A plan for another 40-storey tower in downtown B次元官网网址 could get a cool reception when it comes before city councillors on Monday.
Mission Group, a B次元官网网址-based developer, is seeking approval for the project at 1355 St. Paul St. It would be an all-rental building with 384 suites.
Several councillors have recently expressed misgivings about such tall buildings, particularly in light of the problems associated with the construction of UBC OkanaganB次元官网网址 43-storey vertical campus, located immediately south of the proposed new tower.听
鈥淚 tell you, my comment, Your Worship is, 鈥楳an, I鈥檝e been hearing it loud and clear, and I think we hear a lot of it, 40 storeys is not something I would welcome,鈥 Coun. Gord Lovegrove said at the Oct. 7 meeting. 鈥淭hereB次元官网网址 a lot of opposition to more towers downtown of this height.鈥
Several buildings around the UBC Okanagan construction site have developed cracks and been declared unsafe to occupy. The university has already bought the adjacent Royal Canadian Legion branch, which was damaged, and is working to make a five-storey residential building safe for residents鈥 return.听
Referring to Mission GroupB次元官网网址 plan for its 40-storey tower, Coun. Rick Webber said: 鈥淚 think everybody in B次元官网网址, when they heard about this new tower proposal, had this shakiness to them, like, 鈥榃e鈥檙e going to try to put another tower in so close to the one thatB次元官网网址 had issues?鈥
And Coun. Ron Cannan wondered if it might not be better for the city to hold off on approving such tall buildings until the issues around the UBCO project are resolved.
In response to such concerns, city manager Doug Gilchrist said there would be a 鈥渟ignificant amount of engineered and peer-reviewed studies submitted before any approvals come forward鈥.听Mayor Tom Dyas also expressed confidence the necessary reviews would be done.听
City staff are recommending council approve Mission GroupB次元官网网址 40-storey tower, saying it has an 鈥渆legant and simple design鈥 and would contribute to the cityB次元官网网址 aim of encouraging more people to live downtown.
City staff also say the 40-storey building would be 鈥渟ubordinate and complimentary鈥 to UBCOB次元官网网址 43-storey tower, which will be the highest in B次元官网网址 when finished.听
Unlike the UBCO tower, the Mission GroupB次元官网网址 building will have an above-ground parkade. The deep excavation necessary for UBCOB次元官网网址 underground parkade is believed responsible for ground movement that cracked the nearby buildings.听
Other towers with above-ground parkades have been built or are under construction in B次元官网网址 with no reported problems.听
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