High hopes shot down for Central Green site
Developer tells city building highrises on site would cost too much
Soil conditions don’t allow for the economical construction of highrises on the Central Green site in Kelowna, a developer says.
It would cost too much to make the marshy site ready for a building of 12 storeys or higher, surprised city councillors heard Monday.
“Just because you want a tower doesn’t mean you can build a tower, reasonably,” Bob Daigenais of Al Stober Construction said.
His comment seemed to catch councillors off guard, as the city has long expected highrises would eventually form part of the prime Central Green development site at the southwest corner of Richter Street and Harvey Avenue.
“I pretty much heard we’re not going to see the kind of height we wanted to see on that site,” Coun. Gail Given said.
“It isn’t going to be what we thought we were getting.”
“I’m really disappointed with where Central Green has gone from the vision it once had,” said Coun. Charlie Hodge.
Even without any highrises, the developer will still be able to achieve the city-set target of 500 new homes on Central Green with a number of five-storey buildings, council heard. “We’ve done our job in terms of providing the maximum amount of density on this site,” Daigenais said.
But city council on Monday deferred approval of the latest proposed building, a five-storey structure with 108 rental suites. Its design struck councillors as unimaginative and unworthy of the high-profile Central Green location.
“It doesn’t dazzle me,” said Coun. Brad Sieben. “It’s fairly utilitarian.”
After nearly a decade sitting vacant, the entire Central Green property, once owned by the City of Kelowna, was sold in 2014 to Al Stober Construction. The company is partnering with Mission Group to develop the site with a mix of condos, townhouse and rental buildings.
Various stipulations were intended to make Central Green a model of environmentally friendly, appealing urban development with a mix of housing styles, including
I’m really disappointed with where Central Green has gone from the vision it once had. Coun. Charlie Hodge
highrises, commercial premises and open spaces.
“We had a comprehensive plan and we’re not matching our comprehensive plan,” said Coun. Ryan Donn.
“We aren’t actually setting a new standard, and that was the goal for this site,” Given said.
With council’s deferral of approval for the latest five-storey building, the developer and city staff will have to discuss what revisions, if any, will be made to the design before it comes back to council for reconsideration.