Closely associated with the Casorso family, this building reflects both entrepreneurship and civic life in early Kelowna — on lands that have been home to the Syilx Okanagan people since time immemorial.

Built in 1913, the Casorso Block was a bold investment that reflected the family’s confidence in Kelowna’s future. Originally home to the Sanitary Meat Market, the building supported the Casorso family’s butchering operations, helping meet the growing community’s demand for reliable food supply.

The building also housed an ice-making plant, supplying ice for home iceboxes and for cooling rail cars transporting fruit out of the valley. This innovation connected local agriculture to broader markets and highlights how closely tied food, infrastructure, and growth were in early Kelowna.

Beyond commerce, the Casorso Block also played a civic role. Its upper floor was used as a courthouse and temporary jail for nearly 30 years, making it a centre for justice and governance in a rapidly developing community.

In a time when buildings needed to serve many purposes, the Casorso Block stood as a hub of business, public service, and daily life. Its scale and design reflected a growing city and the ambition of those helping to shape it.

While these developments transformed the downtown, they took place within a landscape long shaped by the Syilx Okanagan people’s relationship to land, food systems, and community.

Today, the building remains a landmark — connecting entrepreneurship, innovation, and civic life in the story of Kelowna’s growth.