Love the updates deepred, welly is coming along nicely :cheers:

Getting more dense.... looks great!

What construction down-turn? LOL.

Cubana's starting to look a bit more solid:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Cubana%20Apartments%20-%20158%20Cuba%20St/DSCF4183.jpg

I can see alot of Proposed Developments being re-engineered to Rein-forced Concrete Structures - all these Steel ones must be costing a Bomb considering how much Steel has gone up .......:nuts::cheers:

Maybe reinforced concrete is more earthquake proof as well? After all, if the Burj Dubai can have a reinforced concrete backbone, any structure can.

Probably mainly cost. Although the price of steel is coming down again.

How much to you think the softer demand of steel has had on the price?

Is it coming down because developers are not building?

Alot of the steel being used in construction projects now would have been sourced at the highest price peak which was June/July. Since then the price has come down considerably and is continuing to nose dive, I can see projects becoming cheaper because of the decline. Many mills producing structural steel are now offering massive discounts as the demand has waned. How do I know? I'm in the industry...

More wraps off, one by one. The fishtail roof looks complete...

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Century%20City%20-%20Tory%20St/DSCF4193.jpg

From this Morning's Dom.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4720911a23882.html

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3152/2925333866_54ce520986_o.jpg

Looks rather nice, would be good to see what ballance St/Featherton street view is like.

$90m plan for new waterfront tower

Plans to build a $90 million building near Wellington's waterfront could lead to one of the largest demolition projects the central city has seen.

The current buildings on the Featherston St site would take 10 months to demolish, and the new building three years to build.

AMP Capital, which owns a property portfolio worth $1.9 billion, wants to knock over its $33.2 million 1970s building, known as the Gen-i Building, to build the 30,000-square-metre complex.

A 19-storey tower would front Featherston and Waring Taylor streets, a 10-storey wing would face Featherston and Ballance streets and a 15-storey wing would face Customhouse Quay. The budget for the project would be more than $90 million.

An AMP spokesman said the company had asked the council to make the application fully notified, meaning any member of the public can write in support of or oppose the plans.

"It's going to be a very prominent building. We do want a very open, transparent and robust consultation."

If granted consent, the new building will wrap around the Maritime Tower on Customhouse Quay and occupy the rest of the city block.

The building owners surrounding the site, including Sir Robert Jones, have already been notified, as have the tenants in the Gen-i Building. "There's been no feedback at this stage," the spokesman said. "The chance for formal feedback will come through the resource consent process."

Athfield Architects director John Hardwick-Smith said the biggest challenge would be building the "unusual" glass facade facing the waterfront.

"Externally the building has a striking and vibrant form. It's a building that we think contributes a lot to the city."

Public submissions to Wellington City Council can be made from today and close on November 7.

Council spokesman Richard MacLean said it was unlikely that the resource consent hearing would happen before Christmas.

Yeah does look pretty funky I must say.

Not bad. Appears quite good, actually.

There are a couple more renders in the resource consent application summary [pdf] (http://ampcapital.co.nz/_documents/property/109FSRMASummary.pdf?DIRECT) (+ plans and elvations). I haven't read it yet just skimmed it for pics. It appears that the two shorter wings will have small rooftop gardens.

The consent notification is here (http://www.wellington.govt.nz/news/publicnotices/details/featherston.html).

Neat. And it's an Athfield job too :cheers:

If granted consent, the new building will wrap around the Maritime Tower (http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=109+featherston+st&sll=-41.282144,174.777777&sspn=0.002544,0.004699&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.282148,174.7779&spn=0.002544,0.004699&t=h&z=18) on Customhouse Quay and occupy the rest of the city block.
For everyone's info, I've Google Mapped the site.

Sweet! so happy the Gen-i Building is going, that thing ruins Wellington's waterfront.

This is a great replacement!

Whats there at the moment?

Looks great! Something like this would definitely spruce up Auckland's Quay Street.

Does this mean the Caltex will be going. Can somebody post some pics of everything that is to be demolished. How tall is 19 floors, is that higher than the BNZ building (now State Insurance) on Willis Street.

Nope, Caltex is on a seperate block to the North, this is the older low rises on both side of the new green Maritime house, ( and the tower on Waring Taylor/Featherston)

At 19 floors, its probably about the same height as Vodafone on the Park, State insurance (nee BNZ), is 28/29 stories. significantly taller

Vodafone on the Park is 90m and 25 levels (although about a third of them are parking). I noticed on the consent application that the height of this development was 80m on the Featherstone St side. Maritime Tower is about 70m.

New thread for the 109 Featherston project. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=725642)

Any thoughts on this? I think it might just scrape through, given its proximity to the J'ville rail station. Other than that, it seems like just another strip mall.

100-shop mall plan lodged with council (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4727506a23918.html)
DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post | Wednesday, 15 October 2008

http://www.stuff.co.nz/images/764297.jpg
CRAIG SIMCOX/The Dominion Post

BIGGER AND BRIGHTER: Roy Stansfield, left, and Alan McKinnon of DNZ Property Group with a sketch of the controversial $100 million-plus redevelopment of the Johnsonville Shopping Centre, which would have more than 100 shops on two floors of a new horseshoe-shaped mall.

A controversial $100 million-plus redevelopment of the Johnsonville Shopping Centre would have more than 100 shops on two floors of a new horseshoe- shaped mall.

It would have a similar number of shops as the North City mall in Porirua, making it one of the 12 largest malls in New Zealand. Its resource consent application, which took three years to draw up, was lodged with Wellington City Council yesterday.

The proposed development prompted the council earlier this year to push through a district plan change that gave officials the power to reject large retail projects if they lured too many shoppers away from Wellington's "Golden Mile".

The policy change affects only plans for single stores larger than 10,000 square metres and complexes larger than 20,000 square metres.

The new Johnsonville redevelopment would be about 34,000 sq m and is expected to attract at least double the number of shoppers that use its 50 shops now. It will be the test case for the council's new rules.

The design uses a lot of glass to allow natural light to flood the building, and to create an open-plan feel. Parking for more than 1000 vehicles would be provided in a new building on the southwest corner of the site, and on the roof of the mall.

DNZ Property Group retail development general manager Alan McKinnon said he was confident that all council requirements had been met in the resource consent application.

DNZ retail general manager Roy Stansfield said shopkeepers on the "Golden Mile" had a catchment of 85,000 people working nearby. "This is going to cater more for weekend shopping and family shopping. That is our forecast."

It is expected to take about 2 1/2 years to build the new centre.

The Countdown supermarket in the existing mall, which has a long-term lease, would remain open during construction, but Mr Stansfield was unsure whether other shops would be able to keep trading.

The city council's urban development and transport portfolio leader, Andy Foster, had not seen the hundreds of pages that make up the consent last night, but said: "The three significant issues that need to be satisfied are the [likely increase in] traffic and its impacts, urban design of how it looks in the environment, and its economic impact." That would include the impact the mall would have on inner-city Wellington retailers.

The council would not give out the consent application yesterday because it had not read the document, which is likely to contain confidential information. It would be issued within the next few days.

Auckland-based planning consultant David Hill has been appointed to decide whether the consent should be publicly notified. His decision is expected by the end of next month.
----------------

Interesting development. Obviously it will get notified, and probably get hammered by public submissions. I'm quite curious to see how the new District Plan change holds up.

Well, I would hope it gets refused. The council will want/need to protect it's high paying commercial ratepayers in the CBD.

Not even mentioning that I personally don't want or like large suburban malls, of course I don't live in the northern suburbs, but let's keep Wellington lively and condensed.

As for Johsonville itself, do they reallly want to end up like Porirua or Lower Hutt? Those places are awful.

Well, I would hope it gets refused. The council will want/need to protect it's high paying commercial ratepayers in the CBD.

Not even mentioning that I personally don't want or like large suburban malls, of course I don't live in the northern suburbs, but let's keep Wellington lively and condensed.

As for Johsonville itself, do they reallly want to end up like Porirua or Lower Hutt? Those places are awful.

Firstly, I would rather stab myself in the eye with a rusty fork than go mall shopping but,
I think It will probably get through, a)There is already a mall there, and b) its northern suburbs location is more likely to take custom from Porirua that downtown,

The current "town centre" in johnsonville has been haphazard since its inception in the 70's and the expansion of the mall in the 80s and again in the 90s, along with the foodbarn that is woolworths, have all led to a mess,

BUT.. For this to be approved, the Train and bus interchange needs to be integral to the whole development, i.e you have platform flow into one of the entrances, Not simply tacked on one end in a ghetto down a long passage


HOWEVER, It will be interesting to see if it does actually proceed , given the no doubt tightening of finance funding for such developments, and the ongoing recession and retailing downturn,

Yeah if it has a good transport interchange built into the development then it could be pretty cool. The design is quite nice.

I was told a while back that there was going to be a major redevelopment of that whole central triangle of J'ville, including the mall, but also residential apartments, was looking forward to the announcement. But seems not to be the case unfortunately!

That little picture looks quite nice. But I'm more interested in what it looks like from the outside, anyone found any other pictures anywhere?

I hope its built right up to the street, and has an active edge. And that eventually the rest of the space can be used for more than just a carpark or heaven forbid big box retail moving in.

It'll look like a big grey box, just like every other mall in the world!

It'll look like a big grey box, just like every other mall in the world!

Unfortunately it probably will :(

^^ There was actually a render of the front in the article in the dom the other day. I'm sorry I can't find it online though. It didn't look like a complete disaster - it looked like they had active edges along that side at least. The article said (and it was apparent in the picture) that they had tried to use more glass than in normal mall design to give it a better look and allow more natural light inside.

DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post | Friday, 17 October 2008

http://www.stuff.co.nz/images/764818.jpg
TEAM PROJECT: An artist's drawing of the planned sports centre.

Opponents have warned of spiralling construction costs and traffic chaos if the proposed Kilbirnie Indoor Sports Centre goes ahead.

Wellington City Council has agreed to fund the construction of the 12-court centre at Cobham Park, which it said would cost $46 million to build, though it still needs resource consent.

The New Zealand Transport Agency was one of 17 submitters against the proposal when the council's public consultation period closed last week. It says existing roads would not cope with the traffic the centre would create.

Andy Foster, the council's urban development and transport portfolio leader, said the cost of construction at Cobham Park had increased to $47 million and the land was valued at $15 million - which meant the true cost of the centre was $62 million.

"The [council] has consistently sought to avoid its value being included in discussions of the costs of the project, " he said.

Mr Foster, a city councillor, said the council had asked the public whether an eight-court complex was too expensive at $29 million. About two-thirds of respondents said it was.

"The council has never consulted properly on a $60 million-plus project."

Mr Foster said in his submission that the centre should be built above the concourse at Westpac Stadium - a proposal that has been rejected by the council.

The council's traffic design group estimates that up to 600 vehicles an hour would head to the centre on Saturdays. On weekday evenings, that estimate would be between 400 and 500 cars.

Controlling traffic flows would require major, expensive alterations to the Cobham Drive roundabout, the Transport Agency said in its submission - work it would not fund.

Traffic chaos would ensue on Cobham Drive, Kemp St and Tacy St if the work was not completed before the centre's proposed opening in mid-2010, it said.

The council had included roundabout improvements in the draft Ngauranga to Airport Corridor Plan but funding and the timing of the work had not been confirmed.

The maximum seating capacity for events at the complex would be 2600. Up to 4000 could attend special one-off events. But the proposed centre would have just 319 car parks, 143 of which would be underground.

A joint submission from St Patrick's College and Marist St Pats Rugby Club suggested a "recreational hub" be created instead of a new venue.

This would include a new grandstand and training facilities at Evans Bay Park and improvements to Evans Bay Intermediate School grounds and Marist St Pats gym and clubrooms.

Of the 75 submissions received by the council, 57 supported the proposal, with 19 of those coming from sports players, clubs, associations or organisations.

Independent commissioners will now consider the submissions and a council officers' report at a hearing before deciding whether to approve or decline the proposal.

