New tower too big, say city planners
Kelowna city council urged to reject revised plans for residential, hotel project downtown
Revised plans for a major residential and hotel tower in downtown Kelowna are too “overwhelming” and should be rejected by city council, municipal planners say.
The redesigned project is too tall, too wide, and would cast too many shadows on nearby parks and the waterfront, city officials say.
Edmonton-based Westcorp wants to increase the planned tower at the base of Queensway from 24 to 33 storeys, which would make it Kelowna’s tallest building, at 131 metres (430 feet).
City council will decide whether to issue a development permit at its Feb. 20 meeting.
“The proposal’s overall size, height and massing are overwhelming for the subject property and its unique downtown context,” reads part of a staff report to council.
But Westcorp says the new design is world-class, has great architectural appeal and will help enliven and revitalize Kelowna’s downtown.
“World-class hotel designers have brought a global sensibility to the project, one that will elevate this building and Kelowna on the world stage,” Westcorp says in its rationale for the design changes.
Planners counter that the revised project lacks “sensitivity” to it surroundings, and are critical of several key changes made to the tower’s design. These include:
— A much larger floorplate for the tower, from 745 square metres originally planned to 933 square metres. Tall buildings in other Canadian cities usually have a maximum floorplate of 750 square metres, city staff say.
— Balconies were “appropriately sized” for hotel rooms in the original tower plan, staff say, but the revised project has large terraces that include outdoor kitchens.
— The tower’s height has been increased considerably, from 88 metres to 131 metres. Although the proposed tower has 33 storeys, the same as the One Water skyscraper now under construction north of Prospera Place, it would be the city’s tallest building because the ceilings on each floor are higher than usual.
— The tower podium facing Water Street is too tall for the streetscape, city planners say. It’s almost 28 metres — more than double the height of the nearby BMO bank.
Plans call for 174 hotel rooms, 49 residential suites, a restaurant at the 17th floor, retail shops at ground level, another restaurant opposite Kerry Park and a convention centre.
In a letter to the city, Westcorp describes the design changes as necessary to make the project economically viable.
The proposed tower has been shifted slightly farther back from Kerry Park, Westcorp says, enhancing the public realm.
The tower will be lit with a “subtle comforting glow (that) will ensure the building looks warm regardless of the time of year or occupancy level,” Westcorp says.
While taller than originally planned, Westcorp says the revised tower is not too dissimilar from the city’s recent approval of the 20storey tower at the nearby corner of Ellis Street and Lawrence Avenue.
“With other towers anticipated to follow in the Lawrence/Leon corridors, (our) hotel tower will become the edge of a downtown core tower cluster over time,” Westcorp says.
The city gave all necessary approvals in 2014-15 for what was then planned to be a 24-storey hotel, but construction never began. Westcorp revised the building plan based on what the company said was difficulties in the original design as well as a changing real estate market that has seen demand increase for downtown homes.