Kamloops Construction

[RHINO]

At our most recent Canadian Home builders association meeting the stat of 3% was also given. We DONT have a ton of space. We need to go up, or out.

[RHINO]

Approved to build

[VantageHD]

I agree that densifying is 1 solution, but IMO is not the sole answer. I'll give you an example of what I'm talking about:

I started a design/development company last year. Our first project is a rezone & 2 lot subdivision for a new single family house. Taking time to design and plan the concept off the table.
Aug 2022 - Applied for rezone. City was against our concept as it was new zoning and they wanted to only allow on the North Shore & Downtown - not westsyde. For how long? Who knows. This is government standing in the way of development.
Feb 2023 - Rezone approved by council! going against City staff.
Currently - waiting on subdivision approval.
Next Step - Development permit because it falls under a guiding document called 'Intensive Residential Design' where 2 staff members get to decide form and character of your design. This is 1 reason we have such terrible architecture getting built in this town. Then you have to fall under 'The Westsyde Community Plan' which is anther guiding document, that falls under the 'KAMPLAN' which is a City wide guiding document. Good luck having any project check all those boxes, so a development permit is needed.
After that - Building Permit, then finally shovels in the ground.

We're looking at probably 13 months before we dig and 18 months to hit market, for ONE HOUSE! Increasing housing stock is so much more than just a simple zoning exercise. Government management is our problem. Not saying there shouldn't be a process, but when I hear government coming in to fix the housing problem I have zero hope anything will change because they are the problem and from what I've experienced only slow things down and increase costs.

[RHINO]

WOW.
That is absolutely ridiculous. You should reach out to Radio NL, castanet or CFJC to do a story on the reality of the issues we have here involving these problems.

As a matter of fact, I'm going to reach out to them and ask them to do a story on this.

[MIPS]

Emterra's back lot is on fire.
Again.

[RHINO]

Yep...

NDP policy at its best.

[VantageHD]

Originally Posted by RHINO

WOW.
That is absolutely ridiculous. You should reach out to Radio NL, castanet or CFJC to do a story on the reality of the issues we have here involving these problems.

As a matter of fact, I'm going to reach out to them and ask them to do a story on this.

The building department has made improvements, but the planning/development department seems to be against development and only puts up walls, instead of coming up with solutions. This City is anything but black and white and it needs people that are able to stick handle zoning problems, since the only land left is not the easiest to develop. I'll give you another example:

I'm designing a house that needs variances. We applied in February and it's taken 3 months just to get it on the council agenda. This would not have happened without the home owners getting fed up with snails pace and lack of communication from the city. If it was up to the city this would still be collecting dust. The biggest issue is that this house has a roof top patio and that it has 2 floors of living below. Zoning only allows a 2 storey house and the planning department is calling the rooftop access another floor, thus one of the variances.

I've reached out to Kelowna and West Kelowna and both planning departments confirmed that they do not consider rooftop access a storey. The crazy part is neither does the Kamloops building department. So if someone came in for a building permit in Kamloops and didn't need a variance on a 2 storey zoned lot, they would be approved for a rooftop since the design would not be going through development and planning department. It's insane the disconnect between departments. And they can't even show me anything in writing as to why they're going against the BCBC. It seriously just feels like they make shit up as they go.

I love this City, but man does it weigh on you when your business is dealing with an organization that is anything but solution oriented.

[VantageHD]

Was up in Aberdeen and wow is that crane noticeable. Hangs way over the highway. The one approved on Rogers Pl will stick out as well. Should give a cool look when coming into town once both are complete.

[RHINO]

TRU eyes $120M megaproject, potential additional condos for high-profile corner

Thompson Rivers University is planning a $120-million megaproject for the corner of McGill Road and Summit Drive — and that price tag could climb significantly higher if condos are built on top.

University officials are optimistic Victoria might act fast to approve the project, which would house TRU’s STEM programming as well as its Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics (SoBE).

The potential development is one of a number of big-ticket items on TRU’s capital wish list, which also includes new student housing and an Indigenous education centre, among other projects.

The list is going before the university’s board of governors on Friday.

According to Matt Milovick, TRU’s vice-president of administration and finance, the university decided to combine STEM and SoBE — initially planned to be separate facilities — into one large project after the provincial government recently withdrew notional approval for a standalone STEM building.

“While discouraging news to receive, the ministry did signal that they were very amenable to receiving a capital submission that merged STEM and SoBE into one project,” Milovick wrote in a memo last week to TRU President Brett Fairbairn, a copy of which is going to the university’s board on Friday.

“The estimated budget for this is expected to be $120 million. TRU is currently working with the TRU Property Trust to develop a market residential concept to be built above the academic buildings. This is not included in the $120-million project cost.”

Condos would be in line with direction from B.C. Premier David Eby in April, when he urged local governments to work with stakeholders like health authorities and school districts to add housing to capital projects in an effort to combat the province's housing crisis.

Milovick said the ministry “clearly indicated it was prepared to move quickly to fund” new TRU student housing, as well. A $24-million residence building is also on the wish list. It which would add 74 beds of student housing on a vacant lot on the east side of Summit Drive.

“TRU is preparing the business case now and anticipates that the funding for this project will come from a combination of grant and loan from the province,” Milovick’s memo read.

The proposed Indigenous education centre is expected to cost between $15 million and $18 million and is in the early consultation and planning stages, Milovick said.