Not sure its such a good time to be putting so much public money into a sports centre is it? I mean, I'm all for sports, and community centres and the likes, but if Wellington had to prioritise in hard times, surely PT is more important to keep things moving?

I agree, now is not the time for a sports centre.

There is a 2 page spread in the dom post today discussing developments currently goin on in the capital and the effect of the economic crisis.

The biggest reason why the sports centre shouldn't go ahead (IMO) is that it is being built on an existing sports field. In inner wellington these are quite rare and precious.

The sports centre should be built on some 'brownfield' land like the light industrial and retail parks that are filling up almost every other corner of Kilbirnie/Rongotai

There is a 2 page spread in the dom post today discussing developments currently goin on in the capital and the effect of the economic crisis.

Here's the said article in full...

Building on shaky ground (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4732588a23882.html)
PAUL MULROONEY - The Dominion Post | Monday, 20 October 2008

http://www.stuff.co.nz/images/766375.jpg
GOING UP: The new Inland Revenue Department headquarters at 1 Featherston St is
one of the biggest construction projects in Wellington's central business district.

Build it, and they will come. The philosophy that worked in the film Field of Dreams is proving far thornier for property developers such as Wellington Phoenix soccer team owner Terry Serepisos.

After a decade of big spending, the likes of Mr Serepisos, whose Tory St apartments open in January, are hunkering down before the economic storm.

Mr Serepisos has confirmed that he is looking to cancel a yet-to be-settled contract to buy a central-city parking building formerly owned by developer Phil Stratford.

Asked about the prospect, in these fiscally strapped times, of getting his money back, Mr Serepisos said: "That's another story."

In Wellington that tell-tale sign of building activity, cranes on the skyline, is not hard to find, but evidence of activity beneath them is not so obvious. A frenetic period of building activity appears to be drawing to a close.

Other projects are about to begin, but as the dust settles from the initial fallout of the financial crash, more risk being left on the drawing board.

It is still nowhere near the level of the post-1987 construction slump, in which developers abandoned half-complete buildings.

Wellington City Council's local area planning manager, Dougal List, said short-term prospects for construction and commercial property in Wellington were "relatively robust", promising steady activity for the next two years, and further projects also offered confidence for the city's future development and investments.

A report by international building consultant Rider Levett Bucknall Research and Development suggests that good prospects remain for government-funded and local authority-funded projects - though completion of private-sector developments is less certain.

Developers who had previously been bankrolled by finance companies for both large and small commercial projects saw their funds dry up with the collapse of many of those companies, director Hugh Mackenzie said.

"It's all about funding. A developer requires funding to build and if that funding's not available, they are going to be hard-pushed to get anything off the ground," he said.

Mr Serepisos agreed that the sudden disappearance of that "second-tier" funding had dramatically altered the property landscape.

"What's actually happened is that lots of developments have been put on hold," he said.

Figures from Statistics NZ show that building consents for commercial property developments nationally fell 8.9 per cent in the year ending August.

But another property developer, Ian Cassels, who predicts a "green tide" toward environmentally efficient buildings, says the sector in Wellington is uniquely placed to withstand the worst effects of any slump.

"I know this might seem a preposterous thing to say, but we don't really see any real letup in the requirement for improved office space."

Many government departments and large organisations had to move to centralised offices, which also needed to be converted to meet the demand for green credentials, Mr Cassels said.

Most of the city's existing office space was dated, with a need to improve its quality, a realisation recognised by a schedule of building projects that would keep the city going for "quite some time", he said.

Wellington had 2 1/2 times the number of office workers per head of population that Sydney had.

"Office is what we do here. If you're not working in an office you're pouring beer for someone working in an office."

PROPERTY Council chief executive Connal Townsend says it is not wise for Wellington City, where 40 per cent of all commercial space is occupied by the Government, to put all its eggs in one basket.

"It's all very well building a factory or office block but if people can't afford to live in downtown Wellington, Auckland or downtown Christchurch you've got a problem."

The problem was less acute in Wellington than the other centres but the easy availability of government tenants created an artificial environment for the property sector, he said.

He described plans by the National Party to limit the city's bureaucracy as only "a small cloud" on the cbd office horizon, saying that Wellington was for the foreseeable future "moderately protected" by the Crown's property leasing.

Mr Mackenzie agreed the city was "reasonably well placed" for larger developments.

A swath of projects - from work on the redevelopment of Wellington Hospital, to separate hostel and teaching and research buildings at Victoria University, to the construction of a new base for the Inland Revenue Department at 1 Featherston St - were all approaching completion dates.

Even more were identified by the city council as being in the early stages of development.

These include the refurbishment of Government House, apartment developments - at Greta Pt and on the site of the former Forest and Bird building in Taranaki St - and separate airport developments.

Mr Mackenzie said it was the middle market, with projects ranging between $1 million and $10 million, that was now feeling the pinch.
This was exacerbated by builders previously working on the now-stagnant residential construction market tendering for commercial jobs with existing builders, leading to an oversupply.
``So on the one hand you've got a reasonable workload and on the other hand you've got a part of the market that's really struggling to find work.''
One mid-sized commercial builder said his business was getting squeezed not just by builders previously focused on residential property, but also by builders of larger projects who a few months ago "wouldn't have been interested in a two or three- million-dollar job''.
There was evidence of more competitive tendering, with twice the number of builders bidding for a contract job, he said.

Construction Industry Council chief executive Richard Michael said the more pronounced drop in the residential sector was now "filtering through'' into the commercial environment.
He excluded big office developments, protected with ready finance by big-name contractors from those caught in the downturn, but said the smaller builder and developer was more exposed.
``Those small-time commercial builders and residential property developers don't tend to work that way.''
The unusual aspect of the current economic trends was the speed and severity of the decline in the availability of credit.
``What's really caught them out is that never before would they have not been able to get any money for any price,'' he said.

ASB Property Finance national manager Mark Vautier said the lending criteria applied to individual projects made it increasingly difficult for mainstream banks to provide project funding and "mezzanine'' debt, once provided by finance companies, had all but dried up.
"Until the market conditions settle down and confidence returns, new projects will be difficult to get off the ground,'' he said.

One property broker said there were at least 10 projects at the advanced planning stage, but none of these would go ahead till tenant commitment was secured.
At the same time there was little demand for existing property in the higher price brackets, with brokers agreeing there was a gap between vendor and buyer expectations.
By this stage last year up to $270 million in major cbd sales had been completed.

In the the past nine months just three sales of significant size in the city were settled, compared with 15 transactions last year. The Master Builders Federation Building at 234 Wakefield St sold for $12.5 million, four floors at 155 The Terrace (formerly known as the IBM building) sold for $12.4 million and QV House at Thorndon Quay sold for $5.5 million.
Mr Townsend said another market indicator was the property index, which measured income and capital growth from the retail, commercial and industrial property sectors.
It fell from a high of 22.4 per cent last December to 13.4 per cent in June, with a further decline forecast. "We had a good party and now we're having a hangover, but it is a big hangover.''

----------------

Developers on retreat (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4732833a23882.html)
The Dominion Post | Monday, 20 October 2008
MAARTEN HOLL/The Dominion Post

http://www.stuff.co.nz/images/766382.jpg
FLOOR SPACE: Terry Serepisos' apartments in Tory St are taking shape but
some developers are getting nervous as the credit squeeze starts to hurt.

A property deal between two Wellington developers appears to have come unstuck as the financial downturn hits those who buy, build and broker property in the city.

Terry Serepisos has confirmed he is looking to cancel a contract to buy a central city parking building formerly owned by developer Phil Stratford.

Mr Serepisos, who owns Century City Developments and the Wellington Phoenix soccer team, also said he was looking to consolidate, rather than expand on his property portfolio.

He said the contract for the 353 car park building at 159 Willis St included an arrangement for Mr Stratford to find the finance to keep and maintain the land in front of the building, but this had not been met.

Mr Stratford said his company had an option only to buy the front site. He would not comment further.

But the delicate contract negotiations reflect the increasingly grim reality faced by the property sector facing less cashflow to bankroll developments or other prospective deals.

With Mr Serepisos' apartment development at Tory St fully let and set to open in January, and work progressing on the $30 million development on the IBM site at Petone, Mr Serepisos indicated a lot of developers were retreating to the sidelines rather than risk a run against the current state of financial play.

Richard Ellis office services director Matt Hince said that though the market for property under $5 million remained "relatively robust", larger building sales had slowed and that some future developments were now uncertain.

----------------

I agree, now is not the time for a sports centre.

It will be an interesting test for the council,

they will LIKELY rely on bond funding for the capital to pay for this building, and it sounds like the retail bond market is drying up, why give your money to a council, when you can put it in the bank with a Government Guarantee,- it will certainly add to the price ( in terms of interest and funding costs)

But this Retail Centre seems to be in such a prime position , its a shame it wasn't a Mixed Use Development with Apartments on upper levels over looking the Water :)

http://www.colliers.co.nz/CosmosAssets/Cosmos.Media/Media/29641.jpg

But this Retail Centre seems to be in such a prime position , its a shame it wasn't a Mixed Use Development with Apartments on upper levels over looking the Water :)



'cept for the noisy 4 lane dual carriageway State highway between you and the water + not to mention the high windrun in both directions :)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/46/137339763_ee0c39992c.jpg?v=0

'cept for the noisy 4 lane dual carriageway State highway between you and the water + not to mention the high windrun in both directions :)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/46/137339763_ee0c39992c.jpg?v=0:cheers:

Well a nice Double Glazed Sun-room would do the trick LOL

That might just address the issue of aircraft noise.

Walking home tonight I notice a great big Yellow excavator and a whole pile of security fencing at the Republic Site on Tennyson, looks like demolition of the remaining building on the site and ripping up the concrete may be about to start

http://www.stratum-mgt.co.nz/Republic.cfm?Property_ID=25

EDIT: 22 October, Yes, there is demolition work commencing on the site, ripping up the concrete pad, and looks like the YKK and Excel buildings are next to bite the big one,

Pain for cbd retailers 'would be shortlived'
DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post | Tuesday, 21 October 2008

A major redevelopment of the Johnsonville Shopping Centre would suck $44 million from the tills of downtown Wellington retailers in its first year of operation, according to the resource consent application.

But the pain would be shortlived, with retail growth in the city quickly bouncing back to pre- development levels.

It is estimated that the redeveloped centre would provide 358 extra jobs for Wellington over the next 14 years.

These figures are included in the resource consent lodged with Wellington City Council this week by developer DNZ Property Group, which wants to build a $100 million-plus mall at Johnsonville.

The application provides a test case for new council rules pushed through this year that give officials the power to reject large projects if they lure too many shoppers away from Wellington's cbd.
more (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4734063a23918.html)

It's a really interesting use of planning laws to assess the economic effects of a development on another area.

1 Featherston St:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/1%20Featherston%20Street/DSCF4311.jpg

Supreme Court:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/DSCF4314.jpg

Century City - the wraps are now off the left front, and it's starting to look kind of blingy:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Century%20City%20-%20Tory%20St/DSCF4303.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Century%20City%20-%20Tory%20St/DSCF4320.jpg

Cubana Apartments:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Cubana%20Apartments%20-%20158%20Cuba%20St/DSCF4281.jpg

Piermont & Monument:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Piermont%20-%20Cable%20St/DSCF4295.jpg

New crane up on the Customhouse site on the waterfront, and Dompost is reporting tower one of the republic Duo in Tennyson is about to get underway,

Still nothing on the watermark site though....

From what i have read on this forum it appears that the rational behind wellingtons 95m height limit has more 2 do with the protection of views than anything .I dont buy into this talk of earthquakes.Bigger cities around the world which have had devastating earthquakes in recent times are going taller and taller i.e tokyo ,los angeles,San Francisco and others in China.There is anyway earththquake proof technology being tested and used especially in Japan .The wellington council can for a start at least raise the llimit to anyway between 115 -130m at least for now ,but ideally to anything above that or at least pockets of land with an increased height limit.The will come a time in future when the skyline is essentially level at 95 or so meteres .I dont think that will look that great.But i am sure that geography and economics will force the council to change that in the years to come.

