Elevating Communities from the Ground Up

A home is not only defined by what’s inside of it, but also by what surrounds it. The life and energy of the streets below can affect the experience of residents above. When we set out to create a rental community, we view the street level of each building as an added opportunity to build enticing, interactive and beneficial commercial spaces for our residents and the surrounding community. Retail stores can provide conveniences and restaurants a social hub. Public art enhances the everyday aesthetic, enticing those passing by to stop and enjoy, while landscaped plazas create natural gathering spots. Well-groomed townhomes bring the energy of community directly to the street. A great use of street space can act as a catalyst for positive urban transformation, enlivening and enhancing the neighbourhood at large.

The Lodges at Packer's Junction utilizes street level space to create a hub for the community. With 158 purpose-built rental homes, The Lodges helped revitalize a historic Kelowna neighbourhood. Over a century ago, the city's north end held warehouses and packing plants to ship Okanagan fruit worldwide. We saw an opportunity to bring the neighbourhood back to life by building an entirely new integrated urban environment, one that balances the needs of residential, retail and commercial users. One of the ways we used the rental community to revitalize the surrounding area was with ground level retail and café space. Street-level retail featuring boutique merchants and restaurants are an attractive addition to the property, adding to this revitalized neighbourhood's appeal. Restaurant and retail space, combined with thoughtful amenities, elevated the project far beyond just another rental building, contributing to the rejuvenation of a newly bustling residential zone.