The last major capital project TRU undertook was the Chappell Family Building for Nursing and Population Health, which opened in 2020 at a cost of $37 million.

The university opened a new early childhood education building last fall and expects to open a modular student housing development in September. Construction is also underway on a new on-campus wildfire research facility.

TRU also plans to build a $10M pedestrian overpass linking the university's East Village — student housing across Summit Drive — with its main campus. The cost of the span is expected to be split 50/50 by TRU and the City of Kamloops.

Milovick is asking TRU’s board to approve the proposed capital projects in principle. They would have to come back to the board for final approval once OK’d by the province.

The university plans to submit its updated five-year capital plan to the provincial government on July 14.

[VantageHD]

I've been wondering what was going on with phase 2 at TRU, now that the 1st phase is complete. Thanks for finding that article. I was hoping there would be academic buildings on that site, instead of just condos. Very cool that they're combining STEM & SoBE into one. Should make for an impressive site once this and the overpass is built.

[RHINO]

Lets wait and see what the artists render looks like. I'm sure your favorite Blue Green will be involved lol

[RHINO]

340 new rentals in four six-storey buildings.

BC Housing is looking to redevelop properties near Royal Inland Hospital — a project that could create hundreds of new rental homes for Kamloops seniors.

The new complex will replace the current 80-unit Glenfair seniors housing complex at 1100 Glenfair Dr., with 340 new rentals in four six-storey buildings. Construction could start in 2025.

BC Housing said the current seniors' complex requires “extensive and ongoing” repairs, and a redevelopment of the site will allow for additional affordable units.

Current Glenfair tenants and the Kamloops community have been consulted several times by BC Housing to gather their thoughts regarding what they’d like to see in the new development.

“The community's feedback will shape the redevelopment and will be considered along with discussions with the City of Kamloops as well as technical, regulatory and environmental research,” BC Housing said in a statement to Castanet.

The four building development has gained notional approval, and BC Housing is looking to present the development application to the public and for future consideration by the City of Kamloops.

“BC Housing will work to secure permits and municipal approval for the overall plan, and expect construction to formally start in 2025-2026,” the agency stated.

Existing tenants at the Glenfair complex will be given first choice of the new units, with BC Housing saying there will be no changes to their monthly rent unless their income or household size changed in the interim.

Tenants who don’t wish to move into the new Glenfair complex will be helped with relocation options, with the ministry covering moving costs for those required to relocate, including utilities reconnection and hiring movers.

“As much as possible, tenants will be able to stay in their homes until their new home is completed,” BC Housing said.

“Our goal is to create newer high quality affordable homes for both current residents and future generations.”

[RHINO]

Orchards walk expansion

The development will consist of 23 single-family dwellings, 10 duplexes, three fourplexes and six sixplexes, with 213 parking stalls and 91 small car spaces.

Kamloops council has also given the go-ahead for a 91-unit housing development to rise in the Orchards Walk neighbourhood in Valleyview.

Council has unanimously approved a development permit for Orchards Walk Developments Inc., which will construct 42 units at 3580 Valleyview Dr. The development will consist of 23 single-family dwellings, 10 duplexes, three fourplexes and six sixplexes, with 213 parking stalls and 91 small car spaces.

Primary access to the site is from the southern frontage road off of Valleyview Drive, labelled Shiloh Lane, with secondary access to the east proposed off of the strata road, which is gated for emergency access only.

Coun. Katie Neustaeter said she continues to be concerned about accessibility and traffic congestion in the Orchards Walk neighbourhood as more and more housing developments rise in the area that abuts Highway 1.


“Is there any larger-scale plan to building access into this development?” Neustaeter asked.
Development, engineering and sustainability director Marvin Kwiatkowski said the Ministry of Transportation, in the last few years, has reduced- green light time for traffic in the area coming out of Grand Boulevard to keep traffic on the highway flowing.

“It is a concern for all of us, is the traffic volumes. They [ministry] do not want more accesses onto the highway,” Kwiatkowski said, noting the indication from the ministry is to focus additional traffic onto city streets, such as Valleyview Drive.

The property being developed is within close proximity to the proposed future location of Orchards Walk Park and adjacent to a stormwater retention pond, which will also provide neighbourhood amenity space. The property will be serviced by municipal water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer mains located within the Valleyview Drive extension.

[VantageHD]

I dig those little houses, but man did they drop the ball on the apartments out there. They built 4 and they're all the exact same with surface parking between. It's brutal.



Jogged past Thompson Landing and still working on the parkade.

[RHINO]

Good lord, I haven't even seen that location yet. What site do you host your images on? I am literally all over the city all day at different sites ands would like to take photos again, but sites like photobucket make it so obnoxious.

[BC Tom]

flickr seems to work well for hosting pictures. https://www.flickr.com/

[RHINO]

Thank you sir

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by RHINO

Orchards walk expansion

The development will consist of 23 single-family dwellings, 10 duplexes, three fourplexes and six sixplexes, with 213 parking stalls and 91 small car spaces.

That is ASTOUNDINGLY late 80's feeling.
I like it!

[VantageHD]

Originally Posted by RHINO

Good lord, I haven't even seen that location yet. What site do you host your images on? I am literally all over the city all day at different sites ands would like to take photos again, but sites like photobucket make it so obnoxious.

I use Flickr. It seems to work pretty good.

[VantageHD]

What's up with the carwash game in town? Just me or do we have a lot of these already? Here's another one going in Downtown. It is a good location for one though.