Major changes proposed for historic Kelowna CN Rail Station site

A five-storey commercial office building is planned for the former CN Rail station in downtown Kelowna.

The train station was restored as the home of the Train Station Pub and received a municipal heritage designation in 2009.

Plans approved in 2010 called for three buildings on the property which is bounded by Ellis and St. Paul streets and Clement Avenue. Since then, only one of those buildings – the Metro Liquor store – has been built.

An application posted on the City of Kelowna website today, Nov. 21, calls for that building to be expanded but the major change is a five-storey building on the north side.

“The buildings have been designed to be compatible with, subordinate to and distinguishable from the historic train station building and they take their cues from the historic place and the industrial character of the area,” the application states.

The ground floor of the building is slated for commercial topped by four storeys of offices.

The height of the building “relates very well to the podium height of the One Water Street development to the west,” the application from Kasian Architecture says.

“The proposed building materials have been selected for a timeless and modern palette throughout the development while their unique arrangement gives each building its own character.”

The ginko tree on site, along with the railway garden and memorial statue will be preserved.

“The immediate neighbourhood is changing rapidly with the construction of many high-rise residential developments with great density,” the application says. “The proposed site design supports pedestrian connectivity between buildings, the railway garden, and the ginkgo tree courtyard as well as to the surrounding streets.”

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