KAMLOOPS — It is in the beginning stages, but work on the newest North Shore development, The Station on Tranquille, is progressing.
The Station is a 47-unit development that will have a mixture of commercial and residential space.
“There’s a lot of concrete going on in the ground. We’ve got two levels of concrete and then there’s going to be four-storeys of residential units. About 10,500 sq. ft. of commercial space and we’re happy to have that secured with tenants in place,” said developer Joshua Knaak.
One of those tenants will be Bright Eye Brewery, which will take up about 3,000 sq. ft. Mitch Forgie, who owns Red Beard cafe on Tranquille, is a partner in the new brewery.
“We’re looking at what we’re going to call a ‘tank brewery,’ which is basically you’re going to pour straight from the tank,” he said. “The idea is the beer is so fresh that we’re just turning it over really quickly. We’re going with a smaller brewhouse than most breweries.”
The development will sit right in the middle of the Tranquille corridor and the developers feel it’s the next step in revitalizing the North Shore.
“There’s been some exciting developments that have taken place all along Tranquille, starting at Library Square,” said Knaak. “This is just really extending some of the great redevelopment opportunities that are happening here.”
On the residential side, interest in the 47 units is already ramping up with 15 units sold.
“We’re about 30% sold,” said realtor Brendan Shaw. “We’ve got 15 units that were sold pre-sale, so it’s definitely a nice target to be at now and we’re looking forward to the months to come.”
What makes The Station unique is the construction of 24 micro suites.
“It’s something that is new to Kamloops, so those are smaller units. 340-375 sq. ft., but they’re at a very affordable price point, ranging from $135,000 to $160,000,” said Knaak. “You’re never sure how it’s going to go when you’re the first one to try something, but out of the first 12 units that sold, 10 of them were micro suites.”
Construction of The Station on Tranquille is scheduled to be finished in spring 2019.
