John Stovell, president of Reliance Properties, has announced his company "has purchased the Janion Building and is planning a renovation and retention of this significant Victoria heritage building."
Stovell posted the news to an online discussion forum called Vibrant Victoria Thursday evening, despite a plan reveal the news at a press conference with the City of Victoria on Monday.
No more details about the purchase or plans are available at this time.
The Janion, at 1614 Store St., has been decaying for several decades. The old hotel was built in 1891. A picture from the Hallmark Society from 1968 shows its windows covered and broken.
In recent years, city council has placed a temporary order of protection on the building while trying to negotiate options to restore it with a representative of the owner.
In February 2010, Reliance Properties purchased another historic, but derelict property on the other side of the Johnson Street Bridge. Stovell proposed a large-scale restoration and redevelopment plan for the Northern Junk buildings and surrounding property, but no plans have been approved by council to date.
rholmen@vicnews.com