After nearly two years, Vancouver-based real estate developer Ledingham McAllister, commonly referred to as LedMac, appears to be ready to proceed with the second phase of their sprawling Waterscapes master-planned community in Kelowna, according to a development permit application submitted to the City last week.
Phase Two of Waterscapes — named The Vintage at Waterscapes, according to the application — is set for 1070-1130 Ellis Street, which has been consolidated into a single legal parcel with an address of 1070 Ellis Street. The property is currently vacant.
The site is located just north of Prospera Place and east of the first phase of Waterscapes, which consists of one high-rise tower and four mid-rise buildings that were all completed as of 2018.
BC Assessment values the 3.5-acre property at $47,831,000 and the property is held by Ledingham McAllister under Waterscapes Homes Ltd. Ledingham McAllister has been working on the second phase since 2021 and the rezoning application was approved by Kelowna City Council in July 2023 after a contentious public hearing.
The 1070 Ellis Street site in Kelowna that will be home to The Vintage at Waterscapes. / Arcadis, Ledingham McAllister
The Vintage at Waterscapes will be comprised of four towers between 28 and 36 storeys that would together deliver a total of 1,141 units comprised of 398 one-bedroom units, 714 two-bedroom units, and 29 ground-oriented three-bedroom townhouse units. Of the 1,141 units, 1,101 will be provided as strata units and 40 will be provided as rental units. A total of 1,366 vehicle parking stalls and 1,142 bicycle parking stalls will be provided in a six-level parkade, with five-and-a-half levels above ground, and the project has a floor space ratio (density) of 5.38.
The four towers will be situated at each of the corners of the rectangular site. The 36-storey Tower One will be located in the southwest corner, the 34-storey Tower Two will be located in the southeast corner, the 32-storey Tower Three will be located in the northwest corner, and the 28-storey Tower Four (that will be home to the 40 rental units) will be located in the northeast corner. Construction is expected to be split into two phases, with the first phase focused on the two south towers and the second phase focused on the two north towers.
Although many locals have been concerned about the heights of the towers, the heights are in line with those of the area. Located directly south of the site are the two One Water Street towers by Kerkhoff Develop-Build, which are 36 and 29 storeys. Other towers in the immediate area include the 27-storey tower constructed as part of the Phase One of Waterscapes, as well as several buildings between 14 and 21 storeys on both sides of Sunset Drive.
The Vintage at Waterscapes' four towers and their surrounding context. / Arcadis, Ledingham McAllister
A rendering of the four Vintage at Waterscapes towers. / Arcadis, Ledingham McAllister
Perhaps recognizing the concerns about the heights of the towers, LedMac notes in its development permit application that their proposal provides a significant amount of new housing that is "50 times more efficient in terms of land use and infrastructure servicing, than detached housing" and could not be provided as detached housing without expanding into greenfield sites such as those designated for agriculture or parks.
"Kelowna is expected to grow by more than 45,000 residents by 2040, the horizon of the new OCP," they add. "High rise forms will be required to accommodate this growth in a way that preserves a high quality of life and promotes community. The Vintage at Waterscapes will help the city shift its average density towards this goal. As per the Urban Centre hierarchy, the tallest heights are designated for downtown, where surrounding context, infrastructure, and amenities support these forms."
Serving as the architect of the project is Arcadis and the development permit application repeatedly highlights the architecture and public realm considerations. A public water feature will be located at the intersection of Ellis Street and Gaston Avenue, a new road that bisects the site will connect the site with the first phase of Waterscapes, and the towers will play a role in defining the skyline.
The design drivers for The Vintage at Waterscapes. / Arcadis, Ledingham McAllister
"The Vintage at Waterscapes caps off the north end of downtown Kelowna with a dynamic, signature skyline," the applicants note. "The building heights are placed to provide a clear indication of the city's planning policy to reduce building heights as they transition away from the 'One Water' towards Knox Mountain, and tower heights scale down away from the lake shore. The thoughtful skyline mirrors the surrounding mountains and responds to the urban context, creating a pleasant pattern that rounds out the shape of downtown."
"A part of an iconic downtown waterfront neighbourhood, The Vintage at Waterscapes will help to define the contemporary architectural style and character of Kelowna," they add. "The Vintage at Waterscapes will elevate the design standard in the city, and bring world-class urbanism to Kelowna as it grows and flourishes."
With a history that dates back to 1905, Ledingham McAllister calls itself "BC's original real estate development company." The company can be traced back to George W. Ledingham, who was involved in constructing Columbia Street in New Westminster, the original capital city of BC. The company is now led by CEO Ward McAllister, who formed Ledingham McAllister with Bruce Ledingham in 1984, and specializes in sprawling master-planned communities, such as the eight-acre Stratford Wynd in Coquitlam and the 60-acre Southgate City in Burnaby.
