Description of Historic Place

The historic place is the Foster Block, a single-storey brick commercial building erected in 1921 and located at 235-243 Bernard Avenue, near the Lake Okanagan waterfront at the western edge of Kelowna's downtown area.

Heritage Value

The Foster Block is valued as a quality example of commercial development that occurred in downtown Kelowna during the 1920s and for having accommodated a variety of occupants that represent a range of downtown Kelowna businesses over the decades.

The Foster Block is a very good representative of the one-storey brick commercial buildings erected in downtown Kelowna during the 1920s. Built in 1921 by W.R. Foster, the present brick facade is plain and achieves dignity through its ordered composition and classical detailing.

The many occupants, who changed frequently, represent the kinds of businesses that were based on and around Bernard Avenue. Apparently initially occupied by offices, the building was converted to retail stores in 1924. In 1948 the occupants were Canadian Pacific Express Co. (at No. 235), OK Used Furniture (No. 239), and Heather's Ladies' Ready to Wear (No. 243). By 1956 OK Used Furniture, established by R.G. Ritchie after his return from service in the Second World War, had taken over the entire building. Ritchie and his sons later expanded the business at another location into Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers, which has operated widely within and beyond the Okanagan. The building was reconverted to offices in 1967, and now houses both service and retail businesses: Windward Travel and a fudge-and-ice-cream shop. The historic pattern of land use is an important chronicle of the evolution of Kelowna's downtown area from its earliest days to the present.

Source: City of Kelowna, Planning Department, File No. 6800-02

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Foster Block include:
- Small, plain, one-storey brick facade
- Three equally-sized glazed bays
- Original local brick with a variety of design details, including header courses, dentil-like corbels, squared patterns, and inset pilasters
- Recent remodeling sympathetic with the original character