Kelowna Construction

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by Pejamu

Looks like painted concrete and glass if the buildings website is anything to go off of.

Great, thanks!

[Metro-One]

Yeah, that won’t look so bad, but it is still pretty obvious that there must be a master plan to further develop the neighboring lot.

I hope the market allows that to happen sooner rather than later.

[2009]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Everyone I talked to regarding the 46 storey tower proposal is talking about how the infrastructure is inadequate for all these buildings. Namely lack of transit, roads, places to go grocery shopping downtown. Granted two of the naysayers are from out of town and all they see is Harvey Ave which many locals know not to take especially during tourist season in the afternoon. The lack of grocery options is valid. At some point, one of these tower proposals is going to have to include a major shopping tenant as an option.

Do they not understand it's a chicken and egg situation? There needs to be density and residents downtown to support more transit and shopping. Towers like this might make another grocery store in the area financially viable

[csbvan]

A new downtown grocery store should be in the north end of town, this area doesn't need one considering that this proposal is almost directly across the street from the Safeway and Shoppers.

[csbvan]

Information from the Open House for the UBCO downtown campus:

UBC's big downtown plans


....

The site, which will be developed by Kelowna-based Mission Group, will include three towers.

One of those, facing Doyle Avenue, will include about 80,000 square feet devoted to university activities, with another 20,000 square feet of expansion space. In the near future, officials say the additional space could be used as rental space for partners aligned with the university.

The other two towers on the north side of the property would be for Mission Group use. One is expected to be an office tower, the other residential.

Ron Einarson, VP of finance and operations at the Kelowna campus, says there will be rental housing available on the upper floors of the UBCO building, but doesn't anticipate it will a traditional residence.

"It is going to be characterized as university focused housing," he said.

"It is intended to be a rental facility. This is not going to be condos. We see the housing as to compliment our activities in the downtown area for students, faculty and staff."

The downtown campus will include health and social development programs such as nursing, social work and exercise sciences, arts and social sciences programs among others.

It will also include an art gallery, something the university campus currently does not have.

In announcing the gallery, dean of Arts and Sciences Dr. Bryce Traister says he believes an art gallery is the one building that signals a university campus has arrived on the world stage.

The university currently has over 700 pieces of art in its collection.

....

"It will be equipped to the highest possible standards, and enable a group of about 30 people, residents of the region, visitors as well as students to learn how to taste the wine knowledgeably, and be able to identify the characteristics of the wine."

While design work is still being done and rezoning still must be approved by the city, UBCO hopes to begin construction in the spring of 2022 with a planned opening date of September, 2024.

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelown...asting-program

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Yeah, that won’t look so bad, but it is still pretty obvious that there must be a master plan to further develop the neighboring lot.

I hope the market allows that to happen sooner rather than later.

I'd rather the light industrial north of Landmark 1/2 and south of Landmark 7 be redeveloped first just to really clean up the intersection of Dickson and Dayton.

Originally Posted by 2009

Do they not understand it's a chicken and egg situation? There needs to be density and residents downtown to support more transit and shopping. Towers like this might make another grocery store in the area financially viable

Yea. Transit use is abysmal at the moment and Safeway doesn't seem to be bursting at the seams yet.

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by Starv100

Wow, that concrete wall. I sure hope there's a plan for that. If it's just a mural or paint, then shame on the developer. Anyone know?

The whole complex is hideous. Exactly what happens when Provincial meddling gets in the way of local planning. The developer gets concessions that no council should ever grant.

Council MUST hold out for higher architectural standards wherever it has that power.

Obviously conjecture on my part, but the way it looks right now seems like between columns is breakout walls for eventual connection to a possible Landmark 8.

[Pejamu]

Originally Posted by DKaz

I'd rather the light industrial north of Landmark 1/2 and south of Landmark 7 be redeveloped first just to really clean up the intersection of Dickson and Dayton.

That'll be tough. I'm pretty sure Stober doesn't own those buildings and they are full of long term tenants. At least that intersection will probably be finished with curbs and sidewalks and fresh asphalt when LM7 is finished.

Who knows what that area will look like long term though. If Sutherland really does get realigned through Dolphin to connect with Spall the area could see more development.

[drto]

Aqua project resurfaces:

Aqua project resurfaces https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelown...ect-resurfaces

This will be interesting to watch unfold and will undoubtedly attract the attention of the NIMBY’s and anti-progressives complaining about height, shadows, lack of affordable housing etc etc

[Metro-One]

Isn’t DKaz involved with the Aqua project?

[jimmyboy95]

Originally Posted by drto

Aqua project resurfaces:

Aqua project resurfaces https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelown...ect-resurfaces

This will be interesting to watch unfold and will undoubtedly attract the attention of the NIMBY’s and anti-progressives complaining about height, shadows, lack of affordable housing etc etc

Also the traffic issue along Pandosy and Richter streets, which I believe is a valid concern.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by jimmyboy95

Also the traffic issue along Pandosy and Richter streets, which I believe is a valid concern.

The Kelowna area really needs to start upgrading its road and transit infrastructure with all this growth.

