The OKIB Cultural Immersion School of Vernon was named the Judges’ Choice Best Overall entry in the 14th Annual REMAX Commercial Thompson Okanagan Commercial Building Awards held Thursday night at the Coast Capri Hotel. BriannaPage Photography
14th Annual REMAX Commercial Thompson Okanagan Commercial Building Awards Held Thursday
KELOWNA – The OKIB Cultural Immersion School of Vernon was named the Judges’ Choice Best Overall entry in the 14th Annual REMAX Commercial Thompson Okanagan Commercial Building Awards held Thursday night at the Coast Capri Hotel.
Okanagan Indian Band is the owner and developer of the project, also called NK̓MAPLQS Iʔ SNM̓AM̓AY̓AʔTN Iʔ K̓L SQILXʷTƏT. Okanagan Indian Band is the owner/developer, Chandos Construction was the General Contractor, Iredale Architecture was the Architect and Quantus Electric Ltd. the electrical contractor for the building, which was also named the Award of Excellence winner in the Community Institutional Enterprise category.
The Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) Cultural Immersion School is a newly constructed, single-story elementary school at the head of Okanagan Lake in Vernon. The school spans 26,200 sq. ft. and was designed in collaboration with Elders and consultants to create an inclusive learning environment that supports both the preservation of Sqilxw language and culture and academic success.
There were 42 finalists in the event, which celebrates the best commercial, industrial, community and multi-family buildings from Kamloops, Salmon Arm, Sicamous, Armstrong, Vernon, Lumby, Coldstream, Lavington, Kelowna, West Kelowna, Summerland, Penticton, Oliver and Osoyoos.
The Gold sponsor was Black Walls, with Category Sponsors being TOMTAR Roofing & Sheet Metal/TRS, Wayside, Hero Security, Cleaning Angels, Okanagan College, Chriscan Construction, Cool Air Rentals, Snap Printing and Sandman Hotels, along with Media Sponsors Green Sheet Construction Data and SW Event Technology.
There were five industry-specific awards handed out at the event: Architect of the Year is Novation Architecture of Kelowna, Civil Contractor of the Year is Rivermist Excavating Ltd. of Kamloops, Commercial Electrician Company of the Year is Horizon Electric Ltd., Engineer of the Year is Falcon Engineering, and General Contractor of the Year is Traine Construction and Development of Kelowna.
Other Award of Excellence winners in their categories were:
The Award of Excellence in Affordable Housing was Okanagan College Vernon Student Housing & Child Care – 7000 College Way, Coldstream.
Affordable Housing: Okanagan College Vernon Student Housing & Child Care – 7000 College Way, Coldstream
The Vernon Student Housing Project represents a historic first for Okanagan College, delivering the campus’s first-ever on-site student housing after more than 30 years without such facilities. Developed in tandem with new residences in Salmon Arm and Kelowna, it forms part of a broader provincial initiative to expand affordable campus housing across British Columbia.
Owner/Developer: Okanagan College
General Contractor: Faction Construction
Architect: Faction Architecture Inc.
Electrical Contractor: COE & Company Electric Ltd.
Little Paws Children’s Centre – 645 Outma Sqilx w Place, Penticton, was the recipient of the Award of Excellence in Community Institutional
Community Institutional Journeyman: Little Paws Children’s Centre – 645 Outma Sqilx w Place, Penticton
The Little Paws Children’s Centre stands as a testament to the Penticton Indian Band’s commitment to supporting families with quality, affordable childcare. Recognizing the urgent need for more infant, toddler, and after-school care spaces, the Penticton Indian Band exceeded the capacity of the original Little Paws Childcare facility and required a larger, more efficient building to meet the needs of the community.
Owner/Developer: Penticton Indian Band
General Contractor: Redline Contracting Ltd.
Architect: Landform Architecture Ltd.
