JESSICA SKELTON
reporter@pqbnews.com
There is new life coming to the old Parksville X-Ray Clinic.
Early next year, the doors will once again open, but this time as the home of Amy Hadikin and Donald Ballard's second real estate office.
Ballard and Hadikin, who represent Macdonald Realty north of the Malahat, bought the Parksville building in July of this year. In a way, the purchase has been a while coming for the pair. Hadikin admits to having an eye on the building for years.
"This location is second to none," she said.
Located on the Island Hwy across from Temple Store, the former health centre closed in May 2013 and has remained vacant until now.
Today, the site is a hive of activity.
Renovations, led by Ballard's building company Ballard Fine Homes, started almost as soon as the realtors took possession of the building in late August.
So far, the former clinic has been gutted and many of the interior walls removed. There's one space in the building that remains in tact, however — Hadikin's new office will be in the room where she had her own ultrasound years ago.
As the project progresses, the building will see more windows installed and the interior made "more inviting." The exterior will also get a face-lift, and Ballard will frame the building for possible expansion into a second story.
"We're trying to keep the character of the building while cleaning up the space and beautifying Parksville," said Hadikin.
The realtors expect construction will be finished in December or January and they're aiming for a grand opening in early January.
Hadikin and Ballard's team of nine people currently work in an office on Memorial Avenue in Qualicum Beach.
"We have too many people for the office, so we're expanding," Ballard said. In fact, the new second building offers enough space that the team will take on several new realtors, he said.
As in the QB office, agents will focus on selling a wide spectrum of residential homes. However, Hadikin and Ballard said they want to offer clients more than just buying/selling services at the Parksville location. They said they aim to provide services that help people build, buy, mortgage or rent a home. As such, the new location will also house offices for Ballard Fine Homes and Dominion Lending Centres Arrowsmith. Hadikin also said they are looking for a commercial real estate or property management company to move in as well.
"We want this to be a one-stop shop for real estate needs," says Hadikin.