Lakeside tower topped off

The Lakeside Resort in Penticton “topped off” their new tower on Friday afternoon with a ceremony, hoisting signed beams to the roof.

Construction crews are on the home stretch, with the 70-unit tower expected to open this summer.

It’s the first major development in Penticton to use local Structurlam product, something company President Bill Downing is thrilled to see come to fruition.

“This is an entirely Penticton based team, from the owner to the architect, to the general contractor and the fabricator, all based here right in the South Okanagan - an absolutely world class building,” he said.

The tower is a part of a movement in construction in recent years, seeing larger and larger structures made with mass timber.

“One of the other real advantages of wood, is the fact that wood is one of the few materials that holds carbon within it,” said Nick Bevanda with HDR/CEI Architects.

“This building I believe holds within it, about 3,500 tons of carbon,” he added, noting one car produces about four tons of carbon a year.

The wooden building is also much lighter than a concrete structure, allowing the architect to avoid using pilings like most buildings along the lake, saving money. Not having to deal with extensive concrete work also cut the build time, further helping the bottom line.

The building has been specially designed to settle into place, and flex as the wooden beams contract and dry out. The structural panels also double as fire barriers, although the entire building has a sprinkler system.

The rooms will feature massive windows and wide patios, taking advantage of an unreal view of Okanagan Lake. Wood will be left exposed, showing off glue-laminated beams, bringing a unique warmth into the building.

However, there is a good chance it won't stay Penticton's largest wooden building for long, the Lakeside Resort is in talks with the City of Penticton about another similar expansion, this time 22 stories.