Your City Hall just okayed more condos downtown
Good morning from the Okanagan — the lake is calm, the vines are growing, and we have things to discuss.
Okay, but here's the thing nobody talks about: what actually happens at City Hall that impacts your day-to-day? Well, yesterday's council meeting saw a big one, especially if you live near Bernard Avenue. Kelowna City Council voted 6-1 to approve the development permit for a new 12-storey mixed-use building right in the heart of downtown, at 1450 St. Paul Street. This is going to bring 145 new residential units, mostly rental, plus ground-floor commercial space.
The vote breakdown was clear: Councillor Luke Stack was the lone voice against, citing concerns about traffic density. This project, pushed by a company called St. Paul Developments Ltd., has been in the works for a bit, but seeing it get the green light means we’re going to see even more cranes dominating the skyline near Prospera Place.
* **Project Location:** 1450 St. Paul Street, downtown Kelowna. * **Building Height:** 12 storeys. * **Units:** 145 residential (mostly rental). * **Vote:** 6-1 in favour (Councillor Stack opposed). * **Developer:** St. Paul Developments Ltd.
What does this mean for you? Well, more people living downtown could mean more vibrant streets, but also more pressure on parking and existing infrastructure. It’s the constant Kelowna balancing act, isn't it? We’ll be watching closely to see how this impacts the Bernard Avenue vibe once construction kicks off.
Nina Papadimitriou, MiTL Sports Desk, Kelowna.
I'm telling Keith and the crew all about this on the Morning Wire, tune in at mornings.live.