One rumour down (including the start of more downsizing), another to go. Is it too soon to mention the rumour about the historic Globe building, (does the escalator still run?), being actively sought by developers?
Thing is, except for the National Post to some degree, all newspapers in Toronto, (and probably elsewhere too), are seriously under-using their buildings, are located in prime locations that are being rapidly re-developed (translation: more highrise condos), and claim to need money.
Today, a newspaper needs just a medium-sized office with lots of computers, exactly like any other business office - nothing special.
The special building requirements for photo studios, darkroom, art department, pre-press, composing, monster-sized presses, and a gigantic newsroom for dozens of people to yell to each other across the room over the constant buzz of police scanners while up-n-coming celebrities wait in the reception area for an interview, are long gone.
Newspaper buildings no longer shake because they don't have presses to run. No smell of fresh ink because the first, still-wet, papers are no longer rushed back into the newsroom for proofing. No more "pool" pizzas or other take-out meals for the late-night staff because everyone just wants to get out of the office. Just like any other business - nothing special.
--
There's probably a reality-TV series here: take old-timers from various jobs and put them back into today's changed (business) world. See if they can still manage to do what they used to do.
--
There's also a neat marketing opportunity for any thinking newspaper, (hopefully that's not an oxymoron), to utilize empty space and (re)gain public interest in their paper product, unless the building is located at the outskirts of town. But the catch is, the paper has to learn from the world wide web, (which means it'll never happen).