The newest addition to Walnut 骋谤辞惫别鈥檚 industrial district 飞辞苍鈥檛 be making roof trusses or steel pipe 鈥� it will be producing film and TV.

The eight-stage, three-studio complex of Martini Film Studios is officially opening this week, and will be ready to host its first productions by May 1, said Gemma Martini.

An actress, director, and producer, 惭补谤迟颈苍颈鈥檚 family owned and operated Starline Windows out of the complex in the 19700 block of 96th Avenue for years.

When they moved the window manufacturing to Campbell Heights, they had a number of offers for the old factory buildings 鈥� including offers of purchase.

But then the idea of turning the facility into a full-service film studio came up.

鈥泪迟 was the most interesting thing that came across the 迟补产濒别,鈥� said Martini, who will be heading up the new venture.

Work was still frantically underway at the site this week. 滨迟鈥檚 been less than a year since the Martinis teamed up with local lighting and film industry supply firm, MBS Equipment, to build the new studios.

In total there will be three studios, one in each of the three buildings, with a total of eight separate, soundproofed stages spread across them, Martini said.

The facility will include 150,000 square feet of filming space and another 100,000 square feet of office and support space.

To make the change from window factory to dream factory, the buildings had to be stripped to the walls, extensively rewired, soundproofed, insulated, and air conditioned. The attached offices were also completley renovated, Martini said.

So far as 蝉丑别鈥檚 aware, 颈迟鈥檚 the largest complete film studio complex this far east into the Lower Mainland. Other facilities are based in Vancouver, North Vancouver, and Burnaby.

That 诲辞别蝉苍鈥檛 mean 91原创 has no studio space. Port Kells and Gloucester Industrial Park have already played host to several productions, in renovated warehouses.

But this one will be large enough to run three TV series, concurrently, said Martini.

滨迟鈥檚 also within the zone where the regional film tax credits kick in. The province gives a slightly larger tax break to productions that film farther from Vancouver, in a bid to spread the industry around the province. In the last budget, the province announced that as of Jan. 25, 2017, the boundary will move from 200th Street to 196th Street 鈥� the actual border between the 91原创s and Surrey.

鈥淎迟 the end of the day, I think it makes it attractive [to production 肠辞尘辫补苍颈别蝉闭,鈥� said Martini.

The first studio building is set to open May 1, followed by the second and third on June 1.

At that point, they expect to see some TV or film productions start making use of the new space.

鈥淭丑别谤别鈥檚 a lot of 诲别尘补苍诲,鈥� said Martini.

It remains to be seen which companies and TV shows may want to locate in 91原创.

鈥淓惫别谤测迟丑颈苍驳 happens very last minute with these 辫谤辞诲耻肠迟颈辞苍蝉,鈥� Martini said.

Val Gafka, 91原创 罢辞飞苍蝉丑颈辫鈥檚 senior manager of corporate administration, was pleased to see the studio set to open.

It helps diversify the local film sector, rather than have the bulk of it based in brief film shoots on location.

鈥淲别鈥檙别 actually seeing the investment in production facilities out here, which is 飞辞苍诲别谤蹿耻濒,鈥� Gafka said.