afield, but closer to Okanagan Lake, are four more towers for the Waterscapes development. These are planned for 28, 32, 34 and 36 storeys. Rezoning for the new towers was approved by city council last month.
READ MORE: Four more highrise towers proposed for Kelowna’s waterfront
A little further away, both in geography and, potentially in time, is the proposed 33-storey Westcorp hotel at the foot of Queensway Ave.
This has been on the books for more than a decade. A hotel operator was about to be announced in March 2020, just as the COVID pandemic shut down the hotel industry.
The development permit issued at that time expired in February of this year but an application for a new permit was filed in March.
READ MORE: Westcorp's plan to build 33-storey hotel on downtown Kelowna waterfront back in play
Since it can take more than a year to get approvals through City Hall and two to three years to build these towers, if they are all approved, Kelowna’s skyline will take a bit of time to change.
But, between 2020 and 2025 or 2026, there could easily be 682 storeys in 25 new highrises just in the downtown core – even before the redevelopment plan for the Tolko lands comes forward.
READ MORE: iN PHOTOS: Heritage, housing and waterfront fun in future for Kelowna’s Tolko lands
This comes despite the fact that council rejected a proposed tower next to the Bernard Block in July of last year. It was originally presented as 46 storeys but dropped to 35 by the time it got to council. Staff and councillors argued that the site was designated for a lower highrise.
READ MORE: Application for Kelowna’s tallest highrise 'feels like a PR stunt': Councillor
Tall buildings are not confined to downtown.
In the Mission area, the Hiawatha trailer park and campground recently won council support for towers of 17 storeys. The Aqua project south of the Cook Street boat launch can also build to 17 storeys.
READ MORE: iN VIDEO: Three waterfront towers planned for Kelowna’s South Mission
The Movala project next to Boyce Gyro Beach Park has two towers of up to 14 storeys.
READ MORE: Major development planned next to one of Kelowna’s most popular beaches
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