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Neighbourhood · Kelowna

Custom Home Builder in McKinley Beach, Kelowna.

Kelowna's only lakefront master-planned community. 872 acres, 1 km of Okanagan Lake beachfront, private marina, and a working winery underway.

Community Plan

1,300 Units · 872 Acres

Waterfront

1 km Beach + 110-Slip Marina

YLW Airport

10 min · Highway 97

Direct

(604) 897-9390

Overview

Custom home builder in McKinley Beach, Kelowna.

Palermo Homes builds custom homes in McKinley Beach, Kelowna's only lakefront master-planned community. We cut hillside lots for the Okanagan Lake view corridor, design inside McKinley's architectural review, and deliver the finish standard our Cabernet Way and Lakestone builds set. In-house cabinetry, custom finish carpentry, and envelope details are our standard.

We build for McKinley Beach's hillside-to-lakefront terrain: retaining, drainage, view-first orientation, and the design review that each enclave enforces. We know City of Kelowna permits and the geotech across the McKinley hillside above Okanagan Lake.

McKinley Beach is GGroup Development and North American Development Group's 872-acre master-planned community, approved for 1,300 residential units. Over 550 homes are complete across the first three phases (110 acres, six enclaves). Residents get a 110-slip marina, one kilometre of private Okanagan Lake beachfront, tennis and pickleball courts, community gardens, playgrounds, and a future clubhouse. A 42-acre working winery is under construction, and the Hilltown mixed-use village is planned. Custom lots start around $310K, townhomes from mid-$500K, single-family homes from low $600K. YLW airport is 10 minutes north on Highway 97, downtown Kelowna 20 minutes south.

Modern hillside custom home facade with stone entry, Palermo Homes portfolio

Community amenities

What Lakestone residents get access to.

Waterfront

1 km Beachfront + Marina

Kelowna's only lakefront master-planned community with a private 110-slip marina

Sport Courts

Tennis + Pickleball

Multiple outdoor courts, community gardens, playgrounds

Winery

42-Acre Working Vineyard

Community-owned working winery under construction

Future

Hilltown Mixed-Use Village

Planned mixed-use core and residents-only clubhouse

Featured build

Modern lakeview custom home on Cabernet Way, West Kelowna by Palermo Homes
West Kelowna, BC

Modern Lakeview Home on Cabernet Way

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Portfolio match for McKinley Beach.

Our Modern Lakeview Home on Cabernet Way in West Kelowna is the closest portfolio match for what a McKinley Beach custom build should be. Hillside cut, full lake-view orientation, custom finish carpentry throughout, and the material palette that fits Kelowna's premium master-planned districts. Terrain and view considerations map directly to McKinley Beach lots.

Credentials

Recognized, licensed, and warrantied.

Award-Winning

CHBA Fraser Valley

Awards of Excellence Winner

Experience

15+ Years

Custom homes across BC

Warranty

2-5-10 Home Warranty

Full BC-registered coverage

Licensed

Licensed & Insured

BC Licensed Residential Builder

McKinley Beach, Kelowna

Custom McKinley Beach home interior by Palermo Homes

Why Palermo

Why McKinley Beach clients hire Palermo.

  • 01Lakefront and hillside experienceMcKinley Beach lots step down from Highway 97 toward Okanagan Lake. Retaining, drainage, and view-first orientation carry real weight. We've been doing hillside custom work for years across Upper Mission, Lakestone, and the West Kelowna wine district.
  • 02Enclave-specific design reviewMcKinley Beach runs six enclaves across the first three phases, each with its own guidelines. We design inside those rules from the first sketch and manage the review package so nothing bounces back.
  • 03City of Kelowna permit fluencyMcKinley Beach builds run through City of Kelowna permits and inspection. We know the timelines, the inspectors, and the servicing coordination that hillside-to-lakefront lots require.
  • 04View-corridor designEvery early decision starts with the lake. Kitchen, primary bedroom, living room placement, glazing ratios, and roofline all get planned around where Okanagan Lake sits from each room.
  • 05Same finish standard as our wine-district workIn-house cabinetry, custom finish carpentry, envelope details that hold up. McKinley Beach homes hold their value because the neighbours set a high bar and we match it.

