UBCO takes out record $262M building permit for downtown ‘vertical campus’

After weeks of digging the foundation for underground parking at its new downtown “vertical campus", UBC Okanagan has now taken out a building permit for the 43-storey tower.

At $262 million, the permit stands as the largest single building permit in Kelowna’s history. It has been reported that the Mission Group’s $140.6 million building permit for its Aqua project, issued in June, held the previous record.

Ledcor Construction Ltd. is the contractor for the UBCO tower.

READ MORE: Work crews heading to Kelowna’s UBCO downtown campus site in a matter of days

The permit will help make this the biggest year ever for building permits in Kelowna.

Last year’s record was $1.211 billion. The UBCO permit brings the current year to date today very close to that figure, if not already higher.

Originally approved for 46 stories, plans were moderated to 43 storeys. That will still make it the tallest highrise in Kelowna, one floor more that one of the towers at Water Street by the Park, now under construction.

Completion the campus is expected in 2027, according to a July update by UBCO.

“UBCO Downtown is set to become a premier location for vital health programs such as nursing, social work, and health and exercise sciences as well as making space available for other professional programs from other faculties,” the update said.

“The downtown facility will include dedicated spaces for community engagement and collaboration with the downtown community including the local business and non-profit sector. In addition, an art gallery will also provide a platform for showcasing student and community artwork.”

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