Noort Homes is accustomed to working on residential and commercial projects, but one of its latest endeavours is personal.

The company has embarked on making substantial interior and exterior renovations to 401 Sixth St. Known as the Schofield Building, it's located at the corner of Sixth Street and Fourth Avenue.

City council approved a development permit for the project, and work is now underway at the site.

Merlin Wick, Noort Home's development manager, said the building's main floor is being retrofitted to accommodate the company's corporate office. Existing tenants continue to occupy upper floors.

"We needed larger office space and a bit higher profile," he said. "We acquired it with that in the back of our mind."

Since June 1980, Noort Homes' head office has been located at Sixth Street and 11th Avenue in Burnaby.

"We are doing an upgrade to the entire exterior, refacing all the facades to a degree," Wick said. "We are refitting the main floor for our corporate office."

Wick said the renovations are expected to be done by the end of the year. Noort Homes will also move into its new head office by the end of 2010.