KITCHENER — This scuffed 87-year-old downtown gem of fine-cut stonework was once an energetic three-storey house of hydro and natural gas.

It's the weary old public utilities building across from Kitchener City Hall.

Now, coffee-giant Starbucks is poised to caffeine-jolt the decades-empty bottom levels of the 1932-built joint back to life with daily cup-and-saucer doses of espresso, caramel frappuccinos and cinnamon lattes.

Yes, a Starbucks restaurant is coming to King and Gaukel streets.

"The permit was just issued recently," city spokesperson Nicole Amaral said in an email on Thursday. "They can now proceed with construction."

About $400,000 worth of interior renovations is about to begin on the privately-owned heritage building, according to a permit application submitted by Les Carney of Starbucks Coffee Canada to the city Feb. 7.

The heritage designation of the property, approved in 1984, doesn't appear to be a problem. Only the exterior facades were cited as heritage features. No city council or committee approval is required.

"My understanding is that heritage staff have reviewed the building permit application and corresponded with the consulting architect for Starbucks and have determined that a heritage permit will not be required," Amaral said via email.

The building is owned by developer Tony DiBattista of CMG Entertainment, according to the downtown BIA. The city has ACI Amusements Inc. listed as the building owner.

A "For Lease" signing proclaiming 16,000 square feet still hung over the sullen second-floor windows on Thursday.

The area coffee scene is already reasonably crowded — most notably with a rival Williams outlet operating in a city hall space kitty-corner from where a Starbucks hopes to Sharpie-scrawl customer names on a continuous flow of cups. This Starbucks would, based on the company website map, be the 20th green-dot location in Waterloo Region.

So why is Starbucks choosing to set up in this end in downtown Kitchener, where light rail transit and a rising condo lifestyle is emerging?

"We're excited to welcome customers to our new store in the historic PUC Building in downtown Kitchener later this spring. It will be one of our largest stores in the region," said Tim Gallant, senior communications managers, public affairs, for Starbucks Canada. "We're also looking forward to building new relationships in the city and deepening long-standing ones like we have with Ray Of Hope, who we've partnered with for many years."

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jhicks@therecord.com

Twitter: @HicksJD

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