Mill to be given a tune up
The mills are alive with the sound of music.
A new music academy is moving into the recently restored Woods Mill heritage building in southwest Christchurch.
Musician Sacha Vee has signed a lease to bring her SOLE Music Academy, which specialises in singing, songwriting, producing and artist development, to the ground floor of the building in February 2020.
The 1886 complex is being brought back to life by owner and engineer Michael King in a $9 million restoration project.
The first phase of the project is now complete with the music academy on the ground floor, King’s firm on one floor and Genius Co-Working on another.
King said the top floor lease is under offer and once the deal was signed he could begin restoring the rest of the large building.
King hopes to turn the rest of the complex into apartments, co-working office space, a theatre and a restaurant.
He said seven of the 14 planned apartments had already sold. They were on the market in 2018 for $380,000 each.
‘‘I am trying to save this building and turn it into something cool for the city,’’ King said. ‘‘As soon as we sell the top floor then the money opens up for the second stage.
‘‘It has been very stressful, but it is worth it.’’
Vee returned to Christchurch about three years ago after enjoying musical success in Europe. She made it to the last 10 contestants in the Dutch version of talent show The Voice and had hit songs with Polish rappers.
She wanted the academy to teach more than just music.
‘‘When I returned to New Zealand after my international career I felt the need to create something that would guide Christchurch talent into the music industry,’’ she said. ‘‘There are some fabulous music teachers in town, but I feel like what has been lacking is the belief and guidance to say there is a possibility to have a career in music.
‘‘There’s a huge gap between learning the art and then applying it in a business sense.
‘‘As a musician, you have to be an entrepreneur.’’
Vee plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign on PledgeMe on November 18 to raise about $20,000 towards the $200,000 cost of fitting out the new space.
‘‘We are really interested to see if people want to support us and invest in the talent that is coming through.
‘‘We want to equip the rooms with really nice gear for the students.’’
For the past two years, Vee has been teaching at a single studio in The Piano building.
The new space will have three music studios and two teaching spaces.
‘‘Due to the demand and success we’ve had to find a special new space for SOLE.’’