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Kelowna’s tallest building proposed

Proposal would see twin towers, 35 and 27 storeys, build at Sunset Drive and Water Street downtown.
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An artist’s rendition of what would be the two tallest buildings in the city, if approved by council.—Image credit: City of Kelowna

A proposal to build what would be Kelowna’s tallest building is currently before the city’s planning department.

The proposal, by the North American Development Group, could see two residential towers—one 35 storeys tall and one 27 storeys tall, at the corner of Sunset Drive and Water Street across from Prospera Place. The height of both towers would include the large three-storey building they would be built on top of, a building that would contain commercial space.

Both towers would be taller than the city’s current tallest building, the nearby 26-storey Waterscapes building on Sunset Drive.

City planner Ryan Roycroft said, at this point, while the city has the proposal showing the heights of the buildings—both of which would require variances from the city as the maximum allowed height in the area is 26 storeys—the land they would be on must be rezoned first.

The zoning being sought would be downtown commercial, which allows mixed-used commercial and residential development.

In the past, the land was slated for a hotel, but two hotel proposals for the property fell through. It has sat vacant for several years.

The developer originally proposed building two 16-storey residential towers on the property, but pulled that proposal before it went to council in January after teaming up with the developer of the nearby 1151 Sunset tower development.

In addition to the two tall towers, information filed with the city says it would also include townhouses and an amenity building, features that were part of the original proposal.

Roycroft said the developer wants to move quickly on the new version and the rezoning application could go before council next month.