The world’s tallest wood building potentially will be built at the site of the current casino at the Penticton Lakeside Resort.
During an event held at Structurlam’s Okanagan Falls plant on Friday, an announcement was made that a group of business partners are looking at building a 20-storey tower next to the resort once the casino moves to their new home at the South Okanagan Events Centre complex next year.
“We are incredibly positive and optimistic that this is going to go through,” said Elizabeth Cucnik, daughter of Penticton Lakeside Resort general manager David Prystay. “We have to get all our ducks in a row and make sure everything is OK with the city, so there is some hoops we have to jump through, but we are very positive and very optimistic.”
Cucnik is working closely with Prystay and Greyback Construction on the proposed project which plans for luxury-style condominiums with the potential to also include hotel space. She said they are hoping to be in front of Penticton city council with the proposal in August.
“If this does go through, we feel like this would really put Penticton on the map. It would be the tallest wood building in the world, currently the tallest is 18-storeys,” said Cucnik.
On Monday, Prystay clarified more details on the project stating it is still in a “concept” phase and that they would be releasing more information formally in the coming months. He added they would be in discussions with their partners about the project in August, not necessarily with city council.
Prystay had previously announced plans to convert the space that is currently occupied by Lake City Casino into a state of the art convention centre. On Monday, he said that is still included in the concept with the 20-storey tower.
With the changing real estate market causing more demand in the Okanagan for homes, Cucnik said it is an ideal time to build.
With the changing real estate market causing more demand in the Okanagan for homes, Cucnik said it is an ideal time to build.
“There is more of a demand for density now. The demographics are shifting with a lot of people moving from the Coast and Alberta to here. It is putting more demand on the marketplace and more demand for higher density living,” she said.
Stucturlam was celebrating two landmark projects — UBC Brock Commons (which will be the current world’s largest building at 18-storey’s) in Vancouver and the multi-million dollar Rocky Ridge Recreation Facility in Alberta which they are supplying the materials for North America’s largest wood roof. Both are using Structurlam’s innovative, state-of-the-art solid cross laminated timber product — Crosslam.
Closer to home, Structurlam is already working with the Penticton Lakeside Resort on their current expansion — a six storey all-wood building. It will add 70 new rooms to the Lakeside.
Cucnik said the expansion is anticipated to be complete next year as they have already had bookings for the rooms when the ITU Multisport World Championship is held in the city.
“What is amazing is that Structurlam is not just a local company. There is people that know about Structurlam around the world. They are vastly gaining this world reputation in this area and are a fierce competitor in their marketplace,” said Cucnik. “Again, that is putting the Okanagan and Penticton on the map. We feel incredibly blessed, privileged to be part of this innovative technique.”
Cucnik added as a business and large part of the community, the Lakeside is proud to work with Structurlam because of the environmental initiatives of using wood-based products grown in sustainably-managed forests.
