The Daily Courier

Embrace the Okanagan urban lifestyle

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Okanagan’s trendy, in place — two striking silhouette­s — was designed for a growing Kelowna

After the rave reviews that followed the unveiling of its model and concept drawings at June’s public open house, One Water Street is already making noise and attracting attention.

Proposed for downtown Kelowna on the 2.9-acre vacant lot in the Sunset Drive district best-known to locals as “the dirt pile”, the two proposed towers at ONE Water Street will offer a total of 403 condominiu­m homes.

Owners will enjoy the advantages of living in a walkable and cyclable downtown core, combined with an enviable lakeside lifestyle and living at new heights. The views from each and every home will be unmatched in the Okanagan Valley. “A sense of place” On the shores of majestic Okanagan Lake, yet right in the heart of downtown Kelowna, developmen­t partners North American Developmen­t Group and Kerkhoff Constructi­on have designed two striking silhouette­s that will soar into the sky in a combinatio­n of modern residentia­l and retail, with a design that is nothing short of revolution­ary for the region.

At 36 and 29-storeys respective­ly, the two towers would be the tallest buildings between Metro Vancouver and Calgary. An assortment of studio, 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments and a limited number of penthouses will be offered. A selection of townhomes and Live/Work street level homes are also planned.

“One of our goals with ONE Water Street is to create a sense of place that connects the Sunset Drive District to Kelowna’s Cultural District,” says Kerkhoff Constructi­on’s vice-president of constructi­on, Leonard Kerkhoff.

“With its proximity to so many outstandin­g cultural, dining and shopping attraction­s, we’re confident ONE Water Street will offer a distinctiv­e and sophistica­ted standard for Okanagan urban living in Kelowna – all within walking distance of the lake.” A design “first” for the Okanagan ONE Water Street’s contempora­ry design is unlike anything else in the Okanagan, the first in the region with a design inspired by some of the most sought-after multi-storey residences most often seen only in major cities.

The concrete and glass high-rise towers are designed by internatio­nally renowned BC-based Kasian Architectu­re, rated among the top 100 architectu­ral firms in the world.

The two towers are designed to visually “rotate and stretch” as they rise, affording approximat­ely 80 per cent of the homes at ONE Water Street unobstruct­ed balcony views of the lake and the iconic William R. Bennett floating bridge.

All the homes at ONE Water Street will enjoy views of Okanagan Lake or neighbouri­ng Knox Mountain, with extremely large balconies incorporat­ed into the design to allow residents to enjoy outdoor living to the max.

Breaking away from traditiona­l tower designs, the two concrete and glass towers at ONE Water Street sit on a three-storey “podium” that would connect the towers at the base, and surrounded by a perimeter of commercial space.

At the fourth level atop the podium is an elevated 1.3 acre landscaped area called “The Bench” offering more than 58,000 square feet of outdoor amenities and space for the exclusive use of ONE Water Street residents to enjoy.

You’ll think “resort” when you see The Bench. It includes an outdoor patio with tables and couches for dining and entertainm­ent, two swimming pools, a generously-sized hot tub, a pickleball court, a fitness facility, dog park and fire pits.

The entire complex has been deliberate­ly designed to be fully above ground. With its proximity to Okanagan Lake just a block away, ONE Water Street is engineered to provide increased protection from any overland water that may occur during peak levels of the lake. The neighbourh­ood ONE Water Street’s spectacula­r natural setting includes being located right next to Knox Mountain and just a block away from Okanagan Lake.

Serene, yet walkable to everything a modern city offers, and in an easy-to-cycle neighbourh­ood, ONE Water Street is mere

steps from Kelowna’s downtown shops and the heart of the cultural district, which includes an art walk, the Rotary Centre for the Arts, the Kelowna Art Gallery theatres and Prospera Place.

ONE Water Street is expected to be a trend-setter for future developmen­ts in the region in light of the city’s sudden growth and a change in attitude triggered by new industries and the influx of new arrivals moving to BC’s interior from larger centres.

“In greater Vancouver and Calgary, young profession­als, retirees and families are choosing to leave the hefty price tags

and long commutes of the big cities behind in favour of more affordable homes in the Okanagan,” says NADG Managing Partner, Henry Bereznicki.

“As a result, Kelowna has some of the lowest vacancy rates in Canada. We consider it a rare opportunit­y to not only help address this issue, but to do it with a proposed project that will transform a decadelong eyesore into an impressive example of Kelowna’s growth and potential.”

Details about One Water Street are available at www.ONE WaterStree­t.ca. Appointmen­ts to learn more are available by calling 778.940.8385.

 ?? Special to Okanagan Weekend ?? The two towers are designed to visually “rotate and stretch” as they rise, affording approximat­ely 80 per cent of the homes at ONE Water Street unobstruct­ed balcony views of the lake and the iconic William R. Bennett floating bridge.
Special to Okanagan Weekend The two towers are designed to visually “rotate and stretch” as they rise, affording approximat­ely 80 per cent of the homes at ONE Water Street unobstruct­ed balcony views of the lake and the iconic William R. Bennett floating bridge.

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