Kelowna Construction

[240glt]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Rutland still doesn't! I live in Rutland though and like Surrey where I lived in a few years ago, I think the reputation is a bit overblown.

One condo along Hwy 33 was recently completed, there's a huge piece of land on Hwy 33 and Gerstmar which is currently being excavated. The development permit plans are here and I hope there's been improvements to the plans in the last couple of years because honestly it looks like something designed in the late 80s.

http://apps.kelowna.ca/CityPage/DevA...9-08-2015).pdf

Other than that, lots of applications for townhouses and condos in Rutland. I'm amazed by how big a lot of the single family home lots are and fitting 36 townhomes where three single dwelling homes used to be is a huge deal for densifying Rutland while providing more housing for the middle class. I'm a huge fan of townhomes, I used to live in Fleetwood and townhomes have densified that area to the point where you need three elementary schools in a 1km radius with all the families. We don't need huge condos for density. This townhome development on the corner of Leathead Rd and Fleming Rd is the example I'm referring to:

http://apps.kelowna.ca/CityPage/DevA...%201075%20.pdf

Finally, while I'm also a bit disappointed Central Green didn't become something more, it's fairly affordable considering its proximity to downtown so I don't think it's a huge loss. The four to five storey wood buildings means they can get built faster and provide immediate relief to Kelowna's housing shortage. The One Water Streets and Aquas are sexy for the city but 80% of us can't afford it.

I've never spent much time in Rutland, honestly mostly just drove through on 33 to get to Big White or the Kootenays. But it does seem like there's been a lot of development along that corridor in the last ten years or so. As affordable options become scarce I can see Rutland continue to attract residents

It's good that Central Green will be attainable anyways. Properties close to the centre of town are expensive, and the city needs to rely on more than vacation traffic to drive growth

[DKaz]

That's city council's line of thought, while the previous boom was all about attracting retirees, the current boom is about attracting families and high tech workers/jobs.

[DKaz]

Oh yea, I was surprised to see this when I was in Westbank just last week, three made to rent buildings. This was only approved last February and construction barely started when we moved away from Westbank to Kelowna in April. Looks like one building substantially complete and two others full framed with plywood and some glazing. Certainly more good news for renters in the area although they are being marketed as luxury apartments and are in a very car dependent area, although that describes 90% of West Kelowna.

https://www.carringtonridge.ca/

[DKaz]

Aqua Height OK
Mayor Colin Basran was the lone dissenter as Kelowna city council enthusiastically voted to move forward with a major waterfront complex in the city’s Mission neighbourhood.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/new...-1-.htm#217062

[giallo]

Good news. Traffic will be an issue (when isn't it in Kelowna these days), but it offers far more positives to the area than negatives, so I'm all for it.

[240glt]

That Mission area sure has changed in the last 10-20 years

[DKaz]

I've never really seen bad traffic on Lakeshore, maybe a different story during rush hour but commuters really need to start taking Gordon or Richter. Parking will be an issue for the commercial retail portion of the project, hopefully they're allowing for adequate parking. Any variance for reducing parking should be rejected.

[uzi]

westcorp downtown hotel
https://www.kelownanow.com/real_esta...owntown_hotel/

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by uzi

westcorp downtown hotel
https://www.kelownanow.com/real_esta...owntown_hotel/

This! This is the project I am the most excited for in Kelowna. A true elegant pinnacle for the city in the appropriate location.

I really hope it is approved and proceeds!

[vicdevelopments]

That's awesome. I too hope it gets approved.

[DKaz]

Very nice, that'll be a significant building in the heart of downtown. I just hope they don't run into the same issues of building the underground parking below the water table like I heard another building I heard of, not sure which one exactly.

[KelownaResident]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Very nice, that'll be a significant building in the heart of downtown. I just hope they don't run into the same issues of building the underground parking below the water table like I heard another building I heard of, not sure which one exactly.

2 stories underground parking is what they're going for (plus some above ground).

We'll see if this project takes flight this time around.

[240glt]

That's a really fantastic looking project in a great location. Very exciting for Kelowna

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by KelownaResident

2 stories underground parking is what they're going for (plus some above ground).

We'll see if this project takes flight this time around.

It shouldn't be all that difficult but there's one building that's had constant flooding issues. The geotechnical engineer should be able to tell the mechanical engineer what the expected load of ground water might be so they can adequately size a couple of main pumps, and then put in two more "just in case" pumps that are four times bigger. The architect and contractor also needs to make sure their waterproofing membrane is solid.

[DKaz]

I found out it was Sopa Square that had the parkade water issues, but part of the reason was the funding issues that led to most of the project stalling.

[speedog]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Very nice, that'll be a significant building in the heart of downtown. I just hope they don't run into the same issues of building the underground parking below the water table like I heard another building I heard of, not sure which one exactly.

Every decent sized building in or near Calgary's downtown core has to deal with water table issues - why would Kelowna be different?

[Metro-One]

So reading the comments the classic “too tall” NIMBYs are coming out regarding the hotel tower. I urge all the Kelowna members who want to see this tower become a reality voice their support to the city.

One of the most ironically funny comments was someone blaming taller towers for Kelowna’s traffic problems... when in reality it is the far flung sprawling subdivisions that are the primary culprits to Kelowna’s traffic problems (and lack of decent road and transit infrastructure).

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by speedog

Every decent sized building in or near Calgary's downtown core has to deal with water table issues - why would Kelowna be different?

Well as I said above, a project ran out of money and likely resulted in an incomplete parkade drainage system. That and we have less experience with it with one only basement below the water table.

Originally Posted by Metro-One

So reading the comments the classic “too tall” NIMBYs are coming out regarding the hotel tower. I urge all the Kelowna members who want to see this tower become a reality voice their support to the city.

One of the most ironically funny comments was someone blaming taller towers for Kelowna’s traffic problems... when in reality it is the far flung sprawling subdivisions that are the primary culprits to Kelowna’s traffic problems (and lack of decent road and transit infrastructure).

I certainly will. And yes the worst traffic is around the low density areas. Downtown aside from Harvey Ave is never bad, people just park at a central parking structure and walk around.

[svlt]

Originally Posted by uzi

westcorp downtown hotel
https://www.kelownanow.com/real_esta...owntown_hotel/

It's forward thinking, ambitious and modern projects like these along with more reasonable prices that would tempt myself, an urbanist who strongly prefers living in large cities to consider Kelowna as residence in the future. The region is stunning in the summer and in close proximity to world class skiing in the winter.

[Sheener]

Construction fencing is up around the Ellis Parc site.