Waitakere City | Development

[Kane007]

This will be my first post to this Forum so hello to everyone out there.

I've had a good look through KiwiScrapers and haven't found any information about developments out in the wild west of Auckland. I see Manukau and the Shore plus other centres in New Zealand but as a former (1977-1989) westie, I felt the necessity to dispel any thoughts of the West as a giant dormitory suburb fall of bogans or petrol heads. Originally a south Auckland boy, but of late (post 1994) a Shorite, I thought maybe we could update everyone with what’s happening in West Auckland.

High rise buildings exist in both New Lynn and Henderson. A couple of 3-5 level towers in New Lynn and a few educational/commercial/apartment towers in Henderson. There's the Waitakere Central development for the Council HQ and Unitec University. Plus the new shared library.

Their also working on the new Henderson transit centre - son of Britomart - for trains, buses, taxis, and pedestrians. The council have long term plans (funding issues are holding it back) for submerging the trains @ the New Lynn station. And there may be a huge retail development immediately north of west city.

[sam_L]

Awesome Kane. Welcome to kiwiscrapers. And keep us updated on those projects out west. Isn't there also a new Waitakere city library in the pipeline too?

[flyin_higher]

Hey great to have a West Aucklander on board! I've heard alot about the new Waitakere City Centre development in planning magazines as a good example of sustainable urban design.
Here's a pic of it so far with the Civic Building and New Library, and the Concourse above the rail tracks;

[SYDNEY]

Welcome and what a Gr8 idea ... further news ;

Henderson Town Centre:
Over the next few years all of the streets in central Henderson will be comprehensively refurbished with new footpaths, seating, gardens, artworks, pedestrian lighting, trading kiosks and international quality, way-finding signage.

All these features will complement the Unitec building, Waitakere Central Library and multi-storey carpark (between Ratanui Street and Trading Place) and Waitakere Central, a short distance away with the air bridge spanning Railside Avenue to Henderson Valley Road, linking the civic buildings to the new transport interchange.

Unitec has been open for business for some time and the Library was formally opened recently. The Council will be moving to Waitakere Central over five weekends starting 23 June.

These fantastic facilities will deliver tens of thousands of new people into the heart of the town centre and the refurbishment will give the rest of the town centre a big lift and make it a beautiful and exciting place to be.

The first area to be refurbished will be the area : Railside Ave (from Stevie's Lane) through Ratanui St to Alderman Drive. This includes a major overhaul of the Great North Road/ Railside/ Ratanui St intersection, itself. Catherine Mall will also be gutted and relandscaped.

Look at this link - very funky indeed -
http://www.waitakere.govt.nz/AbtCit/...onstructv1.pdf

ART WORKS:

[atkinson1]

Excellent. Great stuff. Good to have you on board Kane.

[Kane007]

Thanking you all muchly.

[Kane007]

Getting the hang of posting images from other url's...

Bella Vista apartments - Te Atatu Peninsula.

[Kane007]

Now a question please.

How does one post an image from their hard drive?

[atkinson1]

Originally Posted by Kane007

Now a question please.

How does one post an image from their hard drive?

First you need to get free online image hosting (www.photobucket.com is a good one). Then upload the images you want to put online. Then post a link on the forums using the IMG code, eg:

[Kane007]

Thanks.

Round-a-bout route but I will begin sharing that way.

[Kane007]

Completed Waitakere Central Library

[Blade]

hey kane, nice pics. in the pic on the left there i work just to the left of that building in the background...been interesting watching it go up, opened about 3 weeks ago or so now.

welcome aboard!

[Kane007]

I'll try and gather more updated pics to my 1.3M Pixal phone on sunday. Visiting my olds in Waiatarua/Oratia.

I really want pic's of the Henderson & Avondale police stations - more like fortresses, and what I think is a rather neat apartment building opposite Placemakers(?) down by the Pools.

[Kane007]

Until Auckland's Vector Arena comes online (date later and later in 2006...) I think Waitakere's Trust Stadium is New Zealands largest indoor sporting facility/arena.

The Trusts Stadium


Main Arena

The Trusts Stadiums Main Arena offers a 4900m2 pillar free space which is ideal for a broad range of large scale events, from trade shows and conventions to music concerts, corporate dinners and international sports events.

The size and versatility of this space makes it New Zealand's ultimate events and entertainment venue. For more information please see the venue specifications below.

Main Arena: 38m wide and 125m long (4902m2)

Sports Courts: • 6 basketball • 6 netball • 8 volleyball • 12 badminton

Show court facilities for basketball, netball, volleyball, badminton, tennis, squash and many other sports events and exhibitions.

Seating capacity: Total installed seating in the stadium is 4901, as follows:

West retractable (Century Foundation Stand): 550
East retractable (Lion Foundation Stand): 550
North retractable (Ross Dallow Stand): 905
Genesis Energy Lower retractable: 682
Genesis Energy Lounge: 208
West upper permanent (Century Foundation Stand): 952
East upper Permanent(Lion Foundation Stand): 1020

Car parks: The Stadium has 382 sealed car parks on-site. There are an additional 1500 car parks within an easy walk of the stadium.



