At least three SOPA Square business owners along Pandosy Street in Kelowna have reached out to express their frustration over heating issues in the building complex.
In 2015, the Aquilini Group bought the Sopa Square development for $ 29.5 million after receiving it. Since then, the client has built a residential high-rise tower project over the commercial units.
READ MORE: UPDATE: Smoke, no fire, at Sopa Aquare
In the latest developments, Gadi Nussen, owner of Silent Noise Jewelery, said he has been in his business without heat for weeks.
“My heater has not worked for a month. I was told that people were going to work on it and that it was a pretty big malfunction, ”said Nussen, who was wearing a jacket in his shop while talking on the phone.
“I didn’t see any workers trying to fix the problem. The property manager told me that some other units were affected. I’m not sure when the problem will be resolved. “
Tru Frozen Yogurt, a neighboring Silent Noise Jewelry store, has had heating issues for almost a month.
Store manager Jennica Shelton said this isn’t the first time her business has been without a heater.
“There have been at least four different problems with heating and air conditioning systems in the past two years. It usually takes weeks to fix the system to fix it, ”Shelton said.
“That was a serious problem for us.”
Glenn Smith, general manager of Canadian Brewhouse & Grill at the SOPA complex, said the property manager is not offering to reimburse him for space heaters he buys just to keep his facility warm.
He said a recent flood event also caused major eye pain for his company.
“A few weeks ago we had a very busy grand piano night and none of the ladies’ bathrooms were flushed.
“Then the toilets were secured and the room flooded.”
Smith said the toilet problem took a heavy toll on his business.
“I called several plumbers to fix the problem,” said Glenn.
“You usually find blockages that come from fifty feet up the toilet pipe.”
In March last year, tiles also reportedly fell off the building and tumbled onto the street below.
Ryan Smith, Kelowna City Planning Director, said the tiles have since been removed from the building.
When SOPA business owners experience problems, it is best for Smith to contact their shift manager to resolve the problem.
Multiple phone calls to the Acquilini group for comment were not returned.
@connortrembley
connor.trembley@kelownacapnews.com
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