An architectural firm hired to breathe new life into the former Mercury office has released new images of what the revamped High Street site could look like.

New owners of the iconic building have hired Maitland-based Agcad Building Designers to draw new plans for the site, which could include homes, tourist accommodation and a restaurant.

Owner and director of the firm Anthony Gibb said plans were still in the early stages.

He said discussions would begin with Maitland City Council today about what would be allowed at the site under the current zoning and how potential problems, such as parking, could be tackled.

Mr Gibb said the main building at the site, which fronted High Street, would remain largely unchanged.

But it could be used for tourism accommodation and a restaurant, or possibly a wedding and function venue.

The rear building, which was built more recently to hold newspaper printing machinery, would be transformed into five residential apartments.

“The residential units would be essential for financing the project,” Mr Gibb said.  “It will keep looking like the Mercury building. 

“We want to restore it to its former glory. The fact is that it’s a significant heritage building so we need to tread lightly.”

While Mr Gibb said zoning and parking issues would need to be discussed with council, he believed the plan complemented the city’s push for shop-top housing and the revitalisation of High Street.

The firm posted its latest graphics on social media website, Facebook, this week and received a positive response.

Mr Gibb said there was great interest in the plan and the post reached about 10 times more people than the page’s regular audience.

­“People want to see something happening with that end of town,” he said.

Sydney-based builder and former Maitland resident George Prochowski was among the group of business people who bought the historic building for $760,000 in January.

Maitland Mercury staff moved out of the building in 2012 after 170 years of producing the daily newspaper at the site.