Preston's iconic Knotty Pine gets a makeover and new tenant

Jack Hougasian remembers riding his bike from his childhood home on Waterloo Street down to the old Knotty Pine restaurant.

Nestled up against the river, the property offered a calming place to hangout and gather his thoughts.

So, when the building came up for sale in 2021, the nostalgia became too much to pass up and he purchased it for his company TechHi Consultants.

Three years and a myriad of renovations later, employees are about ready to move in.

"This used to be a landmark," Hougasian said.

"It's right on the river. The building is iconic but it was falling apart."

The original plan for the renovations was to expand the property and use the top level for office space while still offering a restaurant below.

But with the land being so close to the river and up against a regional road, it created obstacles with the Grand River Conservation Authority, the region and the City of Cambridge that proved too difficult to overcome.

In the end, he decided to redo the original space and have it serve as offices for his company.

Being a proud Preston resident, Hougasian is committed to maintaining many of the restaurants original features.

The famous top hats still hang above the curved bar and an old "The Pines" sign has been refurbished and hung in the reception area.

The floors are original but have been cleaned up and the wood fireplace mantle remains in the bar area.

And of course, the shiny disco ball overlooks it all and still catches light from time to time.

Significant upgrades have also been made, including new windows, doors, electrical, plumbing and to the HVAC system. The stairs and elevator have also been brought up to code.

"This place used to speak to me," Hougasian said.

"I used to always enjoy it here, there was a tranquility about it. I like that and I wanted to maintain it."

Hougasian takes the same unique and fun approach to his business.

TechHi Consultants is a recruiting firm that helps corporations hire high level executives.

Aside from the traditional office layout, the space will have a gym, showers, a lounge area and even a golf simulator in the basement.

The final component he kept in mind during the renovations was the impact it would have on the Preston core.

Just a short walk from shops and restaurants, Hougasian wants to help make the area a vibrant place to spend time.

"My hope is it's going to clean up this corner of downtown," he said.

"When I bought it, there was a massive issue here with drug deals, all kinds of homelessness and vandalism. I think it's critical for any inner city project that you do something for the community and I think this is going to achieve that."

Hougasian said the work is "about 98 per cent complete" and he hopes to be fully moved in by mid-September.