What we build in McKinley Beach

Custom homes, renovations, and general contracting.

Custom Homes

Custom home builds in McKinley Beach and across Kelowna. Every project designed around the lot, the view corridor, and how you actually live.

Custom Homes →

Home Renovations

Whole-home renovations, kitchens, bathrooms, and additions in McKinley Beach. Built to the same finish standard as our custom homes.

Renovations →

General Contracting

Project management with in-house crews on the trades that matter. One team, one contract, one point of contact.

General Contracting →

FAQ

Custom homes in McKinley Beach, answered.

How much does a custom home cost in McKinley Beach?
Most McKinley Beach custom builds run $1.8M and up for the home alone, which pencils out around $600 to $900 per square foot depending on finish level. Custom lot prices start around $310K for hillside lots and rise significantly for premium waterfront and beach-access lots. Total finished cost swings with slope, retaining, geotech, and finish level. Add architectural review costs (material palette, roof profile, colour approvals) into the budget from the start. We provide line-item pricing up front, break out soft costs (design, permits, geotech) from hard costs, and lock in fixed-price contracts where possible so nothing sneaks up on you mid-build.
Do McKinley Beach homes have to follow design guidelines?
Yes. GGroup Development and NADG run an architectural review process for every custom home before permits go in. Guidelines cover material palette, roof pitch, massing, exterior colour, glazing ratios, and how the home sits on the lot in relation to the lake view corridor. Guidelines vary between the six enclaves. We design inside the guidelines from the first sketch, prepare the full review package, and manage revisions with the committee so nothing bounces back.
How long does a McKinley Beach custom home take to build?
Plan on 14 to 20 months from first design meeting to move-in. Roughly 3 to 5 months for design development and architectural review, 2 to 3 months for City of Kelowna building permits and geotechnical assessment (longer on steep cuts), and 9 to 12 months of construction. Steeper hillside lots above the beach corridor often add another 4 to 8 weeks for retaining walls, drainage, and foundation stepping compared to flatter lots. Excavation, foundations, and framing move fastest through Kelowna summers, and interior finish work carries through winter without weather risk.
Which McKinley Beach enclave or phase should I build in?
The first three phases open 110 acres across six enclaves, with over 550 homes already complete and more releasing regularly. The Benches enclave is the top hillside tier with the biggest view corridors. Lower-tier enclaves sit closer to the beach and marina. Custom lots vary widely in slope, servicing, and view. Bring us your lot survey and we'll walk it with you, review the guidelines specific to that enclave, and give you a real cost and timeline read before you commit.
What amenities do McKinley Beach residents get access to?
McKinley Beach is Kelowna's only lakefront master-planned community. Residents get a 110-slip marina, one kilometre of private Okanagan Lake beachfront, tennis and pickleball courts, community gardens, and playgrounds. A 42-acre working winery is under construction, and the future Hilltown mixed-use village and residents-only clubhouse are planned as later phases build out. The community trail network runs through the surrounding hillside connecting all six enclaves. Ellison Regional Park and its trails are minutes south.
What schools are near McKinley Beach?
McKinley Beach is in Central Okanagan Public Schools (SD23). Ellison Elementary is the closest K-6 school, a short drive south on Old Vernon Road. Dr. Knox Middle School (grades 7-9) and Kelowna Secondary (grades 10-12) cover the broader area. For independent schools, Aberdeen Hall Preparatory (K to 12) in Glenmore is about 20 minutes south. UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College's Kelowna campus are both roughly 10 to 15 minutes south, making McKinley Beach one of the closest master-planned communities to post-secondary.
How far is McKinley Beach from downtown Kelowna and the airport?
Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is 10 minutes north on Highway 97, one of the closest master-planned communities to the airport. Downtown Kelowna is 20 minutes south past UBC Okanagan and the Ellison/Glenmore corridor. UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College are 10 to 15 minutes south, Kelowna General Hospital 25 minutes. Vernon is 25 minutes north on Highway 97, and Predator Ridge is 30 minutes. West Kelowna's wine district (Mission Hill, Quails' Gate) is 35 minutes across the bridge.

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Updated September 2026

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