The Paris Wincey Mills Co.

EXECUTIVE VIEW they wanted to take it on.” Nick Koppelaar (Walter’s son) and Jessye Grundlingh, founders of Toronto design firmArea 91, embraced the project, from full-con- cept drawings to bespoke furniture creation.Their vision of “cre- ating a community gathering spot”was realized in every way.Of special note: the outdoor patio, boasting vibrant yellow accents that make it ‘pop’ from a block away on the main street. Epitomizing industrial chic, the building redesign maintained as much original character as possible.Though, the fact that it stands on a designated flood plain was a serious consideration in the plans. Construction Manager Peter Van Brugge led the project from demo to opening day, and speaks to the unique challenges of the restoration. “The biggest challenge on the WinceyMills proj- ect was ensuring that the structural components (mostly roof and floor beams) were adequate to take the new loads.The challenge was to hide the upgrades so they would blend in with the old structure.To do this we used mostly bent plates and structural channels, and thru bolted every- thing.” The century-old hardwood floors were brought back to life, and fabulous, 70-pane windows (thankfully, covered for protection during Cana- dian Tire’s ownership) were restored to bring in scads of natural light.Van Brugge adds,“The old elevator shaft was refurbished and reused.The back wall of the elevator is now a glass wall, so passengers can view the old brickwork and win- dows as they go up and down.We also used some of the old fire doors, industrial shafting and an- tique electric motors as decorative elements to tie in the history of the building.” The Paris WinceyMills Co. is now thriving with 15,000 square feet of office space on the second and third floors, offering a modern work envi- ronment with build-to-suit workspaces and ex- pansive views of Paris and the Grand River.The ground floor features retail tenants, the indoor market hall, a restaurant/café, and chef-worthy test kitchen (partnering with local businesses for events).There is also a seasonal outdoor market, and there are plans for future development in the basement area. Community Relations Manager Francine Taus- ney begged to have her own office open onto the indoor market, close to the ‘action’.An area adja- cent to the elevator was perfectly suited.“Working with designer David Powell (Powell & Bonnell), a Paris native who has a studio upstairs,we incorpo- rated the existing brick walls, a frosted glass FOR MORE INFORMATION Paris Wincey Mills Co. CONTACT: Marty Verhey at info@winceymills.ca WEBSITE: www. winceymills.ca