Apartment-hotel to focus on long-term rentals to start
The Shore apartment-hotel will still open as scheduled on April 15, but the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the developer to switch gears.
“Originally, it was going to open more as a hotel with short-term stays over the summer for tourists and business travellers,” said Sally Pierce, who is handling communications for Rise Commercial Developments.
“In light of these challenging times, in which no one is booking hotels, we’ll focus on longer-term, month-to-month rentals, much like people would rent an apartment.”
The Shore has a high-visibility location on Lakeshore Road across from Gyro Beach.
The six-storey, horseshoe-shaped building has restaurants on the ground floor, offices on the second level, and 103 studio and one-, twoand three-bedroom apartments on floors 3, 4, 5 and 6.
All apartments are furnished, including fully kitted-out kitchens, and offer views of Okanagan Lake and the beach.
The location, seasonal nature of Kelowna’s tourism industry and proximity to Okanagan College meant the developers of The Shore envisioned long-term rentals for students and others September through April, and short-term rentals to tourists during summer.
That concept is expected to fall into place for 2021, when life and the economy bounce back after the novel coronavirus slows down.
For now, the focus is on longterm rentals, with short-term rentals available if needed.
Rents range from $1,200 to $3,000 a month, including utilities, internet and Optik TV.
The Shore was designed as a “hotel-econcierge” property, meaning there is no front desk and no onsite concierge.
That fits in with no-touch and social distancing requirements of these COVID-crisis times.
All guests electronically receive all the information and access they need at time of booking.
On the ground floor, there will be seven restaurants.
T-One Asian cuisine is open for take-out and delivery. Scheduled to open in May are Pizza Hut, Marble Slab Creamery, Shoreline Brewery, Good Earth Coffee, Dinner Deluxe and KB & Co.
Most of the second-floor offices have been leased.
The Shore was initially scheduled to open in the fall of 2019, but a construction fire delayed completion by eight months.