This is a few weeks old, but some interesting snippets of info.

from the NBR
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/wellington-developer-swims-against-tide-36288



Wellington developer swims against the tide
by Chris Hutching | Friday October 10 2008 - 07:30am
Merge Property Group is progressing three apartment buildings in the capital.

Next week it will launch a marketing campaign for its latest apartment offering with an official launch to be held at the Metropol showroom on the corner of Leeds and Ghuznee Street at on Wednesday.

At the same time, the property development company is finalising construction and funding for two other Wellington development projects – the $46 million, 11-level, 108-apartment Te Aro Towers near the central city, and the proposed $22 million Twelve Daly Street in Lower Hutt.

Director Campbell Venning said the Te Aro Towers and Twelve Daly Street were 98% sold down and he expected to announce the start date of construction in a couple of weeks.


Resource consents for the Metropol tower in the Cuba St area were obtained in August.

Mr Venning said Merge had directly sold more than $7.5 million worth of unconditional pre-sales contracts over the past three months for the mixed use investment units in the building (a twin key configuration allowing for the apartment to be used by one or two tenants or the owner).

He described Metropol as a $60 million venture with $6 million worth of commercial/retail units on the ground, first and second floors, $15 million worth of mixed use investment units, $35 million of owner occupier apartments, and $4 million worth of car parking.

“To help with the economics the building will be built in stages beginning with the retail/commercial block, the car park, and the residential tower,” Mr Venning said.

If all goes to plan Mr Venning expects completion by late 2011.

When asked about how the development was being funded, Mr Venning said the company was mainly funded by private equity.

He is a director and 50% shareholder in Merge Property. The other 50% is held by Jumierah Trust, which is in turn owned half by fellow director Brent Casey.

Metropol will feature all the latest green-thinking features such as a wind turbine to generate energy for common area lighting, regenerative lifts, solar panelling, sustainable building materials, solar panels, thermal efficient cladding, and a 10th-level rooftop garden. Mr Venning said it will be one of the first of its kind for the apartment sector in the capital, even surpassing the Meridian building on the waterfront, which has set new green standards.

“Because the Council’s current Green Building rating system only applies to offices, we plan to measure Metropol against another international ranking system,” according to Mr Venning.

The development has been designed by ArcHaus Architect. Its lead architect, Huw Parslow said he doesn’t know of any other apartment development with such integrated sustainable features.

Merge recently abandoned plans for $50 million worth of apartments on the Napier waterfront called Boathaus. Merge had been seeking resource consent for apartments, commercial and retail outlets on the former NJ Price Engineering workshop site on the Napier waterfront. But then Merge learned that the resource consent application would have to be publicly notified, and submissions considered, creating delays. Vendor NJ Price Engineering cancelled the contract and is marketing the property for sale.

Meanwhile, Land Equity says it has secured $125 million from a primary funder for its five star Watermark apartment building on the waterfront and says it is finalising contract pricing and mezzanine finance. Land Equity acquired the Wellington Markets building a decade ago where the apartment tower will be built. The adjoining historic John Chambers building will be retained as part of the boutique hotel.

i read sum time ago on this forum that a 137 tower was proposed in the 1990s on lambton quays .does anyone know what is on the site where the proposed tower was to be build here is the image athttp://http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im?id=337420http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im?id=337420
it looks like it would have bloked views of may people and would have changed the rules of the council had it been build.i thing the majestic centre was better designed.It 's my favourite nz tower.

i read sum time ago on this forum that a 137 tower was proposed in the 1990s on lambton quays .does anyone know what is on the site where the proposed tower was to be build here is the image athttp://http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im?id=337420http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im?id=337420
it looks like it would have bloked views of many people and would have changed the rules of the council had it been build.i thing the majestic centre was better designed.It 's my favourite nz tower.

That Tower was proposed as part of the initial waterfront developments.

The site is empty, but the sites (8,9,10) have a proposed low rise development sketched out by wellington waterfront

That building at Queens Wharf, where the former mall, then caltex centre, and no idea what it is now is, looks far far better than what we ended up with.

The whole development was ultimately put paid to by Black Monday, as were a number of other projects. Among those 'other projects' was the area where Reading Cinemas is now - it lay vacant for about 15 years after Chase Corp bulldozed the site and got put under statutory management following the Crash.

