More than two years after construction began, the Okanagan Centre for Innovation is almost complete.
Public areas of the building, located at Doyle and Ellis, will be accessible on Monday, with the first tenant moving in on Wednesday. Some work is still being completed in some other tenant units.
Construction on the 6 storey building began in 2014 and boasts several innovative features, such as a floor to ceiling atrium, a rooftop park, an 18 foot high plant wall, showers for those commuting to work by bike and a presentation theatre on the main floor.
Spokesperson Jeff Keen says there are also some tech features that are being kept secret for now. He says the design of the building was inspired by visits to Google, Apple and Sony.
“Most commercial buildings you get, you show up in the parkade and you get in the elevator and you don’t really see anybody or interact with anyone and same thing at the end of the day, you get in the elevator and out you go,” he says “and our building, like those other campuses, have really been designed to bring people together and collaborate and share”
The building will primarily house companies in the creative technology industry.
Keen says the building is “quite something” for any city to have, let alone Kelowna.
“It’s not something that you will find in Vancouver or Calgary,” he says “I’m sure there is something similar in Seattle, but our model of how we brought the different components of the start-up eco system together, supported by three levels of government and creating a space for entrepreneurs in the type of structure with intentional design and everything that has gone into the building, is very unique”
The building is expected to boost Kelowna’s already growing tech sector.
Keen says there will be an official ribbon cutting ceremony late March.