UBCO downtown Kelowna highrise debacle casts doubt on new 40-storey tower
City councillors expressed some concerns Monday about a proposed 40-storey tower on St. Paul Street right next to the UBC Okanagan’s downtown debacle, but the project is moving ahead.
City council voted to approve the “form and character” for the proposed highrise at 1355 St. Paul Street at the meeting, Nov. 25.
The St. Paul Street tower would provide 384 new rental units that the city needs, but the neighbouring UBCO tower project caused serious problems and is the subject of multiple lawsuits so some councillors had concerns.
The issue with the UBCO tower was the damage to neighbouring buildings caused by soil settling due to excavating an underground parking garage. The St. Paul building would have above ground parking.
Kelowna is no stranger to settling issues due to soft, wet soil.
READ MORE: City of Kelowna, UBCO sued over downtown building debacle
“Obviously, the pink elephant in the room are the challenges with the tower next door. So, I'm happy to see us not going below grade with this to mitigate those challenges with the water table,” councillor Loyal Wooldridge said during the meeting.
Councillor Charlie Hodge asked whether the city is liable when a building has issues, and city staff were unable to give him an answer.
“What covers a liability on this program if the water table wasn't right? Or there's a problem with the building sinking into the ground or whatever. Who's in charge of the liability on that? The city or the developer?” Hodge said.
Mayor Tom Dyas then asked Hodge to keep his questions to the point of form and character.
“Just to keep it in line with regards to what we're discussing at this point in time, it is form and character, just so you are aware,” Dyas said.
READ MORE: UBCO’s engineering report on downtown building came with warnings
City staff said they requested geotechnical reports to make sure the UBCO tower situation isn’t repeated.
Although some councillors had issues with the height of the building, the security of the soil and parking, most councillors agreed the building fits city policies and Kelowna needs more rentals.
“Honestly, we have no room. So, where do we go? We have to go up. That's where we are stuck. And personally, having seen the developments that this particular applicant has been involved with, I'm comfortable in the outcome of what it'll look like, and the stability,” councillor Mohini Singh said.
The project has a long way to go before shovels hit the dirt but council voted to move it ahead. Councillors Ron Cannan, Charlie Hodge and Gordon Lovegrove were opposed.
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