Developer unfazed by downturn

Dominion Post, The
Oct 28, 2008, pC5
Edition: 2, Section: BUSINESS, pg. C5

~~~~~~~~

Paul MULROONEY

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

PROPERTY developer Craig Stewart is forging ahead with his latest multimillion-dollar apartment development, despite signs of the economic downturn intensifying.

The Wellington man's company, Stratum Management, has pre-sold up to 85 per cent of available units in the first of two towers of the development known as The Republic. The $80 million complex comprises about 150 units.

It is on a site between Lorne and Tennyson streets -- a stone's throw from the capital's core entertainment district.

Demolition on the site, formerly occupied by a fishery, started last week.

Mr Stewart believes that just because some commentators are predicting a severe slowdown in the economic good times, this does not mean the business of property development has to slow, too.

While many developers are telling contractors to down tools on existing developments, he is convinced there is a market ready and waiting for more apartments.

The complex offers one to three- bedroomed units ranging in price between $300,000 and $600,000.

Units in the second tower will be marketed for sale early next year, as an optimistic Mr Stewart reflects on a six-week period in which his company has concluded up to $5 million in sales.

Indicators suggest that there are still prospective investors and owner- occupiers looking to enter or re-enter the market, he says.

"The tight rental market suggests there is a big pool of residential buyers, and at some point, these people are going to start buying again."

His apartment block, comprising two towers of eight and nine levels, respectively, incorporates a modern design, including open-plan living with plenty of sunlight, while also using older building features, such as brick cladding.

Mr Stewart says the development will include retail outlets on the ground floor.

A gap of about 20 metres between the two buildings, which include carparks, will help enhance a spacious community, rather than a built-up feeling on the site.

North-facing occupiers will also enjoy views of the harbour, without having to feel they have to be down by the waterfront.

The first building is due to be completed in 2010 and the second building by early the next year, and Mr Stewart is confident there are still plenty of prospective buyers to fill them.

Another of his apartment developments, the $93 million Stratum Towers, on the corner of Tory and Cable streets, is due for completion at the end of 2009.

--------------------

CAPTION:

Upbeat: Property developer Craig Stewart shows one of the artist's impressions of how his apartment development, about to start construction, will eventually look.

Demolition has started on Bunnings on corner of Adelaide Road and John Street - Newtown(ish).

(New supermarket to be built)

Demolition has started on Bunnings on corner of Adelaide Road and John Street - Newtown(ish).
(New supermarket to be built)

And the Progressive rumours about the sites they own opposite Tepapa have started again.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4758008a23918.html

Personally I would be disappointed to see a two story tilt slab with underground parking on what is becoming a very residential area. Eventually the land valuations will demand that the full height of the site get used, so It would be nice to actually incorporate the apartment block ( at least in the overall design, even if it is simply provided for in the foundations and not built till later)

This "air space" demand will eventually reach the existing new world at the other end too, although if council are clever they will only consent the tower ( 6-8 stories) on the current carkpark and attempt to re-open the view shaft from the Basin reserve to the harbour.

I reckon. This should be the site of a high-class building, not a bloody supermarket.

At the very least, if they're going to plonk a supermarket there, it should ideally be mixed use.

http://eyeofthefish.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/jville1.jpg

J'ville mall redevelopment plans and renders on EyeOfTheFish (http://eyeofthefish.org/more-mall-for-jville/).

What size is this redevelopment? I heard in another thread it was to be around 30,000 sq.m. Is this in addition to what is already there? Who is the company responsible for this development and will this be as big as Queensgate?

It is about 30K sq metres in total, not addition, I think the current floorspace is around 10K, so it would triple, it is being pushed by the mall co-owner DNZ group http://www.dnzproperty.com/page.aspx?i=54

Westfield Queensgate is around 45K sq metres so is 1/3 larger (although it has a number of very large tenants (Warehouse/Farmers/Woolworths/Skycity theatre)

Also as an aside did anyone else notice the blurb on their website regarding their desires here
"The strategic plan for the asset is to redevelop to a regional shopping centre integrated with a transport hub and upgraded existing railway station."
Don't see much of that in this plan

^^ I don't have the exact figures - I believe the new mall will between 30,000m^2 and 40,000m^2 (approx 4 times larger than the current mall). The new mall would completely replace the old one on the same site (with the exception of the Countdown supermarket which will remain and be attached to the new development).

Edit: You beat me to it greenwelly. Agree with you about the station - I guess that's a GW/WCC project, so completely separate. So much for integrated planning...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3140/3031730118_10f344358c_o.jpg

Is this building still standing? Or has it been demolished? :(

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3140/3031730118_10f344358c_o.jpg

Is this building still standing? Or has it been demolished? :(
If it's in Welly, can't say I've seen it anywhere.

Is this building still standing? Or has it been demolished? :(

Long gone.

I believe the building was built as NZR's head office in 1902 and was located in Featherston St where the Holiday Inn is now.

Thats one pretty building...Pity it got demolished!
What does the site look like now?

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/hotelmedia/repository/hotelimages/WLGFS/WELCM_EXTR_01_E.jpg

Long gone.

I believe the building was built as NZR's head office in 1902 and was located in Featherston St where the Holiday Inn is now.

Although Railways got this in 1937 as a fairly stunning replacement

http://inlinethumb55.webshots.com/12470/1152753535014493675S600x600Q85.jpg

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/hotelmedia/repository/hotelimages/WLGFS/WELCM_EXTR_01_E.jpg

Nice replacement, but I would much rather prefer the heritage version. :)

^^The original was substantially altered (in 1940s?) - lost parapets, gable ends, spires, etc - basically all the fancy bits. I think it was used by the Ministry of Defence at one stage.

I can't find any good photos online (I'm sure I've seen photos somewhere though - book or museum probably). If you look closely in the following aerial photo (from 1960), the roofline has changed. The building is in the bottom left.

http://digital.natlib.govt.nz/get/33597?profile=access

^^ If anyone saw "Shaker Run" at the Film Archive lately, it offers a rare glimpse of what central Welly looked like in 1984-85. There's a brief scenic shot of the CBD before it cuts to the street level shots.

In the meantime, that interestingly angled front facade (the one in the middle that will have black cladding) of Century City is starting to take shape:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Century%20City%20-%20Tory%20St/DSCF4435.jpg

^^The original was substantially altered (in 1940s?) - lost parapets, gable ends, spires, etc - basically all the fancy bits. I think it was used by the Ministry of Defence at one stage.

I can't find any good photos online (I'm sure I've seen photos somewhere though - book or museum probably). If you look closely in the following aerial photo (from 1960), the roofline has changed. The building is in the bottom left.

http://digital.natlib.govt.nz/get/33597?profile=access

It appears well clad in scaffold in c 1935, so I guess it could have changed then, possibly as a result of the Napier earthquake in ,31 raising the awareness of what happens to buildings with lots of bits that can fall off??

http://digital.natlib.govt.nz/get/20335?profile=access

^^ If anyone saw "Shaker Run" at the Film Archive lately, it offers a rare glimpse of what central Welly looked like in 1984-85. There's a brief scenic shot of the CBD before it cuts to the street level shots.

For those that missed it, Wellingtonista has a link to the clip. Hoy, Wellington was a bleak looking town: http://wellingtonista.com/shaker-run

It appears well clad in scaffold in c 1935, so I guess it could have changed then, possibly as a result of the Napier earthquake in ,31 raising the awareness of what happens to buildings with lots of bits that can fall off??

Love seeing old photos like this.

Sounds like it may have suffered from the same thing that happened to the Town Hall. I wish they'd put those bits that can fall up back up now.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3237/2389121996_aa10e718d6_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2342/2389121878_974e078f49_o.jpg

^^ WOW! Thats another Beaut building :)

^^ Most of the heritage buildings left are former brothels .....

^^ Most of the heritage buildings left are former brothels .....
Or potential ones. :lol:

Building site fences have gone around the Bouldcott Street side of where the new Telecom building will go. Demolition to perhaps start soon on those temporary town houses on stilts?

Building site fences have gone around the Bouldcott Street side of where the new Telecom building will go. Demolition to perhaps start soon on those temporary town houses on stilts?

I would guess before Xmas, they are all vacant ( as is the old airways tower block)

^^ Thread linkage:

Willis Central thread - first construction pics (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=619618&page=3)

I have always loved the Albemarle Building! It used to be third on the most at-risk buildings in an earthquake, so it's great that it has be renovated.

The Johnsonville mall make over is to be a fully notified decision

http://www.wellington.govt.nz/news/display-item.php?id=3381

Cubana is nearly topping out already:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Cubana%20Apartments%20-%20158%20Cuba%20St/DSCF4632.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Cubana%20Apartments%20-%20158%20Cuba%20St/DSCF4634.jpg

And Century City appears to be nearing completion as well.

DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post | Saturday, 06 December 2008

http://www.stuff.co.nz/images/778326.jpg

http://www.stuff.co.nz/images/778327.jpg

A giant $1.32 million illuminated fish hook celebrating the legend of Maui is planned for Wellington's northern entrance.

The Hook of Maui project includes spectacular light features - called Receding Waters - under motorway overbridges, and on the northern end of The Terrace tunnel, as if water were running off uplifted land.

Maui is the legendary figure who fished up the North Island.

The Hook of Maui project has the support of local iwi, including the Wellington Tenths Trust and Ngati Kahungunu.

Wellington City Council has contributed $666,000 toward the gateway sculpture project since it was first suggested more than five years ago. The rest of the money has come from private donations.

Te Matau a Maui features a 35-metre tower embedded on the harbour side of the motorway above the Hutt Valley railway tunnel between Ngauranga and Kaiwharawhara and a 14-metre hook coming out of the other side of the road.

A laser would pierce the night sky from the top of the shaft to symbolise a fishing line.

Inspired by traditional Maori whalebone fish hooks in Te Papa's collection, it would be sheathed in fibreglass to give it the appearance of bone, but at night blue and green internal lights would rise and fall to match the harbour tides.

Solar panels around the top of the tower would be connected to the national grid to replace electricity used to power the lights.

Mayor Kerry Prendergast is delighted with the concept. "It was over five years ago when we decided the city needed something vibrant and exciting to form a memorable gateway to the city from the north. We wanted people to be in no doubt that they are arriving in [the] creative capital."

Receding Waters is a series of four light sculptures to be located under the overbridges at Molesworth, Hawkestone and Bolton streets, and at The Terrace tunnel.

The light-emitting diodes would shimmer and pulsate to give the impression of water rushing off the land as it was pulled from the sea.

Wellington Sculpture Trust chairman Neil Plimmer said the artworks would give a dramatic narrative about the origins of the country.

"It will be accessible to international visitors too. I can imagine tour coach drivers will love telling the Maui story to passengers as they arrive in the city."

The New Zealand Transport Agency has endorsed the artworks, telling designers they would not distract motorists or threaten traffic safety.

The sculpture's design team includes Oscar-nominated director Taika Waititi, Swiss-New Zealand lighting designer and installation artist Claude Hibder and landscape architect Megan Wraight.

The designers, working with council staff, will now apply for resource consents for the sculptures, which are expected to be in place by July 2010.

:cheers:

^^ Not a bad way to greet inbound travellers. The only potential caveats are the timing of the announcement, and erroneous perceptions that the council is paying for most of it.

Wow that's a cool idea! Looks great.

widen the terrace tunnel first or you'll have to fix it up later!

STOP PRESS: 7 Boulcott St has been granted consent. It's not yet on the Council web site though.

Service Request #176137

The good folk at Eye Of The fish have a piece on the cost blow-out for Supreme Court in Wellington, and included are a couple of progress shots.

http://eyeofthefish.org/boiling-blood/

Coming together all right... :lol:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Century%20City%20-%20Tory%20St/DSCF4932.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Century%20City%20-%20Tory%20St/DSCF4950.jpg

flash :O

This a photo posted by Culwulla on a different thread. Among other things, it shows the progress of 1 Featherston St (I think):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3117/3129890384_a929df23f2_b.jpg

And a previous render and details posted by mtb_nz here: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=5479065&postcount=207

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y126/mtb_nz/new2.jpg

By my reckoning, once topped out, it will be almost twice as high as it is in this shot. And judging by its footprint in the render, its a beast

thanks mate

thanks mate

No worries.

Any of the (current) locals know whats going on the corner, where this shot is taken from?

The above render is an old one. Here's the latest render:

http://www.schindler.co.nz/01_featherston.jpg

And there's more at the Warren & Mahoney web site (http://www.warrenandmahoney.com/). (uses Adobe Flash, so can't hotlink)

Bland. Boring. Total absence of appeal.

I think I prefer the original render - and that was hardly earth-shattering

It looks really 80s.

Bland. Boring. Total absence of appeal.

I think I prefer the original render - and that was hardly earth-shattering

Well... it is going to house the IRD so maybe its appropriate..

Walking past it the other day: man there is going to be a *lot* of floor space in this building, the floor plates look huge by comparison to most WLG buildings.

According to the architect's web site, each floor will have about 2,875 m² of space - one of the largest floorplates in WLG.

Here's a question for you lads. The huge block of land by the basin is apparently gonna be new world, anyone have any info on the huge block where bunnings warehouse has just been knocked down in Newtown?

Here's a question for you lads. The huge block of land by the basin is apparently gonna be new world, anyone have any info on the huge block where bunnings warehouse has just been knocked down in Newtown?
The area near the Basin Reserve (where the Boys & Girls Institute was up till recently) has been earmarked for a Pak 'N' Save and apparently also some mixed use zoning.

The former Bunnings on Newtown has shifted to the Airport Park, and the old site has been snapped up by Progressive Enterprises.

ok so Pak n save by the basin, probably countdown or something in newtown

The above render is an old one. Here's the latest render:

http://www.schindler.co.nz/01_featherston.jpg

And there's more at the Warren & Mahoney web site (http://www.warrenandmahoney.com/). (uses Adobe Flash, so can't hotlink)

