Tall tower proposal goes to Regina council

Regina city council is being asked to give its seal of approval to what could soon be Saskatchewan's tallest building.

The latest incarnation of the Capital Pointe project, a scaled-up version of one council approved last September, goes before council Tuesday night.

The hotel, retail and condominium complex is being built on one of the city's most high-profile intersections — Albert Street and Victoria Avenue, where the Plains Hotel is currently located.

Originally, the tallest part of the complex was to be the 19-storey condominium section. Now, the plan is for 26 storeys.

According to the designer, Chamberlain Architects, the building will be topped with an eight-metre spire that will push its height to around 90 metres — giving it bragging rights over the 84-metre-tall Delta Regina Hotel.

The Plains will be demolished, but the revised design will incorporate an iconic element from the decades-old building — the "wheat sprig" weather tower designed by Regina Five artist Ted Godwin.

Also changed from the design approved last fall is a green roof on the nine-storey hotel portion of the project.

"The revised plan has built upon the original design and represents a further refinement and improvement to the original design of the project," a city administration report going to council says.

The report adds that the result is "a signature development with stronger iconic stature at this important gateway intersection to the downtown."

The developers hope to begin construction later this year, with the project being complete in the fall of 2012.