Kelowna Construction

[GORDBO]

I also agree that a bridge connecting to 97C would be nice, But to build a new hwy on the hillsides south and east of the city would be cost prohibative. At that point , they might as well build a new hwy on the west side of the lake up to Vernon.

[Calgarian]

Kelowna desperately needs a second crossing, the traffic on Harvey is ridiculous, especially considering there is less that 200 000 people in Kelowna and West Kelowna. I love Kelowna, but the city is a total failure from an urban planning standpoint.

[crazytown]

Totally agree with Calgarian on that point. Strip-mall central. The old bridge would have been fine if the regional district didn't allow for uncontrolled growth on the west side of the lake. How does an area get to 40,000 people without being either incorporated or amalgamated is beyond me.

The best thing to do now is for the city to work on the "Highway 33" extension and the province to work on improving Westside Road to a much better standard so that Westside traffic traveling north can completely bypass both Kelowna and Vernon.

[RWin]

Originally Posted by crazytown

improving Westside Road to a much better standard so that Westside traffic traveling north can completely bypass both Kelowna and Vernon.

• Video Link

Just my opinion. Also, I couldn't see local businesses going for that in either Kelowna or Vernon. An Okanagan freeway would be a better choice.

[Emtee]

Manteo plans towers, townhouses

MONDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 2013 18:00 J.P. SQUIRE

Manteo Beach Club Inc. is planning a major redevelopment of its Lakeshore Road resort, including 18 townhouses and two highrises.
An official community plan amendment to allow 10- and 12-storey apartment hotels received preliminary approval from city council Monday and will go to a public hearing on March 12. The company plans its own public meeting on March 4.
The project, under discussion for the past couple of years, would proceed in three phases with 18 townhouses proposed in the next year or two for the adjacent 44-unit Lakeshore Inn, which has deteriorated since a major facade upgrade in 1999.
The company plans to wait until existing Manteo leases expire in 10 years and then during the next 10-15 years, a 12-storey, 69-unit tower would be added in the second phase and a 10-storey, 77-unit tower in phase three. Both would be located in the centre of the property to maintain views of the lake and surrounding area and avoid putting neighbours in shadow.
The redevelopment would also have additional 775 square metres of commercial space for tourist shops and a 363-square-metre expansion to convention facilities.
Since the OCP only allows six storeys, Manteo offered to dedicate and restore a 10-metre wide riparian strip along the lake to complete a two-metre-wide public walkway from Rotary Beach to the mouth of Mission Creek and along Wilson Creek. That work could start as early as 2014.
Manteo also plans an expanded pool and open spaces on the waterfront as well as providing 29 more parking spaces than required, a total of 313, to solve current parking challenges.
Coun. Robert Hobson recalled the initial application to build Manteo Resort was "highly controversial" at the time and he's expecting more.
He commended everyone involved in an "exciting" project while Coun. Luke Stack praised the "fantastic" public walkway. Stack added the trade-offs of increased height for public access to the waterfront was reminiscent of the high-density development around Waterfront Park.

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/fr...ses-22613.html

[Ogopogo Fan]

not sure if anyone's seen this church/office/condo development in the Mission...

http://sanctuarykelowna.com/

[Emtee]

Manteo expansion gets council approval

Kelowna City Council has given unanimous approval for expansion of the Manteo Resort.

Council gave its blessing at Tuesday night's public hearing.

There was only a smattering of opposition to the project. Of the three people who chose to speak to council, two were in favour of the expansion.

City Clerk Stephen Fleming read eight to 10 letters of opposition, many from residents across Lakeshore Road at the Playa Del Sol Resort who were concerned about increased traffic and obstructed lake views.

The expansion, in the works for several years, includes a 12 storey, 69 unit hotel, a 10 storey, 77 unit apartment/hotel and 18 lakefront townhome residences.

"We've worked and re-worked this proposal to ensure we're not only making sound business decisions but, most importantly, responsible ones," says Adrian Block, president and founder of The Rykon Group, developer of Manteo Resort.

"We have an amazing piece of real estate and take our stewardship of the land seriously and applaud City Council for their collaboration to ensure a win-win for everyone."

The developer requested, and was granted, an OCP (Official Community Plan) amendment for height in order to make the project work.

The OCP had a height restriction of six storeys for that portion of Lakeshore Road.

In exchange for the height variance, developers will make available a 12-metre lakefront strip to ensure public access from Rotary Beach to the mouth of Mission Creek.

The first phase of the three phase project will include construction of the 18 townhome residences on the Lakeshore Inn property.