Wow, that looks horrible for a new building.

Saw the crane base on Pipitea St showing the bottom section on the Naylor Love site directly across the road from Wgtn Girls Coll. Given that our holiday time is the ideal time to pop a crane up I'd expect to see a tower crane there soon. Am I in the right thread, Red?

Saw the crane base on Pipitea St showing the bottom section on the Naylor Love site directly across the road from Wgtn Girls Coll. Given that our holiday time is the ideal time to pop a crane up I'd expect to see a tower crane there soon. Am I in the right thread, Red?
Sure are, that's going to be Pipitea Plaza, which will house the new HQ for the GCSB (the Waihopai Spy Base people).

http://www.equinoxgroup.co.nz/images/photos/property-pipitea-plaza.jpg
http://www.equinoxgroup.co.nz/images/photos/property-kate-sheppard.jpg

I like it. Very modern.

I hope that Kate Sheppard building (the bottom one) doesn't get sunk by the financial crisis. It would be one of relatively few buildings in Wellington that has a truly contemporary aesthetic. The developers seem to have a good track record though (as far as I know), so hopefully they're in it for the long-haul.

I hope that Kate Sheppard building (the bottom one) doesn't get sunk by the financial crisis. It would be one of relatively few buildings in Wellington that has a truly contemporary aesthetic. The developers seem to have a good track record though (as far as I know), so hopefully they're in it for the long-haul.
And so too do the architects - none other than the Athfield stable.

Can't remember what its called ...near Parliment I think ?

http://www.hma.net.nz/images/projects/new/projects_office2_new.jpg

Can't remember what its called ...near Parliment I think ?

http://www.hma.net.nz/images/projects/new/projects_office2_new.jpg
It's officially called Bowen Integrated Campus. I believe it's awaiting consent or going thru the Council Urban Design panel.

It's officially called Bowen Integrated Campus. I believe it's awaiting consent or going thru the Council Urban Design panel.:cheers:

It's officially called Bowen Integrated Campus. I believe it's awaiting consent or going thru the Council Urban Design panel.

..But I can't see MSD being allowed to sign on as anchor tenant given the desire of government to appear more austere in its spending in the wake of a) the election and b) the global crunch. Consent or not, I think this is a dead project.

Sanctum Apartments :cheers:

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/9035/13750356mp5.jpg

Sanctum Apartments :cheers:

I've been told the body corp and the residents in that place are horribly stuck up though, and no one ever uses the garden for anything.

Should've been a pedestrian square/park through that block connecting Taranaki to Tory *surrounded* by apartments. Then it would be some public space actually used. Another opportunity lost forever due to a stink hands off council. :(

I've been told the body corp and the residents in that place are horribly stuck up though, and no one ever uses the garden for anything.

Should've been a pedestrian square/park through that block connecting Taranaki to Tory *surrounded* by apartments. Then it would be some public space actually used. Another opportunity lost forever due to a stink hands off council. :(:cheers:

It just doesn't look pedestrian friendly.

DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post | Friday, 16 January 2009

Sports centre could be started by April (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4819900a23918.html)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/images/786078.jpg
The green light has been given for a $50 million Indoor Community Sports Centre in Wellington.

Three independent planning commissioners gave resource consent yesterday for Wellington City Council to build a 12-court centre on Kilbirnie's Cobham Park. Conditions were imposed, including maximum noise levels at different times, with a one-hour wind-down period to begin at 10pm. The centre cannot be used for events with amplified music but may be open around the clock, seven days a week, as long as the noise conditions are met.

Its main users would be netball and basketball players, although more than 20 other sporting codes have indicated they would also want to use it. Two "special events" when the 2600 capacity is exceeded can be held each year. Attendance must not exceed 4000 and the event finish by midnight. There would be 316 car parking spaces, about 40 per cent of them underground.

Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast said the centre, first proposed by the council in 2006, would cover a chronic shortage of facilities for community sports and recreation. "The timing means we can also provide a bit of a shot in the arm to the local construction industry." She said that was in line with the Government bringing forward its spending on infrastructure to stimulate the economy.

The council's economic development and recreation portfolio leader, John Morrison, said the centre would have a strong community focus. "The sports codes are hugely supportive of the centre and it will be a brilliant facility for the whole community."

Representatives from basketball, netball and volleyball joined forces with Sport Wellington about nine years ago to push for an indoor venue initially above the concourse at Westpac Stadium. The sporting codes have not been asked to contribute to funding for the centre. It will be paid for by ratepayers through a targeted rate already imposed by the council.

There are 15 working days in which an appeal against the consent decision could send the issue to the Environment Court. If there is no appeal, the council expects construction to begin in April.

The suggestion by Kerry P that "the timing means we can also provide a bit of a shot in the arm to the local construction industry" is a bit silly IMHO. There are better stimulus options for $50m than spending it all in one go on a sports centre.

Also, 316 car parks? Mostly underground. That's quite a lot of added expense for such a facility. Wouldn't it be better to build something like this in a cluster with other facilities (e.g. the swimming pool, etc) so that car parking is able to be shared by multiple facilities.

The suggestion by Kerry P that "the timing means we can also provide a bit of a shot in the arm to the local construction industry" is a bit silly IMHO. There are better stimulus options for $50m than spending it all in one go on a sports centre.

Yeah? Personally, I'm a 100% supporter of this type of investment in infrastructure in the current climate.

Its not just the $50m spent to provide a great, needed facility for the community, its the money-multiplier effect of putting cash in the pockets of builders, contractors, suppliers etc at a time when residential and commercial property owners aren't.

It might be the time for households to watch the purse strings a little, but not local and central government. I'm not saying go out and blow the reserves, but if government stops spending along with households, everything screeches to a halt.

What did you have in mind in terms of alternative stimulus options?

Oh, and please tell me that hideous, soulless block is not the final design.....

Oh, and please tell me that hideous, soulless block is not the final design.....

It is, but it's not a good render. Rather than being a solid wall, the walls are made of alternating concrete fins and glass panels, at varying angles, so that the balance of solidity and lightness varies as you go around it and light will spill out at night. And that montage doesn't show any of the landscaping: in fact, it's probably the worst image that could have been chosen!

And there are more images and plans in this presentation: http://www.wellington.govt.nz/projects/new/pdfs/2008-04-indoor-sports-presentation.pdf

Yeah? Personally, I'm a 100% supporter of this type of investment in infrastructure in the current climate.
*snip*
What did you have in mind in terms of alternative stimulus options?

I totally agree with you, the Govt needs to spend (wisely). But if you've got a limited budget, and limited amount of debt you can call on, you want to get the best bang for buck. (This is why I hate talk about fast tracking projects like TGM and the Waterview Tunnel.)

While this is a good community project, it is a single large construction project that swallows up a large chunk of that budget, and it could be put off for another year or two without any major drama. It doesn't provide cost savings to the council, it doesn't create economic growth, it just puts money into the system. I'd like to see it spread it around a bit more.

Perhaps things like fixing the water leaks (something ridiculous like 17% of wellington's water is wasted in leaks) which could be dozens of smaller contracts, keeping lots of smaller companies afloat, and providing savings to the Council.

Or some transport improvements that get people moving? Portland is apparently going to use stimulus money to roll out bike improvements.

Or things like FTTH, that provides lots of construction jobs, and an advanced telecomms infrastructure, and tech jobs, and still provides ROI to the part owner (the Council) over long term from subscriptions.

I'm concerned about the reaction to bring forward large projects without considering the long term. In a couple of years when we're out of the recession are we going to have spent our money on things that have positioned us to grow better? Or are we going to be left tapped out and unable to borrow for a while but still needing to get other things done?

This is all speculation and opinion. I'm no economist.

And there are more images and plans in this presentation: http://www.wellington.govt.nz/projects/new/pdfs/2008-04-indoor-sports-presentation.pdf

That looks heaps better!

The suggestion by Kerry P that "the timing means we can also provide a bit of a shot in the arm to the local construction industry" is a bit silly IMHO. There are better stimulus options for $50m than spending it all in one go on a sports centre.

Also, 316 car parks? Mostly underground. That's quite a lot of added expense for such a facility. Wouldn't it be better to build something like this in a cluster with other facilities (e.g. the swimming pool, etc) so that car parking is able to be shared by multiple facilities.

will be canecllad $190,000,000 IF THEY WILL BUILT

tallest will be 127m 35floors call foiton tower next 116m 29floors

What???

tallest will be 127m 35floors call foiton tower next 116m 29floors

^^ Sounds like something from the Auckland thread?

Jacob's a troll.

Construction Updates
24/1/09

No. 1 Featherston Street

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3432/3225006232_59d67a1a57_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3225006232/)


Piermont - Corner of Tory & Cable Streets

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3224158561_02b83d0853_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3224158561/)


Monument - Corner of Tory & Wakefield Streets

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/3225015178_206010ee31_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3225015178/)


Century City Ho - Tory Street

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3508/3224159247_89bb33057b_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3224159247/)

Super Sites - All clear
24/1/09

(1) Foodstuffs - Corner of Tasman & Rugby Streets, Mt Cook

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3506/3224160623_3eddf55e65.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3224160623/)
Pak'n'Save.


(2) Progressive - Corner of Adelaide Road & John Street, Newtown

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/3225017420_e58dc2f685.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3225017420/)
Woolies or Countdown?

:cheers:

My turn... :)

Supreme Court, early Jan 2009:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/DSCF5047.jpg

Also new pics of Chews Lane (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=460419&page=8).

Wellington Hospital
24/1/09

Pretty much done, although there appears to be some work to do around the main entrance and the road access off Riddiford isn't quite finished.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/3225018156_78f200c5e7.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3225018156/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/3225018450_7d0c1617a2.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3225018450/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3521/3224162509_8212a0a31e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3224162509/)

Even the Hospital looks good :cheers:

well the new bit is excellent, pity it's still in the shadow of those monstrosities

Constuction Updates
31/1/09

No. 1 Featherston Street

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/3243745814_812e2520cf_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3243745814/)


Supreme Court

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3426/3243746954_850da6f524_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3243746954/)

Work has started on glazing the ground floor fronting Lambton Quay.

Cubana Apartments:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Cubana%20Apartments%20-%20158%20Cuba%20St/DSCF5236.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Cubana%20Apartments%20-%20158%20Cuba%20St/DSCF5237.jpg

"Century City Ho (http://eyeofthefish.org/century-city-ho/)" goes hot... :lol:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Century%20City%20-%20Tory%20St/DSCF5296.jpg

Yay, common sense prevails for a short while at least (depending on your point of view).

Councillor's appeal blocks city stadium (http://www.stuff.co.nz/4840103a11.html)
By DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post | Saturday, 07 February 2009

Wellington City Council's planned $46 million indoor sports stadium in Kilbirnie is being delayed for up to 18 months by one of its own councillors, who has appealed to the Environment Court.

Independent commissioners gave consent last month for the 12-court stadium at Cobham Park. Work was due to start in April, with the centre opening in September next year.

The appeal was filed by Andy Foster, the council's urban development and transport portfolio leader, who believes Cobham Park is the wrong site.

"The appeal asks for a transparent public process to look at the alternative sites. I believe the council is trying to fly this under the radar."

He said the centre should be built in the central city, either on Harbour Quays land owned by CentrePort or on the concourse above Westpac Stadium. Both were discounted by the council.

"They didn't even put an offer to the port," Mr Foster said. "They didn't think they could get all 12 courts there. But they could have put eight there and seven at Hataitai [netball courts] for the same price."

A submission from Ian Maskell, an independent project and development consultant contracted by the council to investigate the concourse option, backed his claims, Mr Foster said.

The submission said: "The concourse remains a viable alternative to the Cobham Park option at the same cost but with clear and obvious benefits."

The council reviewed its decision last year to build on Cobham Park. Mr Maskell said the concourse option design team was not interviewed as part of that review and was at odds with its findings.

Mr Foster called it "a very quick and dirty peer review that only included council information".

Mayor Kerry Prendergast said the review heavily favoured Cobham Park. "[It] is unequivocally the best site. Construction cost is cheapest, it is significantly less complex because we own the land, no [land] negotiations are required, and it can be delivered two years earlier than the other sites."

With the concourse and Harbour Quays, the council would have to pay an extra $30 million to improve Jervois Quay and buy CentrePort land, valued at $15 million.

Resource Consent Applications Granted 6 December 2008 – 15 January 2009
(sourced from Wellington City Council)

Te Aro
7 Boulcott Street
176137
Land Use Consent for a new building

And latest pics...

Patent 326, mid Feb 2009:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Patent%20326%20-%20Evans%20Bay/DSCF5536a.jpg

Piermont & Monument:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Piermont%20-%20Cable%20St/DSCF5604.jpg

Am I the only one beginning to think that the watermark may end up as a unstarted project?, I mean all that has happened is a pile of Hawkins port-a-cabins have been plonked on the site a couple of months ago, and then nothing, has anyone heard any whispers?

Am I the only one beginning to think that the watermark may end up as a unstarted project?, I mean all that has happened is a pile of Hawkins port-a-cabins have been plonked on the site a couple of months ago, and then nothing, has anyone heard any whispers?
