A conceptual rendering of the site.
Image Credit: Avillia Developments
January 07, 2023 - 6:30 PM
The Alberta-based developer behind Vernon's Port Okanagan project says it was always its plan to sell off some of the land once the project was established.
Avillia Lakeside Developments manager of sales and marketing Jill Curtis told iNFOnews.ca the company is still moving ahead with building a four-star hotel and conference centre on the site while the other sites are for sale and potential buyers would need to fit in with the site's vision.
"We intend on creating a destination, not only for people that want to want to visit Vernon but for the folks that live there as well to create a recreational space for them, a living space, a place to shop, to hang out at restaurants, visit with friends, but also attract visitors all year round," Curtis told iNFOnews.ca. "It's a community, it's a village... it's going to be for everybody."
Curtis said Avillia primarily is a land developer whereby the company buys unserviced land and works to rezone and put in the required infrastructure before selling the lots to be built on.
READ MORE: Unbuilt Vernon 'Port Okanagan' development already up for sale
The 16-acre Port Okanagan site sits on the corner of Okanagan Landing Road and Lakeshore Road on the north end of Okanagan Lake and was purchased by the Edmonton family company in 2019.
Last summer, Vernon council gave the project the green light to build a 700-unit apartment and hotel complex up to 10 stories in height on the land.
The ambitious project was met with glee by Vernon council when it passed the first stages of approval last year.
However, Avillia is now in the process of selling three of the four lakeside lots for between $3.85 and $6.77 million which may have caused City Hall to question the project.
A conceptual rendering of the site.
Image Credit: Avillia Developments
Curtis said anyone who buys the land will have to fit in with the proposed development and part of the sales agreement will give them some architectural control.
Roughly half of the 16-acre site will be left as greenspace and Curtis reiterated it will be enhanced and open to the public.
The four-star hotel will likely have 150 rooms and a conference centre, restaurants and pool. A pier is also on the cards.
"It's going to be a nicer hotel," she said. "It will fill a very good niche."
Curtis said the plans were still in the preliminary stage and the company will begin the land development construction this year putting in the unseen infrastructure needed for building. Construction on the hotel and conference may begin in 2024.
A conceptual rendering of the site.
Image Credit: Avillia Developments
Curtis wouldn't say how much the company had already spent on the site.
"Land development is very capital intensive especially when you're dealing with waterfront and you're dealing with wetlands," she said adding the company has conducted extensive engineering reports on the site.
"We're happy to do it to create a nice neighbourhood," she said.
The sites were put up for sale a month ago and will make Avillia a decent profit if they get the $16 million they're asked for as the land was valued at $3.7 million when the company bought it.
A conceptual rendering of the site.
Image Credit: Avillia Developments
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