Hundreds of new homes on the way to Penticton
The City of Penticton’s North Gateway Plan to redevelop the area near the South Okanagan Convention Centre is less than a year old.
But already, almost one third or the projected 2,200 new housing units are either under construction or approved.
“The goal for this area is to provide a range of different housing types, a range of different commercial opportunities, a range of different entertainment facilities – building on the existing investments that have been made in the convention centre, the events centre, those types of facilities,” Anthony Haddad, the city’s general manager of community services told iNFOnews.ca. “We look at the buildout of this area over 15 to 20 years, subject to market conditions.”
Those market conditions may be speeding up that time frame. There are currently 682 new units under construction or approved.
READ MORE: Construction boom in Penticton fuelled by housing demand
A couple of large buildings were on the drawing board before the plan was adopted. Those include 35 luxury townhouses in the Riverside project on Wylie Street just nearing completion and 20 duplexes on Westminster Avenue now under construction.
Also nearing completion – with an opening expected this summer – is the Four Points Sheraton Hotel.
It will have about 120 rooms, which is nearly one-quarter of the 300 to 350 rooms envisioned for the area.
There are another 632 housing units approved for construction, including the 240-unit, six-storey Sokana, next to Riverside and being built by the same developer, Azura Management.
Haddad expects construction to begin before the end of the year.
Also approved is the 300 unit El Rancho development on Westminster Avenue, 22 townhouses just down the street from there and 70 units on Eckhardt Avenue West.
“The North Gateway is more of an entertainment focus, right on the beach, right on the river channel, with access to trails, the golf course, elementary school, convention centre, casino, community centre, a lot more amenities within really accessible walking distances,” Haddad said.
In fact, the whole plan is sub-headed as Penticton’s first 15-minute neighbourhood. That’s a concept being adopted across North America and Europe with the idea of having most services that people need being within a 15-minute walk or bike ride of their homes.
READ MORE: On the road to 15 minute cities in Kamloops and the Okanagan
The plan area runs from Highway 97 to Churchill Avenue and Lakeshore Drive in the North, bounded by Riverside Drive and Power Street.
When fully developed it’s to include 30,000 square feet of new commercial space and two new ice rinks.
“When you look at developing communities in a much more sustainable way and walkable way - this area is right on the highway, there’s good vehicle access, there will be improved pedestrian access, cycling access, all the trails, the shopping, the green spaces that are in the area.” Haddad said. “The goal of the neighbourhood is to be there for everyone and a range of different housing that we want to see in the area will provide for a sustainable future for our community.”
There are currently only about 300 homes in the area so that number will likely more than double in the next couple of years.
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