Central Green takes shape

What has been dubbed one of the "Jewels of Kelowna" is nearly completely built out.

Wednesday, the Stober Group officially unveiled the second of four rental properties (Park East) within Central Green, the former KSS site, at Harvey Avenue and Richter Street.

The opening means five of the seven rental or for sale developments have been built, with just two rental buildings along Harvey still to be built.

Discussions between the developer and city are ongoing on those projects.

Park East includes 108 rental units ranging in size from micro suits to townhomes.

The building is 60 per cent leased.

The complete build out of the site is not what the city originally envisioned in terms of building height during more than a decade of debate over the property.

However, company COO Dave McAnerney says while the city may have lost height, it did gain more density than was sought.

"The city wanted 150 units on the site," said McAnerney.

"There will be 625 units when it is complete."

The total build out will include about 400 rentals, 200 condos and eight retail spaces.

It's also the city's first LEED certified neighbourhood.

Mayor Colin Basran said the project may not have hit on what was originally envisioned, however, it has met many city objectives.

"It's tough with a master project like this in terms of being able to make it perfect, to please everybody. But, at the end of the day what we've achieved are a number of city objectives," he said.

"The biggest being densifying an urban centre where we have a mix of market housing, rental housing and supportive housing."

Two other buildings, a supportive housing complex operated by Karis Support Society (2015) and affordable housing operated by the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society (2017) had previously opened, but were not part of the current site development by Stober and The Mission Group.

It also creates a diversity of residents.