‘It’s the parkade that is way overpowering the building’: area residents concerned with proposed Kelowna hotel

Opposition to a proposed five-storey multi-use building located at 2169 Pandosy Street in Kelowna is starting to grow.

The large lot, which is kitty-corner to Kelowna General Hospital, has been a vacant eyesore for more than a decade, City of Kelowna spokesperson Terry Barton said.

Now, a new development proposal has been tabled for the site.

2:28 Downtown Kelowna is growing skyward as more high-rises are being built in the heart of the city.

“The proponent is coming forth with a large mixed-use building,” Barton said.

The proposal includes five stories of mixed-use that will include some commercial space and a 74-room hotel.

However, neighbouring residents aren’t so sure the new proposal fits in with the area.

“I think its too large: the variance requests and specifically the parkade with the extra parking,” Penny Pearson said.

2:07 Group calls for free parking at BC hospitals

Pearson lives three houses away from the proposed site.

Douglas and Irene Harlton have lived one house away from the proposed site for 30 years.

The couple said their problem with the development is parking.

The Harltons are concerned all the traffic for proposed building’s accompanying four-storey parkade will enter and exit through their narrow back alleyway.

“We are insulted that the city would even consider building a 200 unit parkade for a 74 unit hotel and some businesses. It’s the parkade that is way overpowering the building,” Irene said.

Despite a number of variance requests in the development proposal, City of Kelowna staff have recommended that council approve the project.

“We are finding that the overall objectives of the development outweigh those variance requests,” Barton said.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Global News spoke with representatives for the developer who said that while they didn’t want overflow parking to affect an area already critically short of parking, it is the city that decides how traffic will enter and exit from the proposed development site.

The public hearing for this project goes before Kelowna City Council Tuesday June 23.