Plans to save the Captain Cook Tavern are progressing and an artist's impression shows what the well-known watering hole, founded in 1860, could look like.
Gregory Paterson, one of three directors of Orari Street Properties Investments Ltd which owns the building, said if everything went to plan it was hoped the pub would open in time for next year's Orientation.
The designs were 90% complete and the owners hoped to tender for the construction process within a month, Mr Paterson said.
The plan, as seen in the artist's impression, was to remodel the pub in a way which respected the building's past.
''We are certainly trying to put the pub back on the corner, certainly trying to turn it back to its former glory,'' he said.
This involved taking out some of the ''uglier'' windows out and replacing them with ''more traditional'' ones.
The building would be split between a bar and a restaurant, with two separate leaseholders.
The real test over whether their plans would go ahead would come when the tendering process was complete and a final cost came in. Until then Mr Paterson could not be completely sure it would reopen.
''I'm reasonably confident, but I wouldn't bet the house on it. There is some good positive interest in it.
''We have got one of the liquor companies working with us and very supportive.''
Whatever happens, the owners were keen to give it their best shot.
''Obviously, it's a Dunedin icon and we believe it's quite important for Dunedin to have it. So if it's possible, we would like to return it to that.''
