Comment: Northern Junk redevelopment must be done right timescolonist.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from timescolonist.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The home, built in 1903 for James McLaren Muirhead, is a combination of Edwardian and Victorian Queen Anne architectural styles and has distinct features such as a corner tower and a widow’s walk. It suffered wide smoke and water damage as a result of the fire, which appeared to start in a back corner of the house in the old kitchen area. Repairs will cost about $1.7 million, said Ben Schweitzer, whose company, EPIC Management, is working on the project. Muirhead House is one of the few private residences in the country with a national historic site designation, which it received in 1991, following heritage designation from the City of Victoria in 1974.
Unlikely, don’t you think, Martin? Reliance Properties are the present owners. (Reliance also redeveloped the Janion Building.) And, they are the recent purchasers of the Capital Iron properties. I suspect this may be a good time to revisit the fate of the two Northern Junk buildings. A few points: 1. The Inner Harbour is a visual treasure that should not be walled off. Viewscapes are a vital part of our heritage, too. 2. The allure of Old Town Victoria is in good part due to the variety of its architecture. 3. Wharf Street is a vital part of Victoria’s heritage precinct. The waterfront warehouses are a reminder increasingly scarce of its maritime history.