You're right, nothing much has happened so far, bar the appearance of the portable offices. Construction was due to start in late February according to the official website.

http://www.jtbarchitects.co.nz/thinktankz.htm

http://www.jtbarchitects.co.nz/images/thinktankz1.jpg:cheers:

That 2006 concept, is for burnham wharf in Miramar, currently it is the fuel wharf for the airport and there are no signs of the fuel loading moving anywhere in the near term. So I suspect that it is simply a wishful concept

What's the deal with the old hospital, It sounds as though it been replaced entirely by the new facility? Is that true? From a glance the new one looks smaller.

the new section is an addition to the old one, not a replacement

Thought so. I've only heard of it referred to as the 'new Wellington hospital' which is somewhat confusing. I've also just moved here so I haven't been following it with interest.

^^ New main building would probably be a better description. It replaces the previous main building (which was a stack of bricks that would've collapsed in a decent earthquake) and a few other old buildings. Newer buildings round the back will remain in use AFAIK.

Here's a small pic of the old building:
http://media.apn.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/wellingtonh.jpg

I was working in the health sector when the started the destruction of the old wellington hospital main building....At the time they said they were going to keep some of it, even if it was the facade and front steps. Dosn't look like that has happened.

I was working in the health sector when the started the destruction of the old wellington hospital main building....At the time they said they were going to keep some of it, even if it was the facade and front steps. Dosn't look like that has happened.

The Steps and columns are out the back of the new building in some sort of concrete wasteland, I think the area is scheduled to become some sort of "healing memorial garden" but at the moment it is just exposed white 'crete.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/3342953923_b02f98d461_o.jpg

I've noticed the carpark between Pipitea St & Thorndon New World has been fenced off. Prime Property has had plans to build a pair of 10-storey buildings (http://www.wellington.govt.nz/news/publicnotices/details/pipitea.html) on the site (officially on 68-74 Pipitea St).

Google StreetView - 68-74 Pipitea St (http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=66+Pipitea+St,+Thorndon,+Wellington+6011&sll=-41.274678,174.779863&sspn=0.004201,0.010868&ie=UTF8&t=h&layer=c&cbll=-41.275501,174.778593&panoid=7lC-2fCFrT_2O2T3ezRy1A&cbp=12,35.153003132713174,,0,-2.7295162882527197&ll=-41.274779,174.779622&spn=0.0021,0.005434&z=18&iwloc=addr)

Construction updates from the weekend (14th/15th March)

Supreme Court

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v45/Flyin_higher/DSC01476.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v45/Flyin_higher/DSC01479.jpg

IRD Building

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v45/Flyin_higher/DSC01480.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v45/Flyin_higher/DSC01486.jpg

^^ Interesting project. I'm intrigued. What does the final product look like? Are there any renderings? :)

For the supreme court? These are from the ministry of justice website.

http://www.justice.govt.nz/supremecourt/fig-2.jpg

http://www.justice.govt.nz/supremecourt/Sketch-Supreme-Court_stantiall1_revised310807.jpg

^^Yea it's the supreme court, looks pretty funky I reckon.

Hmmm, I dunno. It looks good in the twilight render, in the day where it looks green not so much. I guess it will look better in the real, when it is finished.
Now I remember the render of the interior of the court chamber, that looked pretty awesome.

BNZ building 25/03/09

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c341/EBIIS/5ad2b33f.jpg

:cheers:

BNZ building 25/03/09

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c341/EBIIS/5ad2b33f.jpg

It's not so much the building itself, its more the surroundings. Needs more 'urban'

It's not so much the building itself, its more the surroundings. Needs more 'urban'
The car park opposite is the site of the proposed Waterloo Tower (http://archaus.co.nz/projects/project.php?pid=15). So far, nothing's come of it yet.

It's not so much the building itself, its more the surroundings. Needs more 'urban'


When the customs building is finished this will result in a reasonable group of new buildings (with the required people) in that area, hopefully the Harbour Keys people can be convinced to do some work on the proposed harbour edge walkway between the BNZ and Stats buildings, otherwise the only way people can move around will be the new "cruise ship" footpath next to waterloo quay.

When the customs building is finished this will result in a reasonable group of new buildings (with the required people) in that area, hopefully the Harbour Keys people can be convinced to do some work on the proposed harbour edge walkway between the BNZ and Stats buildings, otherwise the only way people can move around will be the new "cruise ship" footpath next to waterloo quay.

Agreed. When I was back in Wellington recently I was a little disappointed with this building, but I think that had more to do with the current surroundings - its pretty much a big block amongst a construction site. With some footpaths, lansdcaping, other buildings - and most importantly, people - should come up a treat, and just fill the space in that area.

Just down the road is the new IRD building that someone took a picture of above. Now thats a monster. Shame the design couldn't have been better for such a prominent spot, but we'll just have to wait and see how it turns out.

Nevertheless, to compliment what looks like a refurbished Waterloo Hotel, the addition of the new IRD building, the supreme court upgrade and additions, the Holiday Inn round the back, and the development at Harbour Quays, its all getting very dense round there :)

^^Yea that whole area is a busy one for welly atm ;)

^^Yea that whole area is a busy one for welly atm ;)
And the possibility of indoor stadia/courts hasn't been completely ruled out.

As I had feared, Watermark has found its funding has dried up, Hopefully they can get funding by June, 'cause once the deadline for the world cup passes, I cannot really see any incentive to progress in a timely manner.

The a article also talks about Merge group projects (Metropole, Forest&Bird, Daly St) going nowhere in a hurry.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/2294865/200m-hole-in-the-ground

The troubled Halifax Bank of Scotland, which was to have provided half the $125m first mortgage finance for the Watermark, has pulled out, forcing the developer to find another backer before work can start.

Developer Donald Stott, managing director of Land Equity Group, said: "We were completing documentation and were about to draw down the money when the Bank of Scotland withdrew on a technicality four weeks ago."

Construction on the triangular block bounded by Jervois Quay, Cable St and Taranaki St was to have started in November. It was rescheduled for last month.

Watermark's apartments and hotel suites were to have been ready for occupancy next year but will not be finished till at least 2011.

Mr Stott said work needed to start in June for the hotel to be completed in time for the 2011 Rugby World Cup and for the apartments to be finished by the end of 2011.

Twenty-six of the 45 apartments ranging in price from $1.1m to $12m for the penthouse had been sold, with buyers paying a minimum 10 per cent deposit. Thirty-six of the 61 hotel suites, selling for an average $750,000 each, had also been sold.

Mr Stott acknowledged buyers were getting a little anxious. "They just wanted to see their apartments built so they could move in. A lot of them are elderly and they didn't want to be sitting around forever.

"I don't think it's any secret what's happening out there in the world and we're not immune to that."

On a brighter note, Century City is nearing completion. Maybe the Cuba-Dixon project will follow right after this...

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Century%20City%20-%20Tory%20St/DSCF6800.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Century%20City%20-%20Tory%20St/DSCF6622.jpg

mmm looks fantastic

Housing at bus depot

Wellington's Kilbirnie bus depot could be redeveloped as a residential estate because it has passed its use-by date and is too small for today's big buses.

Its owner, investment company Infratil, says plans for a high-density mixed-use residential development on the 26,000 square metre site are at a preliminary stage, but a resource consent application is expected to be lodged later this year.

There was a different article about the apartment market which featured the close-to-completion Piermont apartments. I don't know if anyone has a photo they could post, but the newly-revealed north face is looking quite handsome I think!

There was a different article about the apartment market which featured the close-to-completion Piermont apartments. I don't know if anyone has a photo they could post, but the newly-revealed north face is looking quite handsome I think!

And here's the article in full... (http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/2331946/Bus-depots-to-raise-150m)

Latest on Piermont & Monument, looks kind of Miami in the top pic:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Piermont%20-%20Cable%20St/DSCF7028.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Piermont%20-%20Cable%20St/DSCF7051.jpg

Century City @ night:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Century%20City%20-%20Tory%20St/DSCF7056.jpg

And just for good measure, noticed this on the Willis Central building site:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/DSCF7040.jpg

Library revamp scaled back
By KELLY BURNS - The Dominion Post
29/04/2009

The Government is to scale back the revamp of the National Library by cutting almost $40 million from the proposed budget.

The proposed $90 million redevelopment is not affordable in the midst of a recession, Internal Affairs Ministe Richard Worth said.

But doing nothing was not an option as water leaks and failing equipment put collections worth almost $1 billion at risk.

The revamp would now cost $52 million and would focus on increasing storage, fixing leaks, upgrading equipment and replacing critical infrastructure.
more (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/2372819/Library-revamp-scaled-back)

quick! everybody spend less - it'll help us get out of this recession faster!
:nuts:

As long as the design stays the same, but i doubt it. Damn cos it was going to look awesome too.

Please, please keep the plan for the new facade, it is FANNYTASTIC !

Just came across an updated featherston st tower, lyall bay surfclub and molesworth tower! Okay so its a flat top box but a pretty sexy one indeed!
http://www.archaus.co.nz/index.php?doThumb=9_1240264122.jpg__699__283__t__80

I don't like the new Featherston St design, now it's just a glass box with no interesting bits.

Overseas Terminal hearing starts in the Environment Court.
Court hears terminal appeal
By DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post
05/05/2009

Ratepayers will be stung with a substantial maintenance bill if the Overseas Passenger Terminal redevelopment is halted, according to Environment Court evidence.

The two-week hearing, which started in Wellington yesterday, will decide whether a $100 million plan to rebuild the terminal, at the city end of Oriental Bay, gets the green light.
more (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/wellington/2384326/Court-hears-terminal-appeal)

Nice to see that Waterfront Watch want to lump ratepayers with the bill to maintain the decaying old wharf ...

This development looked pretty sane and good for everybody concerned when I last looked at anything it. Waterfront watch don't seem to have suggested what they want in its place... have they?

I'm still hanging out for that John Wardle building to be built at Chaffers. Be a long time now I bet, damn you recession!

Possible development for Kilbirnie. Wonder what will happen to the buses if it goes ahead?
Big plans for bus barns
By JIM CHIPP - The Wellingtonian
21/05/2009

Kilbirnie's bus barns may become the site for a $350 million combined residential-retail complex.

Public services infrastructure owner Infratil briefed eastern ward city councillors last week on the proposal.

Infratil property chief executive Peter Coman said the company has considered alternative options for the site, though bus storage was a more than satisfactory use for it. However, the company website identified the site as an investment opportunity, showing plans for the 26,000-square-metre site and anticipating a resource consent application being lodged later this year.

Coman said there were no firm plans. "I think we'll just keep working away at it," he said. "There are no fixed timelines. The national situation would determine how things progress."
more (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/wellington/2427263/Big-plans-for-bus-barns)

I don't see $350 million floating around at the moment for something like that though. Heck it would have to be huge, Sylvia Park in Auckland was around $300 million I think.

those bus barns are enormous - but where would the buses go i wonder

those bus barns are enormous - but where would the buses go i wonder

I have heard whispers that NZ Bus have been looking at using some of the space at the southern Landfill (Aka happy valley tip)

So how would the trolley buses get there? I don't think they could be bothered to go through the expense of putting in overhead wiring there somehow, and battery power is only meant for emergency use.

I imagine they will stash most of them in Karori, and may look to acquire a smaller yard on the network somewhere,

(there is disused quarry just past the Queens Rd/Hungerford Road trolley bus turn around, I am sure they could run some overhead for the 300m they would need to use this site)

Infratil are looking to get rid of a lot of their Auckland bus depot sites too, strangely.

:( I love the bus barns, I think they're great buildings, and love seeing them when I drive past still being used for their original purpose with a workshop look about them. I think this would be a loss.

Serepisos on top of the world amid downturn (http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/2434697/Serepisos-on-top-of-the-world-amid-downturn)

The Dominion Post
Last updated 05:00 23/05/2009

http://static.stuff.co.nz/1242991746/712/2434712.jpg
LOREN BATSON/Dominion Post
FULL OF PLANS: Terry Serepisos still has plenty of property irons in the fire.

While the recession has stalled other developments in the city, Terry Serepisos exudes confidence over his portfolio, writes Hank Schouten.

Wellington property tycoon Terry Serepisos shows no fear of heights as he stands in the glass-bottomed Century City Hotel pool high above Tory St.

Some of the workmen finishing off the top floor are so freaked out they won't walk out into the end of the pool which juts out over the street 10 floors below.

But vertigo is no problem for the developer who seems to defy gravity.

While the recession has bitten others and stalled a string of other major developments in the city, Mr Serepisos exudes confidence as he rules a 16-building Wellington property portfolio which he says is worth about $450 million.

There is no sign of nerves as two of his latest developments the Century City hotel, apartment and parking complex and an eight storey IBM office block in Petone near completion as the economy continues to dive.

But he clearly has a lot of property for lease or sale.

In addition to what's on offer in his new developments, at least three other properties in his portfolio are on the market.

His building at 173-175 Victoria St the former Wellington World Trade Centre and the Burger King building on Manners Mall have been up for sale for several months.

Another buzz went around town a week ago when it was announced that he was also trying to sell his slice of Wellington's golden mile the retail complex at 256 Lambton Quay.

Was this a sign that he was having to sell off property under pressure from his bankers?

No, says Mr Serepisos "I'm just consolidating and reinvesting."

"I'm not having to sell; I wanted to sell because I thought, at the moment, with the interest rates being as low as they are, it's a great opportunity."

The sole shareholder and director of the Century City Group said a lot of people were asking him what effect the recession was having.

"The whole world is asking you're talking about some of the largest banks in the world going bankrupt. The whole world is in shock and the recession has affected everyone on the planet.

"There are so many questions about doom and gloom, I'm just trying to stay out of the limelight. I still feel positive about things."

