Ella construction to begin

Photo: Castanet file photo

Pre-construction work is complete and permits are in place, meaning Kelowna's newest downtown residential tower is ready to take shape.

The Mission Group is set to begin construction on Ella, a 20-storey, mixed-use commercial, residential tower at Ellis Street and Lawrence Avenue, next week.

It's the first residential tower to be constructed in the Bernard District in more than 30 years.

Construction activity is expected to begin the week of March 5.

Later in the month, the process of driving more than 130 steel piles almost 50 metres into the ground, will commence.

The company admits the process will be noisy, and buildings in neighbouring blocks can expect some vibrations within their buildings during the process.

The piling phase is expected to last until the middle of May.

"We know we may not be able to completely avoid impacts to your business, but we will make every effort to minimize our disruption to the neighbourhood," the company said in a notice to businesses in the affected area.

"Please be assured that the construction team will follow best management practices and protocols for piling, including seismic monitoring, pre-construction surveys as well as complying with City of Kelowna Noise Control Bylaws."