Electrical Contractor: Powertrend
The Award of Excellence in Hospitality-Tourism went to McKinley Beach Amenity Building “Our Place” – 3425 Hilltown Drive, Kelowna
Hospitality-Tourism: McKinley Beach Amenity Building “Our Place” – 3425 Hilltown Drive, Kelowna
The McKinley Beach Amenity Building is designed to serve as a vibrant, central hub for the community, blending modern architecture with the natural beauty of the surrounding Okanagan landscape. This thoughtfully curated space offers residents a balance of comfort, recreation, and social connectivity, enhancing the overall lifestyle experience within the McKinley Beach development.
Owner/Developer: NADG (North American Development Group), G Group Development
General Contractor: Live Edge Okanagan Builders
Architect: Bluegreen Architecture
Electrical Contractor: Horizon Electric
The Award of Excellence in Industrial went to IntraUrban McCarthy – 9640 & 9670 McCarthy Road, Kelowna
Industrial: IntraUrban McCarthy – 9640 & 9670 McCarthy Road, Kelowna
IntraUrban McCarthy was envisioned as a response to the pressing need for high-quality, functional, and accessible industrial space in the Okanagan region. Completed in December 2024, it marks PC Urban’s second industrial strata development in Kelowna and our 15th across British Columbia, underscoring our long-term commitment to supporting the growth of small and medium-sized businesses throughout the province.
Owner/Developer: PC Urban Properties Corp.
General Contractor: Norson Construction
Architect: Ernst Loots, Chris Bozyk Architecture
Electrical Contractor: Coe & Company Electric Ltd.
Caban at 3377-3421 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna received the Multi-Family Condominium Award of Excellence
Multi-Family Condominium: Caban – 3377-3421 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna.
CABAN is a progressive mixed-use residential project conceived by the Cressey Developments of Vancouver on Gyro Beach in Kelowna’s South Pandosy neighborhood. The architecture is a high quality modern mid-rise design containing 130 luxury condominium units in two six-story towers. The towers frame an outdoor swimming pool, hot tub and fitness amenities on top of a 200 stall concrete parking structure.
Owner/Developer/ General Contractor: Cressey
Architect: Meiklejohn Architects
Electrical Contractor: quantus electrical
The Award of Excellence for Multi-Family Townhome went to Wardlaw Avenue – 727 Wardlaw Avenue, Kelowna
Multi-Family Townhome: Wardlaw Avenue – 727 Wardlaw Avenue, Kelowna
Thoughtfully crafted on a compact single-family lot, the project demonstrates how intelligent design can deliver spacious, livable homes within a constrained urban footprint.
Each residence benefits from generous upper-level exterior decks, offering private outdoor space and enhancing the connection to the surrounding environment.
Owner/Developer: Cellar Door Developments Ltd.
General Contractor: 3rd Generation Homes Ltd.
Architect: LIME Architecture Inc.
Electrical Contractor: J Russell Electric Ltd.
The Award of Excellence in the Office catagory went to The Exchange Phase 3 – 750 Vaughan Avenue, Kelowna
Office: The Exchange Phase 3 – 750 Vaughan Avenue, Kelowna
The Exchange – Phase 3 represents a significant milestone in the evolution of Kelowna’s North End, continuing the transformation of a historically industrial area into a vibrant, sustainable, and community-focused mixed-use district. Building upon the success of the previous phases, Phase 3 introduces a new hybrid structure that blends exposed mass timber with concrete, offering modern commercial and retail spaces designed to meet the needs of today’s businesses.
Owner/Developer: 760 Vaughan Inc.
General Contractor: Faction Construction
Architect: Faction Architecture Inc.
Electrical Contractor: Integral Energy Services Ltd.
The Purpose Built Rental Award of Excellence went to parc Cristalina – 1289 Ellis Street, Kelowna
Purpose Built Rental: parc Cristalina – 1289 Ellis Street, Kelowna
- Biophilic elements are central to the architecture, with landscaped courtyards, rooftop gardens, and abundant greenery throughout the building.
- Suites are designed to maximize natural light and offer panoramic views of Lake Okanagan and the surrounding mountains.
- The building features a nine-storey mid-rise structure with cozy, modern suites.
Owner/Developer: parc living
General Contractor: Greyback Construction Ltd
Architect: Meiklejohn Architects Inc.
