The proposed UBC Okanagan Tower in downtown Kelowna will likely be the city’s tallest building for a long time. Years in the making, the city council will take its first public look Monday at the planned 46-story tower at 550 Doyle Ave., the former offices of the Daily Courier. City planning staff have proposed custom zoning regulations for the development — a common practice for complex projects — to match the unique tower. “This type of height and density would not normally be supported for private development,” a city staff report to the city council said. The first ten floors of the building will be dedicated to UBC Okanagan academic services with the remaining floors being “university-affiliated” rental market suites. The project will include four floors of underground parking, although far fewer parking spaces are required than with a typical apartment building. Suggested parking rates are 0.2 spaces per studio, 0.3 spaces per 1 bedroom and 0.5 spaces per two bedroom. An additional parking space will be required for every 100 m2 of educational, office and business space. To compensate for reduced vehicle parking, UBC Okanagan will provide long-term bicycle storage at a rate of one space per bedroom for a total of 603 long-term bicycle spaces. City planners note that the tower will be located near transit and bike lanes. The tower will also feature a number of cutting-edge green technologies, such as a solar wall on its southern facade that will passively preheat ventilation air in the winter months. Hot water collected from the hundreds of shower drains in the building will be directed into a system that will capture its thermal energy to heat cold water. This gray water will then be cleaned and reused, saving 5,000 cubic meters of water per year. A ground heat exchange system using the tower piles is also being considered. The zoning proposal being considered by the council on Monday focuses only on aspects such as height, density and parking, while the actual appearance of the structure – form and character – will be discussed at a later date. In the presentation slides, city staff refer to the tower as “a building that stands out in height because of the separate use.” UBC Okanagan said it wants to invite the community to campus. The development includes an urban square and grand entrance. The proposed customs zone would require the tower to have at least 80% of its main facade as active commercial, cultural, educational or civic space. “We really want to be a partner downtown,” said Lesley Cormack, UBCO Principal and Associate Vice President, during a town hall with the faculty earlier this year. “When you look at inner-city campuses that succeed versus those that don’t … the ones that succeed have a plan and are intentional about their relationship with the community.” “Those who don’t make it have their doors locked and everyone just comes in with a finger card. … We want to be the ones that bring the community in and make sure it’s a vibrant place.” Pending approvals, UBCO hopes to be able to open the tower this fall. Photo: UBC Okanagan
