Developers Can Do Better/Highrise

[Grandan]

Well said lightspeed..................issues here are as obvious as you state and will NEVER get better. Greed, arrogance and entitlement will only get worse because we have complete idiot$ being funded onto our city council and their primary purpose of existence is to ensure "payback" to the funding elitists OVER "community".

Always felt that the Wilden area was well done and the complete opposite of Upper Missions "retaining walls to heaven" eyesores. What Wilden has done recently was to add "row housing" along Union north of the roundabout. These no-doubt $400,000 eyesores have front doors 15 ft. from the street (Union).........all the available land in the world up there and the developer decides now to squeeze the lower budget housing onto the narrowest piece of land..........that should have been a greenspace for the more "inland" housing properties at this location

I had the privilege of of working on some early versions of the Wilden roads layout before it was sold and it was always with the greatest respect for the environment. It was nice to see that concept was followed through with and we have in my opinion the best layouts I know of, (Ahem).
I wished I had saved copies of the drawings as it would be interesting to overlay them with the as-built.

[lightspeed]

Spot on with the Wilden observation, guys.

[Queen K]

BUMP

Looks like Westcorp just couldn't keep their original plan.

I wonder how many "pro business" councillors they have in their backpocket to get this passed.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#204944



Edmonton-based Westcorp has completely redesigned the project on the site of the former Willow Inn. A new development permit application will be submitted today.

The initial proposal, approved by council in August 2014, called for a 24-storey tower with 214 rooms and a conference centre.

The new design would include 174 hotel rooms, 49 for-sale condos, a 16th-floor sky restaurant, conference centre, restaurant and coffee shop on the ground level as well as retail shops in the lobby. It would reach 32 storeys in height.

Originally, construction was to start last year, however, design issues caused an initial six-month delay. A further delay was announced last November as Westcorp explored design revisions.

The original development permit was pulled earlier this year, replaced with the current design.

Westcorp says with an increasingly robust market in Kelowna, it became apparent the project could better respond to market conditions if a number of for-sale residential units are included.

“Following models such as the Fairmont Pacific Rim, Hotel Georgia, Shangri La and Le Germain, we decided to include a limited number of residences in the upper levels of the hotel tower," said Westcorp CEO Phil Milroy.

"This is a one-of-a-kind site in a very special place in the world. A site like this demanded a strong responsibility to get it just right, and we are happy with the results of our patience. The hotel, and the stunning homes that will accompany it, will bring a presence and grace to the waterfront that will compete on the world stage."


OR: "we had numerous delays to help erase Kelowna's barf taste from their mouth for a while AND figure out how to totally disregard Kelowna's planning committee and by-laws while trying to fit in as much profit for ourselves as is humanly possible without regard to the impact on the surrounding area. We did bribe Kelowna with a wharf afterall."

I vote for my version of things.

[Omnitheo]

It looks lovely. I will never understand why people seem to think that anything other than the old Willow Inn is bad for Kelowna. The company has made numerous efforts. They've changed the footprint to avoid interfering with the always pristine and beautiful Kerry Park (please note the sarcasm).

Kelowna is going to have a 21st century downtown whether people like it or not. The community plan calls for increased density as opposed to continued sprawl. Regardless of whatever shape this tower took, it would still look infinitely better than carving up another section of the mountains in Glenmore Dilworth or Mission to accommodate the same capacity.

I am in favour of growing this city properly, and matching the density levels of equivalent sized cities. I met with Phil Milroy over a decade ago to discuss his vision for the area, so I'll fully admit to being biased about this, and I've watched as one proposal after another came and went. Since then, we've seen numerous other developments pop up in the area. Kelowna's downtown is no longer the flat bombed looking relic of the 50's as it was when Westcorp first proposed a replacement to The Willow Inn. This city is much more ready for it now. I'll never be able to afford to live in a place like that, but I will love being able to see it as I drive over the bridge and walk downtown.

[lightspeed]

A carbuncle on the fetid carcass of our once beautiful city.

[callotto]

The new design is fantastic. I hope council approves it. Kelowna needs a nice new hotel, the Grand is getting a bit long in the tooth.

[dirtybiker]

BUMP

Looks like Westcorp just couldn't keep their original plan.

I wonder how many "pro business" councillors they have in their backpocket to get this passed.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#204944



Edmonton-based Westcorp has completely redesigned the project on the site of the former Willow Inn. A new development permit application will be submitted today.

The initial proposal, approved by council in August 2014, called for a 24-storey tower with 214 rooms and a conference centre.

The new design would include 174 hotel rooms, 49 for-sale condos, a 16th-floor sky restaurant, conference centre, restaurant and coffee shop on the ground level as well as retail shops in the lobby. It would reach 32 storeys in height.