While construction details have not yet been released, developers indicate they intend to bring the townhomes to market in late spring.

The Manteo expansion marks the beginning of what could be a construction boom along that area of Lakeshore Road.

On Monday, council gave initial approval to an ambitious development across the street from Manteo in what is now the Hiawatha Mobile Home Park.

That development is heading to public hearing March 26.

http://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna...uncil-approval

[Chadillaccc]

Wow that was quick!

[vitc]

Another article containing this rendering...



http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/fr...-up-31413.html

Earlier article with another rendering...



http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/fr...-up-31413.html

[wisla_krakow]

i've been hearing some rumors that SOPA Square has run out of money. i know they've been having some trouble securing tenants and selling units lately. really unfortunate if true.

[giallo]

^ It's true. Construction has stopped, and I believe it's been capped at the second floor for now.

The problem with SOPA was the pricing. My parents were looking in to getting an apartment there, and selling their house in the Mission. They quickly gave up on that idea after looking at one of the 2000sqf units. It was selling for almost $2,000,000.

That place was doomed before the first shovel hit the ground.

[Emtee]

Originally Posted by wisla_krakow

i've been hearing some rumors that SOPA Square has run out of money. i know they've been having some trouble securing tenants and selling units lately. really unfortunate if true.

According to a local business columnist:

John Thomson's I Didn't Know That!
by John Thomson - Story: 87316
Feb 14, 2013 / 5:00 am

I am going to try to answer some of the e-mails I have received over the last couple of weeks regarding SOPA Square, the new high rise commercial and residential property on South Pandosy. Yes there are some snags in the development at the moment. Ed and Stacey Fenwick, the developers, are in the marketplace for some new money to finish the project with their partners. This project has been ten years in the making, planning and building. There were no people that spoke out about the development - everyone at the public meeting was for the project from the beginning.

Stacey is a very sharp young lady and has been a boon to her father from the start. The project when finished will be a 40,000 sq. ft. of retail space and 140,000 sq. ft. of residential. So, the tenants can live upstairs and come down stairs for lunch and dinner.

Like all developers of these major ventures, things change along the way and from the crash in the 2008-2010 period things have changed dramatically for builders and developers and what was a plan earlier may not be anymore.

The developers are certainly talking to money people about finishing the square as they had planned from the start. It is a tough market out there and things take a little longer to gel today. The Fenwick’s need a little time to work out all the details and they will. That building is so important to the south end of the city and we know it.

This is an $80 million game changing development for South Kelowna. It is the first mixed use development of its kind in Kelowna. The developers started when they broke ground for the 73,000 sq. ft. underground parking garage in 2010.

Stacey is the team leader of marketing for SOPA Square and the team has successfully leased the commercial space to local businesses including Bliss Bakery, Mission Meats, Codfather's Seafood Market and the Twisted Roots Market.

It will be a great place to shop and live.

http://www.castanet.net/news/John-Th...dn-t-Know-That

[crazytown]

City of Kelowna has updated their Capital Projects Interactive Map:
http://www.kelowna.ca/iCapital_Proje...ipts/cp001.cfm

[crazytown]

This was on the BC Hwys thread but also belongs here:
http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2013/0...a-drivers.html

[crazytown]

Article on Castanet.net:

RapidBus system moving west

by Wayne Moore - Story: 89801
Apr 2, 2013 / 4:00 pm

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

All Aboard: The Transit Future Bus will travel around West Kelowna this week engaging the public on plans in place for the RapidBus service in West Kelowna.

The time it takes to get from West Kelowna to UBC Okanagan, Okanagan College and other points within West Kelowna and Kelowna will be dramatically shortened with the introduction of Phase 2 of the RapidBus system.

The $21.5M first phase of the transit system was introduced in September, 2010, and connected downtown Kelowna with UBC Okanagan by providing service every 15 minutes during peak traveling times along Highway 97.

It also provided enhanced service to Rutland, with bus service every 15 minutes during peak times, as well as providing more direct options for travel to Okanagan College, Kelowna General Hospital and Mission Centre.



Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Drawings of the Elliot Road Transit Exchange

Phase 2 will bring the service to West Kelowna.

The $46M price tag will be funded through all levels of government.
• $10.9M from Building Canada Fund - Federal Government
• $6 from the Gas Tax Fund - Federal Government
• $23.9M - Province of BC
• $5.2M - City of Kelowna
• Land Contribution for Transit Exchanges - West Kelowna

"This is a good day for us," stated Mayor Doug Findlater during the announcement made at Mount Boucherie Secondary.

