Will proposed UBCO campus become city's tallest tower?

• Why the planned super tall UBCO campus has support
• The project offers benefits to community

The planned University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) tower in downtown Kelowna has taken another step towards becoming the tallest building in the city.

City council has overwhelmingly approved moving the process that would rezone the ‘downtown vertical campus’ structure as a 46-storey, 160-metre tower to the public hearing stage. A special comprehensive development zone is being crafted to accommodate the development.

While nothing has been approved yet, there appears to be widespread political support for the project.

“I always thought that some day there would be some type of downtown campus, and here we are,” councillor Maxine deHart said. “I’m definitely going to be supporting this.”

Councillor Mohini Singh was guarded in her backing of the project.

“I’m glad to support this, but I have to say I am nervous about the number of high rises that are just getting higher and higher,” she noted, before Mayor Colin Basran reminded her council was only deciding to move the project to public hearing. Any further debate and discussion will come at a later date.

The project at 550 Doyle Ave., was originally slated for a height of 125 metres with 34-floors.

A new plan submitted to city planners in December, 2021, details 33 floors of residential accommodation alone, from floors 12 to 45. Dozens of classrooms, labs, and a circular lecture hall round out the lower academic floors.

In a presentation to councillors Monday, city staff said the height change would not have been supported had it been a private development.

However, as an institutional space, the campus tower offers a number of benefits for the community: rental housing for students; a post-secondary hub; health and medical uses; and an enhanced streetscape and cycling facilities.

The public hearing is set for July 26.