Proposed 40-floor tower would bring rentals, shops to vacant land

A massive rental tower is at the middle of a mixed-used development pitched for four vacant lots in downtown Kelowna.

Branded ‘Bridgewater’, the project would straddle Highway 97, with a proposed 40-floor all-rental tower on the northside of Harvey Avenue, and two smaller, six-floor buildings at the corner of Harvey and Pandosy Street.

“Offering the best of both the residential neighbourhood and downtown amenities, this new addition to the area will be an attractive and attainable housing choice for a diverse range of households,” documents from Kelowna-based Ridge North America read on the city’s website.

The plans detail the tower having 327 rental units, including 66 studio, 105 one-bedroom, 123 two-bedroom, and 33 three-bedroom units.

The southern development proposes 70 new housing units, including 17 one-bedroom, 27 two-bedroom, and 26 three-bedroom homes.

The entire project will offer nearly 26,000 sq/ft of commercial space.

The development is billed as a ‘highly visual gateway’ to downtown Kelowna.

Several zoning and variance applications would need to be approved by city lawmakers before it could move ahead.