Electrical Contractor: Horizon Electrical
Upper Mission Dental was the recipient of the Award of Excellence in Renovations and Tenant Improvements
Renovations and Tenant Improvements: Upper Mission Dental – 100-980 Frost Road, Kelowna
Upper Mission Dental is a 2,761 sq. ft., 8-operatory dental clinic that stands as a true work of art. When clients learned that a new commercial development was being proposed in their growing neighborhood, they seized the opportunity to bring a vision of a state-of-the-art dental practice to life as well as reducing the need to travel into town for the essential service for their patients.
Owner/Developer: Dr. Jennifer Drever
General Contractor: Chriscan Construction Ltd.
Architect: Sinclair Dental
Electrical Contractor: Prospect Electric.
Retail: Ford Salon – 310 Leon Avenue, Kelowna
This project showcases a modern salon that blends minimalist, raw, architecture with unique design elements, creating an immersive, elegant space that is both functional and inspiring. The vision behind this design is to craft a luxurious yet welcoming environment where both clients and stylists feel at ease. The space emphasizes openness, light, and high-quality materials.
Owner/Developer: Colin Ford
General Contractor: Troika Construction
Architect: Sticks and Stones Design Group
Electrical Contractor: Sun City Electrical
Awards of Merit:
Affordable Housing – Pleasantvale Phase 2 – 6032-664 Central Avenue, Kelowna.
- Incorporating both townhomes and a 4 story apartment building, providing 75 residential units. 1, 2 and 3 bedroom suites.
- 100% adaptable units, suitable for seniors living. 4 units were built with 100% accessibility requirement in place.
- Apartment building built to Part 9, Step 4 of the energy step code Townhomes built to Part 3, Step 3 of energy step code.
Owner/Developer: Society of HOPE
General Contractor: VanMar Constructors 1097 Inc
Architect: RLA Architects Inc.
Electrical Contractor: Sun Valley Electric
Industrial: Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Station 106 – Shuswap of Sicamous.
TA Structures is proud to have brought our construction expertise to the successful completion of the new Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) floating base in Sicamous, working alongside dedicated community partners. This project showcases our commitment to innovative design, sustainability, and long-term community impact.
Owner/Developer: Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue – Station 106 (Shuswap)
General Contractor/Designer: TA Structures (a div. of Twin Anchors Mfg. 2004 Ltd)
Electrical Contractor: Blue Rock Electric.
Office: Madok Developments Office – 430 Lorne Street, Kamloops
This office building was conceived as both a functional headquarters and a symbol of craftsmanship, an embodiment of a mission to elevate custom home building in Kamloops and the interior region. Located beside the historic Canadian National Railway (CNR) Station, built between 1926 and 1927, the project was driven by a deep respect for place and history.
Owner/Developer: 1402254 BC Ltd
General Contractor: Madok Developments Ltd
Architect: Bulman Designs Ltd
Electrical Contractor: SA Electric Ltd.
Purpose Built Rental: Capstone – 2175 Benvoulin Road, Kelowna
The overall vision was to build 122 affordable, energy-efficient rental homes in Kelowna. A 9 storey building with a mixture of 1 and 2 bedroom homes designed to accommodate moderate to low-income individuals, families, seniors and people with disabilities was created. In keeping with energy efficiency, the building itself was constructed out of mass timber.
Owner/Developer: National Society Of Hope
General Contractor: Scuka Enterprise Ltd
Architect: NOvation Architecture Ltd
Electrical Contractor: Sun Valley Electric
Renovations and Tenant Improvements: Kelowna Endodontics – 503-550 Osprey Avenue, Kelowna.
Kelowna Endodontics is a new 1,650 sq. ft. specialty clinic thoughtfully designed to combine comfort, elegance, and advanced dental care located on the 5th floor in the heart of the Lower Mission. Every element of the design was carefully considered to provide a calming and sophisticated experience; from the moment patients enter the reception area.
Owner/Developer: Dr. Chelsea Mansfield Inc .
General Contractor: Chriscan Construction Ltd.
Architect: Sinclair Dental
Electrical Contractor: Finepoint Electric.
The official program for the event, which includes photos and descriptions of each building, is available for viewing at: https://www.calameo.com/read/006885517bc1efbc44327
