New zoning could see UBCO campus in downtown Kelowna rise to 46 storeys

A new text amendment application has been submitted for the downtown Kelowna UBCO campus that could see an ambitious increase in the building’s height.

UBC Properties Trust is looking to create a special zone for the proposed campus: comprehensive development zone 28 – University of British Columbia downtown zone.

According to the application, this would allow for a maximum height of 46 stories, or 160 metres.

“The purpose is to provide a zone for the development of a comprehensively planned downtown university campus; to allow the full range of academic, research, and other supporting land uses essential to a leading-edge university program and campus,” reads the application.

When the original application was submitted in December 2021, the applicant was proposing a 34-storey building that would include two storeys for offices, eight for academic spaces and 24 for student housing.

Under this new application, there would be four levels of parking.The building would be home to academic space, a cafe, an atrium, washrooms, residential units and more.

The news plans also propose eleven land uses on the site of 550 Doyle Avenue.

Those land uses include: apartment housing, child care, cultural and recreational service, education and health services, liquor primary establishment, office space, indoor creation services, professional services, religious assemblies and retail space.

Back in December, the original application said that the vertical design of the campus “is something quite new in the history of architecture.” These new plans include no changes to the unique design.

The original application said the design would include a unique double diagonal cut to facilitate the amenities while opening the building to the surrounding neighbourhood on Doyle Avenue and creating a semi-public courtyard on St. Paul Street.

According to the city's developments page, this text amendment application has been circulated around at city hall.

Given the complexity of this application and the development, staff could require additional information before forwarding it to city council for consideration.