transforming the Times Colonist complex
Developer Merchant House Capital has unveiled artist renderings and new details pertaining to a repurposing of Victoria's Times Colonist Building along the 2600-block of Douglas Street.
Dubbed Victoria Press Building, the project will incorporate a restoration of the decades-old office and retail complex into 120,000 square feet of commercial and social space across three levels while 4,000 square feet of "garden" retail spaces will front onto Douglas Street.
Plans reveal the building's 9,000 square foot print reel room will be transformed into a brewery or distillery that will also incorporate an elevator to lift patrons to the building's 43,500 square foot open air rooftop patio and restaurant space.
Upwards of 25,000 square feet of office space will be situated in a lofted format the developers are calling The Boneyard.
The Times Colonist newspaper, according to Editor-In-Chief Dave Obee, will remain as the anchor tenant of the modernized building.
In addition to commercial and office uses, a purpose-built mid-rise rental tower approximately nine-storeys tall will rise above the building's surface parking lot at Kings Road and Ross Lane. The number and type of units have yet to be formally announced by the developer, although multi-level townhomes are expected along the tower's ground floor.