The Trusts Stadium has presented Waitakere City Councillors with plans to complete the development of the Douglas Track and Field with the addition of a 3000 seat covered grandstand.

[Davee]

Great to have you on ssc kane007. Drop into the kiwi count thread and put your details. It's only so we can keep a count on all the Kiwis on SSC!!

Really enjoying this thread. I spent a lot of my life in this part of AKL - I have tons of family in your neck of the woods.

Cheers.

[nayki]

Originally Posted by persian

Well Iran has all different kinds of music. I like some of the pop singers and some of traditional singers but not other craps like rock etc.

peace

[sam_L]

Originally Posted by nayki

peace

Totally.

[flyin_higher]

Council gives up its view of Waitakere ranges
NZ Herald
Tuesday July 25, 2006
By Wayne Thompson


The Waitakere City Council is allowing its property arm to build eight office and retail blocks in Henderson, despite concern that the buildings will spoil views from the $38.5 million civic centre.

Mayor Bob Harvey says councillors endorsed earlier plans by the council's wholly owned property company Waitakere Properties to build, lease and manage the commercial and retail blocks on the new Waitakere central site in Henderson Valley Rd.

The first of the eight buildings - a three-storey project - will be finished in November.

Mr Harvey said councillors had the chance to review the designs for the development in a confidential session at last Thursday's council meeting.

Councillors reconfirmed their support for the project which will bring an estimated 1000 jobs and complement the council's relocation of its office with 700 staff and its civic chambers to the former paper factory site.

"This is the single most important project this city has undertaken so it's not out of the ordinary for us to be updated and to ask any questions."

Mr Harvey said it should lay to rest an "urban legend" that the council was halting the three-storey project at one level to protect views of the Waitakere Ranges from the council building.

However, the Herald understands that when several councillors inspected the building three weeks ago, they became alarmed that views of the ranges could be blocked.

There also was concern that the civic centre would be overwhelmed in the cluster of new buildings.

In response, council chief executive Harry O'Rourke prepared a confidential report for Thursday which said the council was liable for breach of contract and compensation if it changed its mind.

The development was expected to recover the cost of buying the land for the Waitakere Central project.

A council spokesman said the discussion was confidential because of commercial sensitivities.

He said there was unanimous agreement for the development to go ahead as planned.

Waitakere Properties' Greg Parker reported good interest from prospective clients in what he said was the first significant mixed-use commercial development in the city for 20 years.

[Kane007]

Waitakere News August 2006

New Lynn has an exciting future as a major town centre in
the Auckland region, but if it is to reach its full potential it needs
to ensure that both road and rail traffic can flow freely through
the town.

There are already significant traffic hold-ups with a single rail
line at ground level. These will increase as the town centre grows
and traffic increases, while on the other hand double tracking and
more frequent rail services will cause more traffic hold-ups at level
crossings.

Traffic will increase significantly when the four lane feeder road
is built, linking New Lynn to the new State Highway 20. At its peak
this is expected to carry 30,000 vehicles a day.

The answer, says Waitakere City Council, is to cut a trench for
the railway to run in, with bridges over the top to allow the road traffic
to move freely. The New Lynn station would also be located in the
cutting, below street level.

This type of solution has been used to good effect in many places
overseas as not only does it allow transport to be fully efficient, but
the new “connectedness” encourages both residential and business
growth and development.

An excellent example recently studied by the council is Subiaco
in Perth. Here the authorities have placed the fast, efficient, doubletracked
commuter rail service in a trench through the town centre,
with the town centre roads linking across the top. At the same time it
successfully re-vitalised the town centre and brought formally unused
land into development.

“We must achieve the same sort of outcome in New Lynn,” says
New Lynn Councillor Derek Battersby.
“New Lynn has a very bright future. Everybody recognises that.
The Regional Growth Strategy shows it becoming one of the major
town centres in the Auckland region, with much bigger population
and business sector. We have to plan for that now or lose the
opportunity to get it right,” he says.

“But for New Lynn to achieve its full potential, we must stop it
being cut in two by the railway line. Once that happens, all sorts of
new development will become possible,” he says.
“It’s a confidence thing. People will invest where they see
potential and they will not invest if they see problems. Our true
potential lies in getting road and rail separated and freeing-up land
that can be used for housing and for business,” says Councillor
Battersby.

Councillor Battersby says that On Track, which owns the rail track
will have to undertake the project and the council is working closely
with it to persuade On Track that the trench option is the best one
for New Lynn and the region.

The council will begin consulting with businesses and landowners
this month to discuss how the trench proposal will affect and
benefit them. The council will begin assessing how to undertake the
project with the least possible inconvenience to local residents and
businesses.

[SYDNEY]

^