The big derelict building that was once home to Woolworths department store and later to the Bargain Shop is a bit of a white elephant on Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 main drag.
The model of retail that it represents is increasingly untenable, which is likely the reason the shop closed its doors seven years ago.
Many expectations about what it could morph into have been floated out in the years since then, but nothing has happened害羞草研究所ntil now.
The Mission Group announced they bought the Bernard Avenue property this week and brought a bit of renewed hope to downtown dwellers. They say they害羞草研究所檙e not sure what they害羞草研究所檙e going to do with the property that includes six legal titles, but it害羞草研究所檚 clear they have the space for a little creativity.
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The property covers an entire city block in downtown Kelowna, and features 333 feet of frontage on Bernard Avenue.
Mission Group vice-president of development Luke Turri has said the property is really a great, blank canvas that will shape the downtown of the future.
What that means remains to be seen, so we asked the people who it will affect most directly害羞草研究所攖he people who spend their time on Bernard Avenue.
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Here害羞草研究所檚 what they had to say:
害羞草研究所淚 think it should be a high-rise condo building that blocks the sun out with retail on the ground floor. Higher condo buildings mean more people downtown and that害羞草研究所檚 better for the local economy.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� Chris Shaften, Krafty Kitchen + Bar
害羞草研究所淢aybe like a whole foods would be cool. Something to bring everyone downtown, with condos or something on top to give everyone more housing.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� Chantelle Koutsanis, Mad Mango
害羞草研究所淎 害羞草研究所�70s funplex, with a roller rink, bowling alley, disco dance area and fun place for the kids. (Or) more added retail that supports independent, local businesses and housing.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� Lori Sellen, HITZ Boutique
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檇 like to see a multi family tower with commercial on the ground floor.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所�Forrest Klotzbach
害羞草研究所淪omething that is part residential, part business 害羞草研究所aybe some office spaces, smaller ones. It害羞草研究所檚 always good to keep customers close to where there will be business.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� Healther Zais
害羞草研究所淒inner and a live show place.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� Alonso Sandoval
害羞草研究所淢aybe an arcade.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� Brandon Belanger
害羞草研究所淎 hotel .. why not? I used to work in the hotel business and we always need more hotels.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所�Ken Hamilton
害羞草研究所淢aybe something that害羞草研究所檚 not chain related. We have a lot of chains here. It would be cool to have 害羞草研究所� a local farmers market in there or something.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� Emma Lafontaine
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Also, in case the folks at the Mission Group need a little more inspiration our Facebook following came through as well. Here害羞草研究所檚 what they had to say:
Darlene Terada: A year round public market like Granville Market in Vancouver.
Doug Mehus: 16-20 store mixed use residential/commercial building, ideally with some purpose built rental apartments, namely market rate but a few affordable housing. This would allow the City to repurpose the former Kelowna RCMP detachment as a social housing development! :)
Suzan Miles: GAWD! No more condos! Like we need more traffic downtown. A year round market, or an Olive Garden/ Red Lobster. Been waiting decades for my fave restaurants to get here
James Boyle: It害羞草研究所檚 shame that we don害羞草研究所檛 get a choice in the matter. What will be happening is downtown will go through a growth spurt, much like Vancouver and we will see these massive buildings that don害羞草研究所檛 really belong. We害羞草研究所檝e already got our own east Hastings (Leon) and Stanley Park (City Park). All I can hope is that they will keep some green space and not make a townhouse development on every block!
Dave Gibson: Tear it all down and build something new for a change. Kelowna is stuck in a very boring period of time and needs to advance with the rest of the world.
Joshua Crawley: My vote goes for an Ikea, the indoor market idea, or a room with paddled walls where you can wear a straight jacket and act like a crazy person by bouncing off the walls and screaming in response to the high priced houses I will never be able to afford, especially with the lack of decent, high paying jobs out there. But yeah, an Ikea would be cool.
Heather Tite: Before you know it. City Council will approve a monorail to be built throughout all of Kelowna to get around faster and have less traffic, but no, they are not smart enough to ever think of that are they!!!
Jean-Anne Hawse: Condos, to keep persons shopping downtown. As you can害羞草研究所檛 park down there hardly, more walkers could benefit the businesses.
Harry Manak: 3D Imax state if the art multi use entertainment use facility high end convention center with theatres and cinemas
Stewart Drefko: 害羞草研究所淎 parkade害羞草研究所� with the dwindling parking space in Kelowna I think it would be a good idea looking in to the future
R Nathaniel Daggett: Year round indoor public market and garage sale booths
Heather Fehr: Almost anything would be better than the current eyesore
Craig Musgrove: Heliport害羞草研究所� Or NASA launch pad害羞草研究所� Or a zoo害羞草研究所� Or a driving range.
Marty McLeod: A massive tower with no parking like they have been
Barb Leyes: Some kind of housing ..apartment / hotel / condo
Beth Shey: Highrise with bachelor and small 1 bdrm rentals害羞草研究所�.NOT HIGH END! with parking on the bottom!
Max Rae: Homeless shelter and drug treatment centre
Lucy Harper: A place for homeless to go too害羞草研究所leep eat 害羞草研究所ot kitchen in there already
Doris Giesbrecht: Anything that will clean up that corner
Cally Callaghan: Roller rink!
Craig Erika Colburn: 50 storey tower
Nathalie Nessie Rancourt: Rollerskating rink!