He said he was not immune to the pressures - it cost him $2 million extra to keep sub contractors working after the Wellington Construction Co went bust part way through the $20 million seven-year Tory St development.

"It has made things harder. It has made it harder to get developments out of the ground, but there are still great opportunities at the moment."
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By his calculations, some of his residential properties may have gone down about 8 per cent but most of his commercial holdings "have not been affected that much as they're all in prime locations".

He also said he had benefited from floating interest rates coming down he claimed his lowest financing was at 4.85 per cent.

Proceeds from sales would be used to help consolidate the rest of his properties like the large run-down Deka-Farmers block he owns at the bottom of Cuba Mall.

Mr Serepisos, whose profile has soared since he financed the Phoenix soccer team, does not want to come across as a braggart, but he is clearly proud of his developments.

Conducting a quick tour of the Century City complex he delights in pointing out details of the building he designed with architect Roger Walker - the specially lit Century sign that runs diagonally up the front, the stainless steel balconies, the wavy roofline and stripped-back modern interior fitout.

The complex, built on what used to be Wellington's produce markets, has 140 apartments, a hotel made up of 100 serviced apartments and 750 car parks.

The hotel, operating under the Accor brand, opened without fanfare in February and he is promising a grand opening in the next couple of months when work on the upper floors is finished.

The car parks are selling for $50,000 each and he estimates that so far about 30 of the furnished apartments prices range from $390,000 to $1.2 million have been sold, mostly to corporates and investors.

He is also confident of getting tenants for the nearly finished $30 million new IBM building at Petone. The office block has a four-and-a-half green star rating and it offers great views over the harbour to Wellington, but tenants have not yet been secured for most of it.

IBM has two lower floors and part of the ground floor, a total of 3300 square metres. That leaves five floors or 6000sqm to fill. A technology company is negotiating over the top floor.

--------

Mind me asking, whats the tallest building in Wellington by height/ levels, I'll admit, i am JAFA

Majestic Centre is Wellingtons tallest
116m and 29 levels

Thanks :) Sorry for my ignorance!

A few construction updates
30/5/09

Pipitea Plaza - Thorndon

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3657/3585139866_a61ff9ded3_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3585139866/)

No. 1 Featherston Street

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3564/3585141718_9273200cd9_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3585141718/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2459/3585142880_e74c29a768_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3585142880/)

wellington can surely build taller buildings than having bulky monstors like this one.the city will anyway run out of space if this trend continues.is there any plausible explanation for not having a height limit of at least 130m ? than the ridiculous thing of protecting the views of a few people.Yes than there is that one of "welly is on a vault line".But is that the main reason why the limit is around 90m ?Other cities that have been hit by devastating earthquakes have limits of well above 90m.

Nice photos. Thanks for the update. :)
I'd like to a few "new tallest"buildings for Welly.

wellington can surely build taller buildings than having bulky monstors like this one.the city will anyway run out of space if this trend continues.is there any plausible explanation for not having a height limit of at least 130m ? than the ridiculous thing of protecting the views of a few people.Yes than there is that one of "welly is on a vault line".But is that the main reason why the limit is around 90m ?Other cities that have been hit by devastating earthquakes have limits of well above 90m.
The height limits aren't entirely set in concrete, they largely indicate how tall a high-rise development can be before it has to be publicly notified. Developments can breach the limit if the architecture is above par, and further still if it's truly iconic (think Transamerica Pyramid or Eureka Tower to name a couple).

Ok - it could have been taller (couldn't they all?), and it could have been a more interesting design. But for me, the big issue with this building is the cladding/glass on this side:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2459/3585142880_e74c29a768_o.jpg

Its bland, its boring, its 80's....its awful.

Now, would we have the same impression of this building (heigh issues aside), if the exterior on this side resembled that of the NZI building in Fanshawe St, Auckland (pic courtesy of Sam L):

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/84/nzi1bn5.jpg

How much better would it have looked with a little bit more imagination?

Now, would we have the same impression of this building (heigh issues aside), if the exterior on this side resembled that of the NZI building in Fanshawe St, Auckland (pic courtesy of Sam L):

<snip>

How much better would it have looked with a little bit more imagination?

Was looking at an apartment across the road from that last week and admiring it, quite a nicely detailed but simple building.

Does anyone know of the status of the Metropol development on Ghuznee Street? I noticed that the character building included is on the market:

http://www.realcommercial.co.nz/cgi-bin/rsearch?a=o&id=5538955&f=0&p=10&t=com&ty=&fmt=&header=&cc=NZ&regionid=9110&c=6757822&s=nzni&snf=as&tm=1245090048

Considering how intertwined the existing building is within the scheme, you wouldn't sell it unless you were heavily scaling back the scheme or cancelling it.

Thai govt is finally doing something about the tatty old Thorndon Tavern that they bought years ago as a site for their embassy.
Pub makes way for embassy at last
The Dominion Post
20/06/2009

The wheels of Thai bureaucracy have finally turned - 15 years after buying the old Thorndon Tavern, the Thai Government is about to start converting it into a flash new embassy building.

Netting fences and a sign announcing the project have sprouted outside the derelict Wellington pub just a block up Molesworth St from Parliament.
more (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/wellington/2518731/Pub-makes-way-for-embassy-at-last)

I think that the Forte Apartment block in College street might actually happen,

Over the last week a bunch of fences have sprung up over the site, and there is a swath of McKee Fehl signs, anyone heard anything??

Either that or they are simply going to knock the old house fronting onto Vivian street down,and use the site for car parks.

If I haven't told anyone already, my camera's command dial stopped responding, so photos have been a bit quiet of late. There's hope yet though... (http://www.sdirkx.nl/DIY_repair_command_dial/)

Foodtuffs apply for consents for Mt Cook supermarket.

More than the average supermarket
By DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post
11/07/2009

http://static.stuff.co.nz/1247218769/267/2584267.jpg

A new $55 million supermarket with 22 rooftop apartments and a split-level cafe overlooking the Basin Reserve is planned for the old Boys and Girls Institute site in Wellington.

Foodstuffs applied to Wellington City Council yesterday for consent to build the complex on a block bordered by Rugby, Tasman, Douglas and Belfast streets.

It wants to open the new centre in 2011 and expects to create jobs for 200 workers.
more (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/wellington/2584191/More-than-the-average-supermarket/)

Foodtuffs apply for consents for Mt Cook supermarket.


They want it as a non-notified consent, and I am in two minds about that,
1) it probably shouldn't be notified if is meets with the current district plan requirements, but...

2) If you notify it, you get a chance to dig out all the objectors and solve the problems at an early stage, rather than have them appeal it to the environment court [which is where I think ( but hope not) it is going to end up anyway :(]

Also mention that talks continue with progressive re their Wakefield and Adelaide road sites,

Hopefully they sites can be progressed quickly, helping the local construction industry through the recession.

If it's non-notified then people don't have the chance to make submissions - therefore a submitter can't appeal it to the Environment Court. Only the applicant can (if it is turned down or if they don't like the conditions).

However, someone can ask the High Court to undertake a judicial review over whether it should have been notified, which certainly can hold things up and make life difficult for the applicant.

For it to be 'non-notified' then all potentially affected parties will need to have given their "affected party approval" to the proposal. That is, unless it's a Permitted Activity (which seems unlikely for a development as significant as a supermarket).

For it to be 'non-notified' then all potentially affected parties will need to have given their "affected party approval" to the proposal. That is, unless it's a Permitted Activity (which seems unlikely for a development as significant as a supermarket).

Very unlikely to be permitted. As a development in the Suburban Centre Zone of over 500 sq m, it should be Discretionary Restricted, and under PC52 it will need urban design assessment. Some parts of it are likely to be over the 12m height standard, and between 12m & 18m the council has discretion.

I'm not a planner, so I'm not sure whether the potentially affected parties will need to give approval to avoid notification. If the planners decide that effects such as shading, traffic and privacy are not significantly worse than an anticipated complying building, then approval can be given without notification. Given that the site is zoned specifically for commercial and retail buildings of up to 12m, quite a lot of development would be anticipated by the District Plan, so it's quite possible that it might not be notified.

That, of course, depends upon the details. The RC has been lodged, and in all but exceptional circumstances that means that it's public information, so if anyone feels like making a LGOIMA request, feel free!

Very unlikely to be permitted. As a development in the Suburban Centre Zone of over 500 sq m, it should be Discretionary Restricted, and under PC52 it will need urban design assessment. Some parts of it are likely to be over the 12m height standard, and between 12m & 18m the council has discretion.


Mr Hutchison said the New World building would not breach height limits of 12 metres and he wanted the council to grant consent without asking the public first for its views. "We do think we have a lot of ticks in the right boxes for council."

I think they will leave the height fight for the later larger apartment development

Camera's now back to normal, thanks to a $5 tube of superglue. :cheers:

Piermont is more or less complete:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Piermont%20-%20Cable%20St/DSCF7178.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Piermont%20-%20Cable%20St/DSCF7180.jpg

New super for Newtown - Countdown gets the go ahead

The important bits from today's DomPost (link (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/wellington/2750377/Newtown-to-get-another-supermarket)):
The $15 million to $20m development is on the former Bunnings site on the corner of Adelaide, John and Hanson streets. The company plans to open it before the end of next year.
The 4400-square-metre store will include four shops on the ground floor, a cafe fronting the corner of Adelaide Rd and John St and undercover parking for 236 cars. The supermarket will employ about 180 people.

Picture of the site I took earlier this year:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/3225017420_e58dc2f685.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12497592@N02/3225017420/)
This is the corner that the cafe will front.

Was just browsing trademe when I noticed this new development so I went to track it down and it turns out to be another Archaus design.
Here's a link to the only info I could find about it:
http://www.architecturenz.net/Find-an-Architect-Project-Detail/5-Ebor-Street-i056da5d2-54c4-44b7-aabe-05be7230d028-1115.htm
http://www.architecturenz.net/imagesdb/practice_proj/7b0c65d2-4513-42b6-9b5b-a127c4be6229.jpg

There's a lot of moaning about height and views over on Scoop (http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=10692): it would be great to see some dissenting opinions ;-)

I have had my say but if they publish it is another story ;) It is to the point !

This may've been posted already, but here is a render of the countdown on corner of adelaide and john
http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/countdown-newtown-2.jpg

This may've been posted already, but here is a render of the countdown on corner of adelaide and john
http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/countdown-newtown-2.jpg

That's one of the more attractive Countdown's I've seen ... :)

Was just browsing trademe when I noticed this new development so I went to track it down and it turns out to be another Archaus design.
Here's a link to the only info I could find about it:
http://www.architecturenz.net/Find-an-Architect-Project-Detail/5-Ebor-Street-i056da5d2-54c4-44b7-aabe-05be7230d028-1115.htm
http://www.architecturenz.net/imagesdb/practice_proj/7b0c65d2-4513-42b6-9b5b-a127c4be6229.jpg

Also here on Archaus' website: Archaus: 5 Ebor St (http://www.archaus.co.nz/projects/project.php?pid=73)

Still on Archaus, the redesign for the Maranui Surf Club (http://www.archaus.co.nz/projects/project.php?pid=68) seems timely after the recent fire.

Slump forces Wellington waterfront rethink (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/2820023/Slump-forces-Wellington-waterfront-rethink)
By DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post
Last updated 05:00 01/09/2009

An ice-skating rink, campervan park and soccer arena could be developed on Wellington's waterfront to fill holes caused by a slowdown in development because of the recession.

The three proposals, along with a major sculpture called Nga Kina planned for the Kumutoto precinct, north of the Meridian building, are part of the draft Waterfront Development Plan which a council committee will consider on Thursday.

Wellington Waterfront chief executive Ian Pike said the proposals were spurred by the recession, which has stalled major developments and "created an opportunity to explore interim uses for the sites".

A temporary campervan park on north Kumutoto Wharf could be open by December. It is on a site being considered for a five-star Hilton Hotel.

The sculpture, by acclaimed artist Michel Tuffery, would featureseven concrete kina, or sea urchins, near the water's edge.

And the ice rink could be built in either Shed 1 on Queens Wharf - which now houses indoor sports - or under the Queens Wharf sails.

Mayor Kerry Prendergast pledged an ice rink for Wellington during her 2001 election campaign, but it never eventuated.

She said the temporary rink could provide ice skating for four months each winter.

"The last time we had a temporary ice rink [at Chaffers Park in 2002] ... we had something like 20,000 people use it over four weeks. It will hopefully give a private provider the numbers they need for the business to work on a permanent basis."

If Shed 1 was used - and that depends on the outcome of an ideas competition for the Outer-T which closed last week - then it would be replaced with a "temporary tensile fabric structure' between Waitangi Park and Te Papa.

It would be used for soccer during the week and as a venue for markets during weekends.

UN Studio, from Amsterdam, won a design competition in 2005 for a futuristic "transition building" on the site but construction is stalled till at least 2014.

There could also be a temporary 40-berth campervan park at the end of Whitmore St.

Ablution services, and power to each van site, would have to be installed, at a cost of about $500,000.

Ms Prendergast has searched for years for a suitable campervan site in the city and believes the waterfront is an ideal stop-gap measure.

"We need it for the Rugby World Cup [in 2011] to make sure people coming into the city ... can walk to the stadium and then walk to enjoy the hospitality of Wellington."

Waterfront Watch president Pauline Swann supported the park.

"I've got no problems with that as long as ... it doesn't spread right along and ruin the view shafts from Whitmore St."
