Kelowna residents increasingly interested in living downtown

A huge condo project planned for downtown Kelowna is seeing more interest from locals than first expected, according to its developer.

“When we started this thing, I was told that no one from Kelowna would want to buy. We’ve seen the exact opposite,” said Anthony Beyrouti, founder of Orchard Park Properties, the company behind Water Street by the Park.

The 650-unit development at the corner of Water Street and Leon Avenue will feature three towers, the largest being 42-storeys. It is being designed by Vancouver-based Ciccozzi Architecture.

Beyrouti says their sales representatives have seen a deluge of interest since they started taking pre-sale registrations, and Kelowna residents are interested in living downtown.

"They want to be down here. They want to be in the area, walking around,” he said.

Several other downtown condo projects coming online have also sold very well, according to their developers.

Water Street by the Park released their floor plans over the long weekend and work is nearing completion on a sale centre on Leon Avenue.

Beyrouti says they are working towards construction at full speed.

“We want to break timelines like people have never seen,” he said.

He said they plan on breaking ground early next year and completing the first 42-storey tower in two years time.