But don’t worry, there is currently a whopping 0 interchanges / major road upgrades U/C, with a second crossing and the Peachland twinning projects now deferred to 20 years in the future...

I feel that highway upgrade projects in the Okanagan over the last 5 years are like high speed rail in Eastern Canada, we are doing a study! Public open houses...and... deferred. Will do the same studies and open houses another decade down the road.

Like seriously, WTF is happening with the Boucher (can never remember the spelling of that fucking road, haha) interchange project? Was suppose to get an update in 2016, then in 2018, then in 2020, now no new “update” date info at all.

This is why I don’t expect the UBC campus / airport access highway 97 interchange upgrades to ever happen beyond just some added turn lanes or what not, same with any other proposed interchange being studied, such as near the Jammery. Not going to happen. Just pointless studies.

[2009]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

The Kelowna area really needs to start upgrading its road and transit infrastructure with all this growth.

But don’t worry, there is currently a whopping 0 interchanges / major road upgrades U/C, with a second crossing and the Peachland twinning projects now deferred to 20 years in the future...

I feel that highway upgrade projects in the Okanagan over the last 5 years are like high speed rail in Eastern Canada, we are doing a study! Public open houses...and... deferred. Will do the same studies and open houses another decade down the road.

Like seriously, WTF is happening with the Boucher (can never remember the spelling of that fucking road, haha) interchange project? Was suppose to get an update in 2016, then in 2018, then in 2020, now no new “update” date info at all.

This is why I don’t expect the UBC campus / airport access highway 97 interchange upgrades to ever happen beyond just some added turn lanes or what not, same with any other proposed interchange being studied, such as near the Jammery. Not going to happen. Just pointless studies.

Not that I love all their policies but I think we'd have much more progress under a BC Liberal government. All these plans came about under them and were in the pipeline. Now that the NDP is in power road projects are on the backburner especially in a solid liberal area like the central Okanagan. My guess is the boucherie interchange will get built in the near future but the rest (peachland bypass, lake country and airport interchange, west kelowna bypass, central okangan multi modal corridor, Hudson interchange, 2nd crossing) all postponed indefinitely.

Due to it's rapid growth though, the region really needs heavy infrastructure investment and rapid transit isn't really yet a viable solution for a city of this population and density. I'm hoping when the liberals come back to power, they bring forward some kind of infrastructure mega-project. Build a second crossing and bypass all of the central okanagan peachland to lake country with a highway in one go. Have a few interchanges in the hills for each city so people in west kelowna, peachland, lake country and kelowna can use it as a free flowing commute alternative between these cities. After that's built the infrastructure focus can properly return to transit

If they did it this way, they could potentially toll the route to pay it off. With piecemeal upgrades a toll isnt really palatable

[Metro-One]

Yeah, the disdain for the Kelowna area is palpable.

I think your right though, a downsized Boucherie Interchange is likely the only project under the NDP to eventually limp out of the gate.

Really wish they were more pro active for highway projects where they are honestly needed. Even in the most transit friendly areas of Europe and Asia the Okanagan corridor would have a proper controlled access highway, at least from the #1 to Penticton. A second crossing would also already exist and there would also be a proper passenger rail system.

Also hope that when camel’s back breaks it is all done in one single major vision / project for a free flow highway through the area that also incorporates the Peachland bypass and a new second crossing.

[KelownaResident]

We got the rail trail a few years ago. That's a nice addition for the warmer months for sure.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by KelownaResident

We got the rail trail a few years ago. That's a nice addition for the warmer months for sure.

Umm, that is an insanely small project in the scheme of things.

And in some ways is counter productive since it involved removing an existing railway...

[KelownaResident]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Umm, that is an insanely small project in the scheme of things.

And in some ways is counter productive since it involved removing an existing railway...

Actually the railway was already decommissioned for years. This might not be a "mega project" but it certainly is one that can be significantly impactful considering the people that use it and can potentially use it in the future as traffic congestion worsens. As a Kelowna resident myself and seeing how much growth we're experiencing I think that not just roads but better cycling infrastructure is something we critically need to support the population growth we're seeing and experiencing.

[Metro-One]

Not disagreeing with you, good to see more cycling infrastructure being built, but Kelowna is going to need major improvements to its road / highway and transit infrastructure too. Don’t start doing the Vancouver style one or the other nonsense.

And yes, the rail line was decommissioned, but it is a prime corridor for a future passenger rail network.

[DKaz]

I love the rail trail. Commuter rail is not going to happen this century in the Okanagan. The densification of key core areas that can support non-car uses is critical first.

[scryer]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Not disagreeing with you, good to see more cycling infrastructure being built, but Kelowna is going to need major improvements to its road / highway and transit infrastructure too. Don’t start doing the Vancouver style one or the other nonsense.

Agreed. Kelowna is at the right age and size to update its road/highway infrastructure.

However I will say that knowing what we know now about transit planning, Kelowna has no excuse not to plan to incorporate some sort of rapid transit corridor in their infrastructure update. I definitely don't think that we will actually build upon those rapid transit corridors in the near future but we should be future proofing Kelowna before it's too late since Kelowna simply doesn't have easy geography to work with.