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Two ambitious new skyscrapers may one day uproot the parking outside of Prospera Place.
Vancouver based GSL Group, who built Prospera Place and own the surrounding land, have submitted a proposal to the City of Kelowna detailing 37 and 27 storey towers.
An application received by city planners specifies the towers would feature 330 residential units with various mixed-use retail on the bottom.
The project renderings noticeably displace the large parking lot outside of the arena, which holds approximately 243 parking stalls.
Click here to read the full development application.
"Part of the application involves an underground parking lot along with four floors of above grade parkade," said Adam Cseke from the City of Kelowna.
"The city is in negotiations about adding some public parking into the development, in lieu of losing parking at Propsera Place."
City council would have to approve a rezoning application for the property as the current designation allows a maximum building height of 12 storeys, which developers say is outdated and based on a bylaw from 1976.
"The site was sold to the developer in exchange for the construction of the arena, so this has always been a development site and therefore was never required parking for the arena," explained Cseke.
"Our civic block plan had always anticipated development on this particular site, however not at the proposed height, which is why they have applied for a height variance."
The City of Kelowna and GSL Group entered into a partnership in the late 1990s for the construction of a 6,000 seat arena, which cost $20 million and opened in 1999.
"The site represents a noteworthy major opportunity with a vibrant new mixed-used development to grow into a destination to live, work, play, and learn as envisioned by the City of Kelowna's civic precinct plan," reads the application by GSL Group.
"The unique location of this development supports the concept of smart, planned growth of the community and will provide many aspects of sustainability such as driving less, walking more, cycling, and access to entertainment within Kelowna' city centre."
City officials confirmed the application has been submitted, however, the proposal remains in its earliest stages.
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