Historic Yaletown building to get new look

An historic building in Vancouver’s trendy Yaletown district is about to get a complete renovation.
The Soho building at 1132 Hamilton Street, originally constructed in 1914, sits in an emerging premier location near a new Canada Line station at the corner of Davie and Mainland. Commencing in March 2010, construction crews will add three new floors to the existing three-storey building, along with a new patio and modern exterior.
Portions of the original brick interior will remain, but the exterior of the top two floors will feature a newer look as the building’s owner, Triple F Investments, a Mark James company, complies with a city requirement that refurbished Yaletown buildings have a modern appearance. The Soho is not classified as a heritage building.
Other improvements will include seismic upgrades and new HVAC, electrical, security, and safety systems. A total of 23,000 square feet (sf) will be placed above the existing 27,000-sf structure, which has a 9,000-sf floor plate.
The new facility will service office and retail clients. Avison Young, which is leasing the space for the owner, is targeting entertainment and media companies, software developers, engineers, architects and marketing and advertising firms as potential office clients.
The retail component is intended for large retailers with a head-office requirement, along with restaurants and high-end shops and services.