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The site is also being considered for a Hilton Hotel. The future of that project partly depends on whether Variation 11, which sets building size limits on Kumutoto, gets the green light from commissioners later this year.

WWL was to hand over waterfront developments to the council in July next year but wants to defer that by 12 months to implement the interim projects.

The council's strategy and policy committee will consider the draft plan on Thursday before issuing it for public comment.

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A caravan park? Really?

A caravan park? Really?

Given that number of vans I often see parked up in the carpark between Tepapa and Waitangi Park, I think providing a space that had facilities for them would be a good idea, even if it is just until after the RWC and the end of the recession.

Still on Archaus, the redesign for the Maranui Surf Club (http://www.archaus.co.nz/projects/project.php?pid=68) seems timely after the recent fire.

That will be the Lyall Bay surf club, just along from the Maranui one (separate buildings for two different clubs).

Ex-Wellingtonian here. Anyone have pics of the Lambton Quay renovations?

www.stuff.co.nz/450m-Papaparaumu-Airport-project-lifts-off/283312 The $450 million Paparaparaumu airport industrial park and airport revamp has been given the green light and work is set to go almost immediately.

$450 Million Paraparaumu Airport Redevelopment/www.stuff.co.nz/dominion post

Wellington 2040

All of us here have strong views on what we want for Wellington's future, especially the central city. The WCC is asking for informal feedback on what people like and dislike about the central city, and you can be sure that the "Ugh, it's too big!"/"Protect my views!"/"I'd rather have a paddock!" crowd will be out in force. So, if you like density, urbanity and good buildings (or even if you don't), you have until Friday October the 9th to make your views heard in this round:

http://www.wellington.govt.nz/haveyoursay/publicinput/wellington2040.html

Note that this isn't the end of the process: this is not a formal consultation phase, but is aimed at gathering feedback towards creating a framework document, which will then be consulted on.

I was really surprised that this piece (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10599810) by Deborah Coddington is so pro-public transport, pro-pedestrian, and pro-sensible city development. I'm a little out of the loop and only know her from her ACT days so assumed wrongly that she would be pro-roads and pro-car.

The piece calls for Jan Gehl's Waterfront study on Wellington to be implemented...does anyone know how seriously the council intends to take this study?

Soho, 1 featherston street, willis central, harbour quays.. Can anyone grant a wish and take some pics of these please???

:banana:

$20m for NZSO's digital home (http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/3036699/20m-for-NZSOs-digital-home)

http://static.stuff.co.nz/1257414795/780/3036780.jpg

ARTS HUB: An artist's impression of the planned digital centre.

A $20 million digital centre, where the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra will record musical scores for films, is planned for Wellington.

The "digital innovation hub" – inspired by Hong Kong's $2.8 billion Cyberport – will be purpose-built for digital technology and the new base for the orchestra and the New Zealand Institute for Screen Innovation.

An internship programme and finishing school will be part of the development, on the corner of Taranaki and Abel Smith streets, and is to be completed by 2011.

NZSO general manager Peter Walls said becoming part of the digital innovation hub was a real dream for the orchestra.

The orchestra has already scored films such as Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and King Kong.

"It will open up so many possibilities for the orchestra with film scoring and CD recording. It is something I really hope comes to pass," he said.

The scheme is likely to be partly funded by local and central government. It is also backed by the Douglas Lilburn Studio Trust, which will pick up about half the cost. The trust, set up to honour the composer, aims to create a world-class centre dedicated to the production and recording of music.

Trustee Elizabeth Kerr said it was dedicated to creating a facility that could help New Zealand be seen as a total solution for film production, right through to musical scoring.

"At the moment we are constrained by not having a state-of-the-art facility," Ms Kerr said.

Grow Wellington centres of excellence general manager Laurence Greig said the city needed to make more financial gain from its reputation as a creative centre for films and electronic games.

He hopes a "digital neighbourhood" will develop around the upper Cuba St precinct and complement the existing film technology community in Miramar.

The site is the former home of the city's oldest car dealer, Williams and Adams, and receivers sold the site to developer Ian Cassel's The Wellington Company on Tuesday. The existing building will be demolished.

The Wellington Company spokesman Rasbeer Gill said the new design would be unique and innovative to cater for the intended tenants.

Michael Stephens, of the Institute for Screen Innovation, said he hoped the centre would encourage international co-operation on digital projects.

"The estimated current and future value to New Zealand of the combined film and screen, games and music digital entertainment sectors is around $3 billion annually," he said.

A delegation from Hong Kong's Cyberport was in Wellington to sign a "knowledge sharing agreement" with the institute this week.

Cyberport chief executive Nick Yang said the role of such a facility was to bring innovative technology companies together to collaborate. "We have all this expertise and we are very happy to share it with Wellington."

Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast said the concept would provide a community for digital artists and businesses. "It's an opportunity where smart new innovative digital content companies can set up and, being in a space that is conducive to it, they can spin off ideas."

--------

^^Nice. A welcome addition, especially considering it's replacing a caryard!

Oh, that is very cool :)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/3116491/New-low-at-Brooklyn-High-subdivision


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/3116491/New-low-at-Brooklyn-High-subdivision




New low at Brooklyn High subdivision

By EMILY WATT - The Dominion Post Last updated 05:00 02/12/2009SharePrint Text Size KENT BLECHYNDEN/ The Dominion Post



What should have been a half-million-dollar home has been reduced to rubble, the latest victim in a troubled housing development that owes failed Lombard Finance $44 million.

The house had sat on the Brooklyn hillside unfinished for more than two years, but a large crane and a team of orange-coated demolition workers had it gone in an afternoon.

This is the second house in the Brooklyn High development to be destroyed. The house next door was more incomplete and more exposed, the receiver said.

The contentious Brooklyn High subdivision was intended to include 90 homes above Ohiro Rd and then rezone nearby rural land for another 500 houses.

The development was begun in 2004 by Wellington businessman Lance James, who is charged with evading more than $500,000 in personal taxes and aiding and abetting companies to commit tax offences. His trial is set down for February.

The development was placed in receivership in 2008 and has now been put up for sale by receivers, with six incomplete homes, not including the two destroyed, 25 sections and 7.4 hectares (18.3 acres) of land for sale.

Trade creditors say they are owed $1.1m in addition to the $44m owed to Lombard, but the sale of assets is expected to fetch just a fraction of what is owed.

Lombard chief executive Michael Reeves has said the $40m debt on Brooklyn was a "significant contributor" to its collapse. The finance company was placed in receivership last year owing $127m.

Brooklyn Developments receiver John Fisk of PricewaterhouseCoopers said the demolished house was not watertight when he was appointed receiver. "Given the length of time that it had been exposed to the elements, it was decided that it was more prudent to demolish it and bring it back to its foundations."

"We're taking it back to a position where someone can re-establish a building there."

He said had it been finished, the house would have been a similar value to others in the development, which now totalled about 30. Homes recently finished have sold for $400,000 to $500,000 each. But it was not viable to complete it given its state of disrepair.

The subdivision has had its share of controversy, including planning and consent issues and a council-imposed fine for discharging sediment into the nearby Owhiro Stream.

Mr Fisk would not say what the remaining properties might fetch on the market."We're going through a sales process at the moment, we're looking for the market to tell us what it's worth."

Looks like there are plans to refurbish the tired James Smith Shopping centre at the end of CUba St.
http://rwcwellington.co.nz/cgi-bin/clients/rwnz/profile.cgi?webid=CWN20862&gid=23697

The renders look like they include the planned pedestrian mall for low Cuba St.
It will be great to have that end of cuba get abit of a spruce up.

Looks like there are plans to refurbish the tired James Smith Shopping centre at the end of CUba St.
http://rwcwellington.co.nz/cgi-bin/clients/rwnz/profile.cgi?webid=CWN20862&gid=23697

The renders look like they include the planned pedestrian mall for low Cuba St.
It will be great to have that end of cuba get abit of a spruce up.

Those plans have been around a while

http://www.number1.co.nz/js-apartments/

I think they were done by roger walker a number of years ago, and pre-dated the attempted sale of the building last year.

I have not heard that this plan has been resurrected...

Cubana is more or less complete... :)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Cubana%20Apartments%20-%20158%20Cuba%20St/DSCF7440.jpg

looks funky

-http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/3154367/Plans-afoot-for-city-casino

This is in today's Dominion Post and could be built at Shelley Bay and could possibly be a billion dollar development. However for it to go ahead a law change regarding the building of new casinos may have to occur.

Plans afoot for city casino

By DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post 12/12/2009

A mystery developer has drawn up plans for a casino, luxury apartment block and gondola at Shelly Bay.

Sources say the billion-dollar project is so advanced that plans and artists' impressions have already been drawn up. The proposal is understood to involve a group of Auckland architects.

The city is being kept in the dark as to who is proposing the development.

The Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust is adamant that it has nothing to do with the plan.

The trust took ownership in February of a 4.5-hectare block of Shelly Bay, once occupied by the Defence Force, as part of its Waitangi Treaty settlement deal.

The Dominion Post has spoken to two independent sources who said they had seen concept drawings.

Under the proposal, punters could ride in a gondola from the Shelly Bay car park, up the steep hill, to a casino in what is now Wellington Prison.

Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch and Dunedin have casinos and Queenstown has two, making Wellington the only major centre without one.

In the late 1990s, Casinos Austria tried to set up a casino in the capital, to be situated on city council land near the waterfront.

The proposal met with outrage and the council, which had been supportive, changed its mind.

The plans were scuppered when the Government placed a moratorium on casino development.

The moratorium is still in place and a law change is needed for new casinos to be set up in the country.

Trust chairman Sir Ngatata Love said the proposed casino development had nothing to do with the trust.

"We have got no plans, have never commissioned plans for the prison, a casino, or a gondola.

"[But] there is not a developer in Wellington who isn't considering Shelly Bay."

He was aware that some developers had drawn up plans for the area but he could not give details.

Earlier this year, SkyCity said it had no development plans for a Wellington casino but did not rule it out in the future.

Wellington Prison, sometimes referred to as Mt Crawford Prison, was mothballed in June last year.

But the jail's 120 beds were brought back online as the national muster of prisoners increased and it began accepting high to medium-security prisoners in July.

Discussions have gone on behind the scenes for the prison to close and the prisoners to be moved to another facility. An extension at Rimutaka Prison has been suggested as an alternative by opponents of a city jail.

Sir Ngatata said the trust had not been offered the prison by the Crown and he was unsure of the outcome if it were to be.

"I am not saying it would be my first priority to take over a prison, to be honest."
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The first priority of the trust was to whip into shape the buildings it owned at Shelly Bay, or identify those that required demolition.

Any big Shelly Bay developments planned by the trust would be made in conjunction with the council and the community would be consulted, Sir Ngatata said.

That is right, remember Sky city had not ruled out setting up a casino in the city. This could really transform Wellington and give it some extra tourism infrastructure. A billion dollars would indicate something truly world class. Hopefully the hurdles can be overcome.:lol:^^:)

Render for redeveloped Petone Working Men's Club

http://static.stuff.co.nz/1271105028/373/3575373.jpg

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/3574830/Petone-club-says-yes-to-19m-hotel-project

Petone has alot of potential actually. Opposite side of the harbour to the CBD, Nice old villas and prime waterfront (OK, its no gold coast). I was there a year or so back and one of the main streets back from the main waterfront road had lots of funky little bars, reastaurants and cafes.

Had a bit of a Ponsonby Road feel actually.....

Not sure how many ferraris there will be in the parking lot....
Maybe more like Corvettes I reckon, given the 'traditional clientele'.

The 1st 2 shots are taken from the Te Aro area. I not sure the name of the apartment project(s). Someone local could explain if they wish. The 3rd photo is by Te Papa, building of a new Maori exhibit for Wellington's waterfront.
http://i47.tinypic.com/6qic8m.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/351wt9t.jpg
http://i50.tinypic.com/34gu4g8.jpg

The 1st 2 shots are taken from the Te Aro area. I not sure the name of the apartment project(s). Someone local could explain if they wish. The 3rd photo is by Te Papa, building of a new Maori exhibit for Wellington's waterfront.

The Te Aro apartments I believe are the Republic Apartments on College St.

Also, 7 Boulcott St has just been cleared by bulldozers.

Has this been identified before? Campus Hub project for VUW $67m

http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/about/maps/images/campus-hub-aerial-view.jpg

The building in the centre of the shot currently exists, it is the Rankine Brown/Library.

The development you mention is the box to the right, which is basically as redevelopment of the Quad and its interactions with other buildings.

It is still on a wish list as no one has fronted the $$$ for it, and the Uni can't stand the bad press if they fund a multi million redevelopment while suspending enrolments.

Apparently 7 Boulcott St won't be going ahead.

http://www.shepharddunphy.co.nz/assets/rpt%20-%20third%20sixth%20monthly%20-%20edpac%20joyce.pdf

The 3rd photo is by Te Papa, building of a new Maori exhibit for Wellington's waterfront.

http://i50.tinypic.com/34gu4g8.jpg

I could be mistaken, but I think this is the Waka House that will be Wellington's "Party Central" during RWC2011.

Demolition work has commenced on 38-42 Willis street, (the derelict shops to the north of the Willis Central development.) There were rumours of a 4 story retail/office development a few years ago, but I am not sure what was finally finalised to go up on this site. - It appears that there is a council order for earthquake strengthening existing in place for this site, but I think they are going to just knock it down.

Anyone know whats being built at the start of Vivian St, opposite magnum mac? Its a small site with some huge foundations. Cranes been up for a while now.

Anyone know whats being built at the start of Vivian St, opposite magnum mac?

Forte Apartments, they will will face onto College street, and back onto Vivian

http://www.globeholdings.co.nz/forte/wellington_landmark.html
(http://www.globeholdings.co.nz/forte/wellington_landmark.html)