Kelowna - 1451 Bertram Street

Preliminary Image Only – Subject to Change

Overview

BC Housing is planning for the redevelopment of 1451 Bertram Street, in downtown Kelowna (formally 1451 and 1469 Bertram). The focus is to create urgently needed non-market and market rental housing for seniors, couples, individuals and families. No supportive housing will be built on the site.

Project History and Details

In October 2021, the City of Kelowna approved BC Housing’s redevelopment plan. These approvals followed a series of project revisions that included changes to incorporate community feedback and input from City staff.

The redevelopment plan includes:

• 14 rental townhomes
• 162 non-market and market rental apartments
• Daycare and play area
• Housing for people with disabilities

In November of 2023, BC Housing will resubmit the Development Permit Application and the Development Variance Permit Application to the City to extend the timeline of the permit approvals previously granted. BC Housing will have two additional years to begin construction. It is estimated that a building permit could be approved in 2024 and that construction could begin in mid 2025. Previous zoning and subdivision approvals do not expire and do not require a new application at this time.

The November 2023 permit resubmission will look to extend the City’s approval to accommodate the 20-storey building and will ask for additional variances to the size of some of the visitor parking stalls. These additional variances are required by the City and will bring the permit approvals in line with changes made to City bylaws since the original permit approvals.

Community Feedback History

In September 2020, BC Housing introduced the overall redevelopment plan and preliminary design concepts for 1451 Bertram Street (previously 1451 and 1469 Bertram Street). The surrounding neighbourhood and organizations representing Kelowna’s downtown were invited to provide feedback on the ideas presented as the plan was revised to include:

• Fewer total units, but more units for families
• A focus on environmental elements such as energy efficiency features, electric vehicle charging and car share options
• Special attention to working with neighbours on landscaping, fencing and privacy screening

The proposal also includes a range of architectural and landscaping elements that ensure the redevelopment retains a residential feel and fits within this downtown neighbourhood and the surrounding city centre.

Design priorities include a design that fits within the neighbourhood, apartment spacing away from neighbours, a green approach, parking and vehicle management, climate change mitigation, and construction waste management.

The Bertram Redevelopment Brochure provides more detail about the redevelopment plan outlined in December of 2020. Once BC Housing has resubmitted the Development Permit and Development Variance Permit application (estimated in November 2023), the City of Kelowna will post this application and provide updates on the permit approval process at: https://www.kelowna.ca/homes-building/property-development/current-developments.

Please send any questions and comments on this project to communityrelations@bchousing.org.