The two new Transit Exchanges that will be constructed as part of the RapidBus system will be situated on Elliot Road in Westbank and in the Boucherie Centre area just off Highway 97 next to the Super 8 Motel.

Findlater says the exchange on Elliot Road between Main Street and Dobbin Road is a 'key part of council's Westbank Revitalization strategy.'

Tuesday's announcement was made in front of BC Transit's traveling 'Transit Future Bus.'

BC Transit COO, Mike Davis, says the bus will be in West Kelowna for the balance of the week showing off the plans for the new RapidBus system and enlist response from the public.

"We want to get some comments on them before we start digging to make sure we're building the right thing," says Davis.

The public consultation process was a key aspect of the announcement for Councillor Rick de Jong, who made no secret of his disappointment over what appeared would be a lack of public input.



Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Drawings of the Boucherie Centre Transit Exchange

"I'm glad we are going to have this open house today and that there are going to be open houses all week. My concern all the way along is that we're engaging the public, that we're doing open houses and talking and listening to the residents of the area," says de Jong.

"I was starting to get a feeling that wasn't the direction BC Transit was going so I'm very pleased that it is. Today is the start of that process."

With the new system, scheduled to begin when school opens in September, 2014, the commute from West Kelowna to the end of the line at UBC Okanagan, which some have said can take upwards of two hours, will now be cut in half.

While other transit routes are not part of the new service, Findlater says it is expected the RapidBus service should increase ridership by about 15 per cent which will assist the municipality in funding other routes down the road.

Another benefit de Jong sees in RapidBus is the ability to allow students wishing to attend UBCO or Okanagan College the option of staying home and staying in the community rather than relocating closer to campus because of transportation issues.

"As a councillor with a student now in grade 10 this system is going to be fully functional and operational by the time my son graduates from high school. I'm thrilled - he's looking at UBC Okanagan and because of the RapidBus Transit, staying at home and attending classes is definitely going to be a viable option and an affordable option."

Davis expects construction to begin on the two new transit exchanges sometime this summer.

The Transit Future Bus will make the following stops over the next few days:
• Wednesday, April 3 Save-on Foods 2475 Dobbin Rd. 9 a.m. - 12 noon
• Wednesday, April 3 Westbank Centre 3717 Elliott Rd.1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Thursday, April 4 Okanagan Lake Shopping Centre Highway 97 at Westside Rd. 10 a.m. - 12 noon
• Thursday, April 4 Boucherie Mountain Super 8 Hotel at Westgate Rd. 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

[Emtee]

The (re-re-imagined) Monaco is going to public hearing on April 23.

The proposal is for two towers on the site with heights of 30 storeys (88m) and 22 storeys (65m). They have eliminated the tower separation variance issue (one of the major issues council had with the proposal) by purchasing the property to the north of the development site. However they still require 7 variances. It would have 128 hotel suites and 161 residential units as well as commercial space on the street level.

It has a positive recommendation by city staff.

[giallo]

^Not bad.
The podium is still extremely dull and doesn't match the towers at all, but overall, it's a good project for downtown.

[Chadillaccc]

Absolutely excellent I hope it goes through. This would be great!

[Emtee]

The Hiawatha proposal was passed by council today. It will have buildings up to 11 storeys.

Council says yes to Hiawatha plan
by Wayne Moore - Story: 90096
Apr 8, 2013 / 2:29 pm

Despite objections from neighbours and residents, the controversial Westcorp Properties development proposed for the Hiawatha Mobile Home Park will go ahead.

Kelowna City Council voted 6-3 in favour at its weekly meeting Monday afternoon.

Councillors Robert Hobson, Gail Given and Mohini Singh all voted against the development.

Hobson was against the project because of the added density versus amenities while both Given and Singh could not lend their support because of the way people remaining on the site have been treated.

"I would like this developer to go back and reach a fair and equitable arrangement with the 18 or 19 land owners remaining on the site," says Singh.

Those in favour, while sympathetic with the human aspect, believed the council policy surrounding Mobile Home Park Redevelopment and the relocation of home owners and tenants, was followed or exceeded.

Councillor Stack stated it was hard not to be sympathetic to the plight of residents but not enough to "sway me against this proposal."

"I do believe this is the right development and land use for this area," added Stack.

[Emtee]

Originally Posted by wisla_krakow

thank god. any news of who bought it?

Finally found the answer to this little mystery. According to a map accompanying a report to council to be presented on April 15, it is a city owned property now. Anti-climactic I know.