Originally, construction was to start last year, however, design issues caused an initial six-month delay. A further delay was announced last November as Westcorp explored design revisions.

The original development permit was pulled earlier this year, replaced with the current design.



OR: "we had numerous delays to help erase Kelowna's barf taste from their mouth for a while AND figure out how to totally disregard Kelowna's planning committee and by-laws while trying to fit in as much profit for ourselves

Seems to be the way. Westcorp has dragged this out to their advantage/
A tactic used my most all developers.

Politicos are drooling over the revenues finally coming to fruition and would sign off on.........???

[LTD]

I'm moving before its done anyway so make it 50 floors and paint it bright pink

[Queen K]

Moving people don't get to vote.

[LANDM]

Did they put the stripper bar back at ground level? That may satisfy the old Willow Inn crowd.

[Terris]

Well...

This whole downtown "development" drama has been played out for over a decade now and what do we see for all this ?

Has a Lakeshore Rd. trailer park been developed after kicking out all the retirees? NO

Is there a development across from City Park? NO

An iconic Old Kelowna landmark is destroyed and what has replaced it? Nothing, except more drama and, oh yeah ...,
a new dock, but let's call this latest plan what it really is...

A downtown waterfront condo development that we are being sold as a "hotel" by a group who is now proven to be anti Kelowna heritage and incapable of results.

The height increase is a revenue grab as well as necessary for seismic and underlying ground instability reasons.

Let's see what we have in another decade from now. A Kelowna we can all recognize and be proud of, or a foreign big city developer's version of every other overdeveloped concrete jungle on the planet...

[WalterWhite]

Well...

This whole downtown "development" drama has been played out for over a decade now and what do we see for all this ?

Has a Lakeshore Rd. trailer park been developed after kicking out all the retirees? NO

Is there a development across from City Park? NO

An iconic Old Kelowna landmark is destroyed and what has replaced it? Nothing, except more drama and, oh yeah ...,
a new dock, but let's call this latest plan what it really is...

A downtown waterfront condo development that we are being sold as a "hotel" by a group who is now proven to be anti Kelowna heritage and incapable of results.

The height increase is a revenue grab as well as necessary for seismic and underlying ground instability reasons.

Let's see what we have in another decade from now. A Kelowna we can all recognize and be proud of, or a foreign big city developer's version of every other overdeveloped concrete jungle on the planet...

I'm curious how a height increase would be necessary for seismic or ground instability reasons. Care to elaborate?

[Omnitheo]

what's the iconic landmark that was destroyed?

[dle]

It looks lovely. I will never understand why people seem to think that anything other than the old Willow Inn is bad for Kelowna. The company has made numerous efforts. They've changed the footprint to avoid interfering with the always pristine and beautiful Kerry Park (please note the sarcasm).

Kelowna is going to have a 21st century downtown whether people like it or not. The community plan calls for increased density as opposed to continued sprawl. Regardless of whatever shape this tower took, it would still look infinitely better than carving up another section of the mountains in Glenmore Dilworth or Mission to accommodate the same capacity.

I am in favour of growing this city properly, and matching the density levels of equivalent sized cities. I met with Phil Milroy over a decade ago to discuss his vision for the area, so I'll fully admit to being biased about this, and I've watched as one proposal after another came and went. Since then, we've seen numerous other developments pop up in the area. Kelowna's downtown is no longer the flat bombed looking relic of the 50's as it was when Westcorp first proposed a replacement to The Willow Inn. This city is much more ready for it now. I'll never be able to afford to live in a place like that, but I will love being able to see it as I drive over the bridge and walk downtown.

Unfortunately one just might be able to see that proposed blot on the landscape from the moon situated where it is.....that type of building needs to be by the Dolphins etc. The downtown definitely needs a hotel there but can't we do one with more charm, class and character for that area? Something like the Madison design would be nice. I get they have to go up but not that high and they keep weasling in more changes. There is an excellent (IMHO) letter on Castanet today from a fellow named Michael Neill (ever changing building plan) and he reminds us of some very valid points on the matter.

[Omnitheo]

Wouldn't it be beneficial for the city though for there to be housing available there too? It lends to a more vibrant downtown, and with increased residents, there is more opportunity for businesses there to have hours past 5pm.

There's really no difference between 20 and 30 floors. All it takes is 2 floors to block out a view from street level. Nobody is going to be missing out on any scenery, and the tower is going to be visible from a ways away anyways, so I'm not sure what the difference is. Adjusting the height to add residential units doesn't sound like a bad idea.

As for the design, what is it lacking in charm class or character? These sound like arbitrary terms that detractors would apply to any structure regardless of it's appearance. The building's colouring seems to match other structures in the area. And is actually similar to the madison. The biggest contrast between them is that this structure has smoother balconies that follow a patterned contour around the building. The Madison's blocky balconies jut out like buttresses.