New residential towers up to 26 storeys proposed for Kelowna's Prospera Place arena
A significant surface parking lot that directly serves Prospera Place in downtown Kelowna could potentially be developed into a high-density, mixed-use development.
Kelowna’s municipal government is in the process of considering an application by GSL Group, the owner of Prospera Place, to develop 1241 Water Street — the large surface parking lot immediately west of the indoor stadium.
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The proposal calls for three residential towers reaching 26 storeys, 22 storeys, and 13 storeys, containing a total of 457 homes, including 75 studios, 135 one-bedroom units, 74 one-bedroom units with a den, 164 two-bedroom units, and nine two-bedroom units with a den. Residents will have access to expansive shared amenities, including an outdoor amenity deck on the rooftop of the five-storey base podium, which primarily contains a vehicle parkade.
Site of Prospera Place’s west parking lot at 1241 Water Street, Kelowna. (Google Maps)
Site of Prospera Place’s west parking lot at 1241 Water Street, Kelowna. (Arcadis/GSL Group)
Existing condition:
Site of Prospera Place’s west parking lot at 1241 Water Street, Kelowna. (Google Maps)
Future condition:
2023 concept: Artistic rendering for the mixed-use project at 1241 Water Street at Prospera Place in Kelowna. (Arcadis/GSL Group)
2023 concept: Artistic rendering for the mixed-use project at 1241 Water Street at Prospera Place in Kelowna. (Arcadis/GSL Group)
There would also be over 19,000 sq ft of retail/restaurant uses on the ground level, concealing the first level’s parkade uses and activating the building’s edges fronting the streets to the west and south, the north-south pedestrian corridor to the east, and Prospera Place’s main entrance plaza to the north.
The base podium’s five-level parkade would contain a total of 531 vehicle parking stalls, including 422 stalls for residents, 64 stalls for visitors, and 25 stalls for commercial uses.
This vehicle parking capacity does not include any stadium event public parking, but the proponents note that 95 vehicle parking stalls for the stadium for use during event days could potentially be achieved by building a partial underground parking level. Following a redistribution of vehicle parking uses, this event parking serving the stadium would be located on the ground level.
Currently, the Indigo Neo-operated surface parking lots immediately west and south of the stadium carry a combined total of 366 stalls for Prospera Place.
Existing condition:
Future condition:
2023 concept: Artistic rendering for the mixed-use project at 1241 Water Street at Prospera Place in Kelowna. (Arcadis/GSL Group)
2023 concept: Artistic rendering for the mixed-use project at 1241 Water Street at Prospera Place in Kelowna. (Arcadis/GSL Group)
2023 concept: Artistic rendering for the mixed-use project at 1241 Water Street at Prospera Place in Kelowna. (Arcadis/GSL Group)
2023 concept: Base podium amenity rooftop; Artistic rendering for the mixed-use project at 1241 Water Street at Prospera Place in Kelowna. (Arcadis/GSL Group)
“Through the site’s redevelopment, this existing surface parking lot, underutilized at most times, will be transformed into a space that will enhance the cultural vitality and increase the vibrancy of the downtown core,” reads the design rationale for the project, which is designed by architectural firm Arcadis. The application was submitted by ICR Projects.
“Retail, proposed on all sides of the development and well-designed residential lobbies, along with the levels of much needed housing above, will bring more activity to the area at all times of day, encourage pedestrian movement around the site and help foster a human centred compact and complete neighbourhood with places to work, live and play.”
The project would generate a total building floor area of 413,700 sq ft, establishing a floor area ratio density of a floor area that is 4.6 times larger than the size of the existing 89,400 sq ft west parking lot of the arena.
Prospera Place was built in 1999, and it holds up to 5,500 spectators for hockey and 8,000 for concerts. Its anchor tenant is the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Prospera Place in Kelowna. (Prospera Place)
Previous concept: Artistic rendering for the mixed-use project at 1241 Water Street at Prospera Place in Kelowna. (Arcadis/GSL Group)